Qotd: Elf on the shelf. Do you have an elf on the shelf? (12/2)

[Saar]

Elf on the shelf. Do you have an elf on the shelf?

It's a tradition we don't have here in Belgium (at least, I haven't heard anyone having an Elf on the shelf EVER).

Do you have one? What does he/she do?
Feel free to even share photos and layouts.

Can't wait to see them!

[KateD]

We don't have an elf on the shelf, although I enjoy looking at pictures of their shenanigans. I'm thankful that my boys were teenagers before the craze really took off!

[Kjersti]

We have an Elf of the Shelf - it started when the girls were young and I've carried on the tradition. I try and incorporate the Elf into our December Daily pages. Although....last night I went to open the box....he was GONE! I vaguely remember setting him on fire or melting him last year (Christmas lights set up gone wrong). I ran Target on my lunch break to buy a new one to replace him....and when I got home and opened the box....I had purchased a girl. Good thing my girls aren't little!



My favorite layout (2011)

[Saar]

Such fun pages Kjersti!
I love that you carried on the tradition.

[MamaBee]

Looking back at the layouts in the gallery - we started with the elf, Elfon (as in "Elf on" the shelf - named by my then 4 year old! haha) in 2011. In 2012, Landon joined in with Elfon... Landon was the old style elf that my mom had when she was a kid (for decor, not antics). He was so named after a child in Jake's YMCA classes who would make "bad choices," according to the teachers.... so Landon was used as a teaching tool not to be a follower, be your own person, etc.

2011 -





Then last year, Elfon and Landon retired... mostly because I found Christopher Popinkins and I thought he was way cuter. Also, Christopher doesn't make a mess or gets into trouble like the other two elves. However, Landon showed up at Grammy's and threw Jake for a loop! haha My mom put him in the sunroom, looking into the kitchen... oh man, the look on Jake's face!



I think the elves are Jake's favorite part of Christmas... he started asking if Christopher was coming since Halloween. He just loves to find him and see what is going on. We also have Christine the Angel that comes when Advent Starts... She brings the Jesse Tree and makes sure that Jesus is center of our month.

[karlimarie]

I love hearing about Elf on the Shelf antics! It’s my LO’s first Christmas, so he’s still a little too little, but maybe in a couple years?

[tjscraps]

We do have an Elf, we started it when my daughter was 4 I think, thinking we only had 5-6 years to do it ... then got pregnant when she was 8, so I guess we're in it for the long haul lol

[AmieN1]

We do but our elf isn't naughty or messy! He "Blue Eyes" just brings the kids their advent card with an activity to do that day (I've been doing that for at least the last 5 years!) Thursday's photo-

[Saar]

Love it Amie! Love the photos.

[LeeAndra]

The Elf on the Shelf elves are creepy-looking to me so it's been a hard pass for us. We also don't teach our kids the whole 'you only get gifts if you're good' thing so a supervisory elf is not necessary. Santa brings one gift + stockings because he's Santa & he's good/nice and we give them the rest of the gifts because we love them not because they were especially good (or bad) the last year. Works for us.

My daughter (8) has never asked if we could have one so I haven't had to explain why we won't have one.

[YepBrook]

We don't have an elf! I can barely remember to be the tooth fairy, so I'm pretty sure having to move an elf every night on the busiest month of the year would just be a huge FAIL for me.

[tjscraps]

Originally Posted by AmieN1

We do but our elf isn't naughty or messy! He "Blue Eyes" just brings the kids their advent card with an activity to do that day (I've been doing that for at least the last 5 years!) Thursday's photo-

I seriously love this idea! What kind of activities are on the cards? That would be so much better than finding a different pose/place every night, plus it gives you the real reason for the season, doing things together (even if they're little things).

[jacinda]

I don't do Elf on a Shelf, but my sister in-law does and I scrap her photos. I have lots in my gallery. This was the design of the first album I did for her:









And this is the current one I'm working on:

[britaneejean]

We do it! We got “Buddy” for Christmas 2010 so this is our 8th year doing it! My kids love him. He usually comes the Saturday after Thanksgiving & brings a North Pole Breakfast but he was a little late and just came today. He ALWAYS does pink milk for my daughter’s birthday (which is tomorrow). We love our Buddy!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Neverland Scraps]

I got one for Christmas a few years ago. This is our third year with Henry, our elf, that my oldest named. For two years now my son has hated Henry. He gets so angry with him every year. This year, he asked Henry not to come. While we were unpacking the Christmas tree, I found Henry and showed him. He was so upset that Henry was here, but said as long as he wasn't naughty, playing with his things or moved, he wouldn't be angry with him. As I rocked my son tonight he said, "Maybe Henry will take down the tree tonight. Then you can spank him and he'll have to go away forever"

[Kiana]

Nope not for us either. I like looking at other's photos and hearing the stories they come up with though

[AmieN1]

Originally Posted by tjscraps

I seriously love this idea! What kind of activities are on the cards? That would be so much better than finding a different pose/place every night, plus it gives you the real reason for the season, doing things together (even if they're little things).

Thanks! I do place him in a different spot throughout the house, but no shenanigans! The cards say stuff depending on what we have going on for the day- sometimes it's just a simple 'have hot cocoa with all the toppings' or 'watch/read a christmas movie or story.' Some off the top of my head- go visit santa, drive around in pj's to look at christmas lights, decorate gingerbread house, make glitter ornaments, deliver goodies to neighbors, sort through toys to donate, etc. All are things we normally try to do during december anyways!

[Neverland Scraps]

Not the best of photos. Henry made his appearance this morning. Little man came downstairs carrying is stuffed animals that he carries around the house, saw Henry sitting on his new gingerbread house that he made at Kidshop yesterday, dropped his stuffed animals and ran over to Henry. He grabbed Henry, threw him aside and yelled, "NO!" Ever since this morning, when he sees Henry (who is still laying face down in the carpet), he says, "you're naughty Henry!!" He's really angry with our elf. Not sure what we will do with him the rest of December!

[rach3975]

We have a Hanukkah version called Mensch on the Bench. He's only here for the 8 nights of Hanukkah, which is a lot easier than having to move him for 25 days! Here's my 2016 layout of his adventures:



I tend to go for silly over mischievous. He always comes with hot chocolate and gelt (chocolate candy). On the other days last year he hung Hanukkah decorations, played golf in a shoe-box golf course, sat on the couch with a remote and snack, wrapped himself and another toy up in toilet paper (like in a snowman game my kids had played at their school holiday parties), guarded my daughter's birthday presents, made a swing in the kitchen, and left us with some of the decorations and things we'd need for our family New Year's celebration. This year Hanukkah doesn't overlap the birthday or New Years, so he won't do either of those. He'll probably bring dreidels and coins to play with one day instead. There's no connection for us between the Mensch and the kids' behavior or gifts; he's just a fun addition to the holiday.

[Saar]

Originally Posted by rach3975

We have a Hanukkah version called Mensch on the Bench. He's only here for the 8 nights of Hanukkah, which is a lot easier than having to move him for 25 days! Here's my 2016 layout of his adventures:



I tend to go for silly over mischievous. He always comes with hot chocolate and gelt (chocolate candy). On the other days last year he hung Hanukkah decorations, played golf in a shoe-box golf course, sat on the couch with a remote and snack, wrapped himself and another toy up in toilet paper (like in a snowman game my kids had played at their school holiday parties), guarded my daughter's birthday presents, made a swing in the kitchen, and left us with some of the decorations and things we'd need for our family New Year's celebration. This year Hanukkah doesn't overlap the birthday or New Years, so he won't do either of those. He'll probably bring dreidels and coins to play with one day instead. There's no connection for us between the Mensch and the kids' behavior or gifts; he's just a fun addition to the holiday.

Love it Rachel. What a fun tradition!

[Saar]

Originally Posted by Neverland Scraps

Not the best of photos. Henry made his appearance this morning. Little man came downstairs carrying is stuffed animals that he carries around the house, saw Henry sitting on his new gingerbread house that he made at Kidshop yesterday, dropped his stuffed animals and ran over to Henry. He grabbed Henry, threw him aside and yelled, "NO!" Ever since this morning, when he sees Henry (who is still laying face down in the carpet), he says, "you're naughty Henry!!" He's really angry with our elf. Not sure what we will do with him the rest of December!

Oh no. Lol. I can assume this was not the reaction you were hoping to get from him?

[Neverland Scraps]

Originally Posted by Saar

Oh no. Lol. I can assume this was not the reaction you were hoping to get from him?

Not really. I was hoping he'd like him this year. Although today, Henry was over by the nativity scene. I don't know if it's because the little man knows it's a sacred thing and we don't disrespect it, but he hasn't touched or scolded Henry today. We shall see what happens tomorrow and what other mischief that elf gets in to tonight!