Elf on the Shelf

[covergirl82]

Do you have one? We broke down and got the kids one because they begged for one, and now DH and I have to come up with funny things for it to do.  We've only had it one night, and I decided to put it head-first in one of the stockings like it's trying to check out the contents. The kids thought it was hilarious. 

I just wondered if anyone else has one, and has ideas that aren't super-elaborate or time-consuming. I refuse to spend more than 5 minutes on this silly elf.

[erinshelley21]

Last year ours put bows on the kitchen cabinets, hid candy canes around the house, drove one of DS's trucks, stuck his head in a bag of chocolate chips, made a "shoe shoe" train.

[2chatter]

I put the elf face down like that on night three and DS asked why he wasn’t fun anymore and if he was getting sick.

So this morning he delivered Keurig hot chocolate.

Biggest hits: elf goes on a date with Barbie, elf ziplines, elf fishes for goldfish, elf gets locked outside on a window ledge, sick elf who has to convalesce in a tissue box for a week and the kids have to bring him water and toys (this is me being lazy but they love it), elf rolls toilet paper down the stairs, elf unwraps a present (empty box but the kids don’t know that), elf leaves a new Christmas game or toy or book, elf reads to collection of their stuffed animals, elf leaves a note that Santa wanted to have a longer conversation about their questionable behavior and could
Only do it during the day so he didn’t return for a day, elf puts crepe paper streamers across the kids’ bedroom doors, elf bathes in a mini marshmallow bubble bath, elf throws up from
Eating too much candy (I made elf vomit out of melted
Marshmallows and crushed starlight peppermints), elf circles his gift ideas in a circular, elf leaves a scavenger hunt of three clues (one for each child) to find him....

This year he is delivering the Nativity because I never found Advent calendars. He also delivers our family ornament every year (one year it was a new house, one year it was DS’ hand print, one year he made an ornament out of sand dollars the kids collected on vacation; this year it is a starfish ornament from the most recent beach trip.

If I think of others that were super fast and low clean up I will share - this is year 7, so DD (13) has done a few of these - we usually split the elf. Big kids are awesome, she also hides Easter eggs outside.

[2chatter]

And BTW I am dying that this is my life “I made elf vomit...”

[mommyatty]

Elf builds snowman by stacking 3 rolls of toilet paper and using construction paper to make a face. Elf and Iron Man toy battle some tiny mice DH bought in the pet toy section of Target. Elf tps the tree. Elf puts red construction paper dots on noses of all the people in family photos on our walls. Elf drinks from straw stuck in used Keurig pod.

I freaking love the elf, but he comes Dec 10 in my house, not on Thanksgiving.

[1confused1]

Ours just moves. I don't have time to make him do things (or clean up after it).

[rere]

I put ours in the rolls of toilet paper and wrote "Help Me". Taping ribbon across their room. Putting underwear on their tree, toilet papering their tree, take a bite out of a cookie and set it beside the elf, stick the elf head first in a bag of candy, put it in the nativity scene.

[sudokufan]

We don't have one, but I admit to being kinda tempted by the opportunity to do silly shit with it like this. I might just randomly start with his ninja turtles and see if DS notices.

On that note, the elf could indulge in poker (or go fish to keep it preschool) with action figures. Make snow angels in spilled flour. Put together one of the kid's smaller puzzles. Play marbles. Try to knit a scarf and get tangled in the ball of yarn (or crushed by it). Build a tent out of some candy canes and a napkin to camp. Ride a toy dinosaur.

[waverly]

DS is begging for one. DD doesn't get it really. Do I give in and do it? One neighbor told me absolutely not because she hated it.

[rere]

Disclaimer - I do actually hate the elf. There is nothing quite so annoying as laying in bed and realizing you forgot to move the damn elf. Or hearing the shriek of a child at 6:00 am saying why didn't the elf move. Fortunately or unfortunately, our elf is no more. A couple of years ago, I had moved the elf for 24 days. On Christmas night, I asked DH to move the elf for one, solitary day. DD was asleep on the couch. Instead of moving her first or checking to make sure she is asleep, he reaches for the elf who shall not be touched, lest he loses his magic. DD opens her eyes and asks what is he doing. DH stuffed the elf in his pants. There is nothing quite as unnerving as the shriek of a child saying daddy stuffed the elf in his pants. So our elf died that day, in DH's pants.

[2chatter]

waverly - for as much as I whine - I do love it.

Best bonus - the kids FLY out of bed every morning in December in a great mood to go find the elf.

[mommyatty]

rere- OMG. I’m dying at the Elf dying in the pants!!!

DD is irritated her friends’ elves are here and ours is not. But ours always comes on Dec 10. It’s just the way it is. I think I would hate it if I did it for 24 days.

[covergirl82]

Thank you for all of the ideas!

I admit I had no idea that we were supposed to touch the elf. DD told me this as I was taking it out of the box...

2chatter and rere, I'm dying laughing over here!! (Elf vomit and elf dying in H's pants.)

[erinshelley21]

waverly, I love the Elf. The innocence in DS's face yesterday morning when he stood on the stool and proceeded to tell the Elf what he wanted for Christmas was priceless and worth the 24 days of moving him.

[waverly]

I would totally forget to move it. I forgot to put money under his pillow once for the tooth fairy and had to pretend she came while he was in the bathroom. Oh the sobbing.

[twinmomma]

rere, I'm dying! I just choke/laughed trying not to burst out loud at my desk!

[186momx]

rere, I so needed that giant laugh. It has been a Monday of a Monday here and GBCN keeps eating my posts!

We don't elf and I'm so glad that we don't. I did tell DD the gist of what the elf is so she wouldn't be lost if it got brought up at school and she totally thinks it is super creepy that the elf moves and tells Santa stuff.

[phdmomma]

Dec 4, 2017 14:38:03 GMT -5 rere said:

Disclaimer - I do actually hate the elf. There is nothing quite so annoying as laying in bed and realizing you forgot to move the damn elf. Or hearing the shriek of a child at 6:00 am saying why didn't the elf move. Fortunately or unfortunately, our elf is no more. A couple of years ago, I had moved the elf for 24 days. On Christmas night, I asked DH to move the elf for one, solitary day. DD was asleep on the couch. Instead of moving her first or checking to make sure she is asleep, he reaches for the elf who shall not be touched, lest he loses his magic. DD opens her eyes and asks what is he doing. DH stuffed the elf in his pants. There is nothing quite as unnerving as the shriek of a child saying daddy stuffed the elf in his pants. So our elf died that day, in DH's pants.

Absolutely dying over this, it’s hilarious

[campermom]

Nope. No elf in this house.

[phdmomma]

ALso we do not have an elf. I told the kids that I have Santa’s phone number and will call him with a behavior report.

[sweetptater]

rere, I'm dying over that story! Thank you!

We have one, but he rarely plays tricks. I figure I'm doing a pretty good job if I just move him. Today he's stuck head first in a bouquet of fake poinsettias with just his legs sticking out. Last year he drew minion faces on our bananas and the kids are still talking about that so that will probably happen again. I've gotten some good ideas off this post!

As for whether or not I like him, I actually don't mind it, solely for the fact that he's always "watching" so the kids behavior is much better than normal. And, like 2chatter said, the kids come downstairs in great moods every morning. I have a reminder on my phone to move him every evening.