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Elf on the Shelf – Love It Or Send Him Back to the North Pole?

Elf On The Shelf
Why I Love Elf On The Shelf:

We love when December 1st hits and Elf On The Shelf comes back from the North Pole and here’s why:

  • The magic of it all! They think it is real and I love the Christmas magic that happens when they believe.
  • Let’s be real – it is a parenting too for the whole month of December. The kids definitely act better when “Jingles The Elf” is watching.

  •  The running and screaming every morning to see where a cheaply made little doll that has been to the North Pole and back in a few hours is priceless.
  • Even thought half the time I forget to move him, when I do it’s fun to find some new places, or things she/he is doing.
  • I love the tradition of it. My kids start talking about her coming a week or two before she does. It’s something they look forward to.
Why I Hate Elf On The Shelf:

We have never done Elf On The Shelf at our house. It could be because I had my first child (he is 9 now) before it became a thing to do but I never could get behind it and here is why:

  • I will not remember to move the stupid thing. Ever. When the kids go to bed that is my time to finish up a few tasks I didn’t get to during the day but then it is me time. I sit and enjoy a drink with my husband, catch up on Netflix shows or read a book. I don’t want to spend my time thinking of things the Elf will do.
  • Which brings me to the next point of not being creative enough. I have seen your Elves on Instagram. They get up to some pretty crazy things while the kids sleep. IF I did have an elf it would sit on the same shelf all the time because I wouldn’t be able to think of fun things for it to do.
  • I find the idea of a tiny doll that comes alive and tells Santa all the terrible things the kids did that day a little scary.
  • I hear a lot from friends that it helps get the kids excited for Christmas and helps keep the Christmas magic longer. Honestly I don’t let Christmas into the house until about a week or two into December (besides their advent calendars) and that is enough Christmas for me. I also have a 9 year old that still fully believes in everything so I think we’ve done a pretty good job of making Christmas magic last for a long time.
  • I LOVE Christmas I really do but I love it hard for a couple of weeks and then I am good. Having to move the elf around for a month exhausts me even thinking about it.
  • We also create Christmas magic other ways. Every year we go out to my parent’s place and get out Christmas tree from “The Christmas Tree Forest” in their field. Our trees may not be Pinterest worthy but we love going out to the forest and hunting down the perfect to us tree.
  • Christmas is crazy enough as it is! As a parent, I find the to do list around this season to be SO overwhelming, adding a freaky little elf to the list is just one more thing.