Elf on a Shelf - Experiences, Advice

morse on 22/10/2021 - 10:29
Last edited 22/10/2021 - 10:35

I'm thinking of starting doing Elf on a shelf with my two year old this year in the lead up to Christmas

A few questions for those of you who've done this:

I'd love to hear everyone's experience with Elf on a shelf activities.

TIA.

Toys & Kids Elf

Comments

  • dust on 22/10/2021 - 10:34

    I first heard of elf on a shelf from this meme last year.

  • onetwothreefour on 22/10/2021 - 10:36
    +1

    They won't care what brand it is.

    Yes it's a complete PITA as they will expect it every year, then you will have more kids and it will keep going for years to come.

    2 is a great age to start.

    • morse on 22/10/2021 - 10:47

      Thanks - yes, I think I'm setting myself up for years of extra work. But I think he'll love it.

  • jorf on 22/10/2021 - 10:40
    +7

    The best part is when you forget to move it and you have to deal with crying kids.

  • brendanm on 22/10/2021 - 10:42
    +2

    Is it wrong to buy a knock off Elf?

    No

    Will my kid feel ripped of when he's older and he realizes he had a knock of elf?

    No

    is it a PITA?

    Yes

    Is two a good age to start? or too young?

    Depends very much on what stage your son is at.

    • morse on 22/10/2021 - 10:48

      Thanks. Yeah, I think he's developmentally ready. I goes and looks for specific toys in the morning when he gets up. His language is pretty good for his age, so I think he'll get into the concept, I guess there's only one way to find out.

      • brendanm on 22/10/2021 - 10:51
        +1

        If he does, you are then trapped 😂. Elf on the shelf for the next 10 years.

  • Fever4shakin on 22/10/2021 - 10:46
    +3

    I'm a step parent and I won't go near elf on the shelf even thou we only have the kids part time. It's too much of a PITA to move it and think of new original ideas each time. I think an advent calendar is exciting enough. Plus there's heaps you can do with decorating the house and arts and craft, making Christmas cards for family etc. to get them excited for Christmas and keep them entertained for a bit. We decorated our own baubles last year among other things.

    • morse on 22/10/2021 - 10:50

      Yep, I thinking of doing an advent calendar as well. My kindy teacher had one for the class when I was a kid and I thought it was the greatest thing.

  • Fizzydrink on 22/10/2021 - 10:46
    +1

    Its good for little kids,

    its a pain in the arse as you have to think of 25 different things for it to be doing

    you have to remember to do it, or make an excuse why it wasn't done. nothing like jumping up at 1 am because you just remembered to do it

    by the time the know its a dodgy elf, the moment of 'elf on the shelf' has gone for them.

    google ideas to do

    prepare to do it every year until they don't believe…

  • Muzeeb on 22/10/2021 - 10:48
    +11

    Bloody yanks.

    First they gave us Halloween then Karen and now Elf on a Shelf.

    • SF3 on 22/10/2021 - 11:34
      +3

      Also Black Friday.

      • Switchblade88 on 22/10/2021 - 15:49
        +1

        We created Click Frenzy, it's only fair that everyone shares in miserable sales tactics and crashing websites

  • blonky on 22/10/2021 - 10:57
    +3

    A christmas tradition since 16 years ago by the lumistella company

    • morse on 22/10/2021 - 11:01

      Yep definitely a commercial/marketing thing. But it does seem like kids really enjoy it.

      • mapax on 22/10/2021 - 11:38
        +7

        Most kids would also really enjoy eating nothing but processed foods…

        • morse on 22/10/2021 - 12:44

          lol that's true, but I don't know that toy Elves are harmful to children's health.

          • BortBelcher on 22/10/2021 - 14:41
            +4

            @morse: It depends on how many your child eats.

            • morse on 22/10/2021 - 14:46

              @BortBelcher: At $55 for the original one, he better not eat any!

              • mapax on 22/10/2021 - 16:08

                @morse: That’s not that bad. I once went to a fancy (by my standards) restaurant that cost ~$75 per person and some of the ivory tower types at my work easily spend $500 per person at a restaurant.

  • jonagrah on 22/10/2021 - 11:18
    +2

    It great fun for the first week.

  • djones145 on 22/10/2021 - 11:47
    +2

    buy a fake
    myer had these at 80% a few days after christmas, i remember seeing heaps in the Sydney city one earlier this year
    you can replace it with a real one later!

  • WreckTangle on 22/10/2021 - 14:20
    +2

    PITA

    And have a good story prepared when they find it in your drawer in May.

    • morse on 22/10/2021 - 14:24

      That's a good point. What happens on Christmas day? is that when the elf disappears? I feel he might not understand the elf going back to the North Pole and then get upset.

  • John Kimble on 22/10/2021 - 14:26
    +1

    We lost ours somewhere in storage one year…had to explain it to the kids that she was taking a break that year 😂

    Get the adult one for you too

    https://www.catch.com.au/product/elves-behaving-badly-girl-e…

  • Fuzzy Toaster on 22/10/2021 - 14:57
    +3

    It's a corporate creation to make you spend more money, encouraging kids to only behave due to material rewards. I certainly won't be doing it with my kids.

    • morse on 22/10/2021 - 15:03
      +1

      I only read after posting this that the Elf is meant to be spying on the kid to check on their behaviour in the lead up to Christmas. My little one is certainly too young for this and it's not our parenting style either. I was thinking more just the Elf visiting prior to Christmas and just getting up to general mischief over night as a fun thing. I don't know that you have to buy more stuff - I think you can just use props from around your house.

      • abb on 22/10/2021 - 16:04
        +2

        I don't know that you have to buy more stuff

        You're buying the "elf", right?

        • crentist on 22/10/2021 - 16:23
          +1

          Perhaps the spirit of the elf can be attracted to reside within almost any object, much like how the yorishiro 依り代 (lit: approach substitute) of Japanese Shinto may be almost any object, man-made or in nature, and are believed to house the many kami 神 (spirits) that they worship

          Seems like a cheaper story than buying some dumb ugly elf

        • morse on 22/10/2021 - 16:50

          I'm not going to buy the 'Elf on a shelf' brand - too expensive, $55 is ridiculous. Might buy a knock off, but the ones I've seen so far a bit creepy looking. I searched for handmade ones and nothing came up, I'm might even make one, I'm going to sew a Christmas stocking too.

    • John Kimble on 22/10/2021 - 15:15

      So no Santa or other fake holidays in your household?

  • MeesusEff on 22/10/2021 - 15:37
    +1

    Never heard of it until my co-worker told me that his 10yo son still believes in it and thinks its magical and I'm like wtf that's way too far to let it go on for lol

  • Baa on 22/10/2021 - 15:40
    +1

    My wife is fully invested in this, however, it makes me sad every year trying to be 'original'.

    As a negotiation, we usually hold off until a week or two before Christmas to not extend the pain too much.

  • BOGOF on 22/10/2021 - 15:50

    I hate Elves…..devious little sh!ts. We had one in the roof space one year, had to get Elvis the Elf man to trap it and release a couple of Kms away. Elf poo everywhere!

    • morse on 22/10/2021 - 16:52

      Are you thinking of a possum? or did you smoke some of the Elf poo?

      • sonome on 23/10/2021 - 10:57

        Err… I'm pretty sure he's talking about Elves. We had one get into our roofspace too. It made a huge mess before we managed to chase it away.

  • miwahni on 24/10/2021 - 00:25

    They weren't around when my child was young enough to buy into it but I wouldn't have bought one anyway. Creepy little stalker in your home, no thanks.

  • OzHunterNSW on 24/10/2021 - 10:42

    You are teaching your child to support plagiarism. They will look upon you as untrustworthy. If they ever notice the discrepancy, so too will their friends. They will be treated as an outcast, all bc you thought to skimp on a few dollars.

    • morse on 24/10/2021 - 13:45

      Sure thing.

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