There is a lot of talk about this elf on everyone’s shelf. An elf that cause seasonal mischief and holly jolly tom-foolery. I am just going to let you know right now, there ain’t no elf on my shelf!
I am all for childhood magic, but I only go so far. Santa comes, we even talk about Rudolf. However, I’ve got enough to do without adding a mistletoe munching mischief-maker!
Here are some of the reasons why there ain’t no elf on my shelf and there never will be.
1. I am already busy at night.
After the kids go to bed, I have a laundry list of things that I have to get done. I seriously do not have time to set up elaborate little scenarios!
2. My kids cause enough mayhem!
I already clean up after 2 kids, a husband and a dog. I don’t have any desire to clean up any added messes.
3. I already set up the magic 3 times a year.
We go all out setting up for Christmas, Easter and Halloween. Elaborate decorations! Toys all set up! Eggs hidden. There ain’t no way I am adding another 25 days to that.
4. Money, Money, Money.
I already spend too much money on Christmas and now, you want me to buy an elf? An elf that causes me to make a mess which I will, in turn, have to clean up?
5. Too many magical creatures.
I already have to keep track of the Tooth fairy, the Easter bunny, Santa Clause, the Sandman and whoever else! If I add another, my head might explode.
And last but not least, the most important reason of all…
I am lazy and I just don’t want to.
Kudos to all that do and Bravo to all of the fantastic pictures that I have seen, but it just isn’t in my wheelhouse.
So, is there an elf on your shelf?
sadly, I caved and I do this, but I refuse for the damn thing to make anymore messes that I have to clean up because I too am too lazy to do that at all!
Hahaha, I think I saw a Lazy Mom’s guide somewhere. That may help.
This cracks me up!! There is going to be an Elf on our shelve… but I totally got him on clearance last year after Christmas! I see your points though for sure, and I know it’s going to get old quick, but I am committed to it… lol
Good luck, LOL. It seems like a lot of work for a creepy elf!
OMG I’m dying! There WAS an Elf on my Shelf…but wait til’ you see my post later this week!
I am so excited for this post now!
No Elf here, either. Actually, we don’t do Santa, the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy, either. But, even if we did do those things, we still wouldn’t do the Elf because, hello, creepy.
I agree, the elf is super creepy as well!
The oldest carries our elf around… all year long. His name is Toby and she became obsessively attached to him a few years ago and he still goes everywhere (except school). He is part of the family but the only thing he gets into is eating candy at night while the kids are asleep. 🙂 *wink* naughty elf.
What a naughty little elf! That is kind of cute that she carries him around.
Haha! Love this Echo! We don’t an elf either and I can honestly say I have no intentions of getting one. That little guy just looks so creepy! Nope. Not going to happen.
Too much work. Too much creepiness.
I went to an Elf on the Shelf event earlier this year and got an elf so for the first time I’m going to do it this year since my girls want to. We shall see how it goes even though my schedule is very busy.
Sounds like you need that Lazy Mom’s Elf guide too!
Loved this! No mystical creatures here. No Santa, no Easter Bunny, no leprechauns, no tooth fairy. Funny thing is that even though my husband and I refuse to do this, my daughter still believes in ALL these things. She even put her tooth under her pillow thinking the tooth fairy would come – even though we explained that the parents “are” the tooth fairy. The next day she brought the tooth to us and asked us if we wanted to buy it from her (which is what we said we would do in the first place). Her desire to “believe” makes me feel like a jerk when we don’t go along with it.
However, I remember how ANGRY I was with my parents when I discovered that they had been lying to me about all those things… and yet they told me never to lie.
Funny post. Thanks for sharing Echo.
xoxo
I wrote about the hypocrisy of parenting, LOL. Lie, Cheat, Steal, Parent!
Yes! I remember that post – I think that was the first time I told you we don’t “do” Santa.
I loved this post and I’m so glad you linked it up to the #SHINEbloghop!
Wishing you a lovely week.
xoxo
There ain’t nothing wrong with no Santa. He gets too much credit anyway.
love this so much and so thankful i never started it.
Me too! I ain’t getting sucked in!
I HATE ELF ON THE SHELF!! Some of my friends think that I am mean and anti-Christmas, but NO! I just cannot be bothered with something like that! My 3 midgets would totally expect something crazy like flour snow angels too…ugh!
Right?! It’s insane! I am not putting more work and clean up duties on myself!
I love this! My daughter had an Elf on the Shelf in her classroom last year and really wanted to have an Elf come to our house this year. I haven’t given in on it because I just don’t want to!! It’s nice to hear that some other people feel the same way.
Totally feel that way! Stay strong! Deny the Elf!
Ok Echo, heres my tale, it all started while shopping at Barnes n Noble with a friend, I had never seen or heard of Elf until that day, nor all the pranks he can pull, so I had no idea when after I commented to her how cute it was, that he would make his way home, (In my car) as a gift. And by the way, there are no small children in my home, except………..never the less the pranks began (with my husband ) he got hold of him and started hiding him so that he (elf) would scare me senseless in places I would have never thought of an (elf) appearing, my craft room, hanging upside down from a card, stuck in a jar, you name it. So then I got hold of that (elf) and did the same, hiding him in pockets so my husband would find when his hand went in, or his shorts drawer, and when we left him out one day, our secretary started, need I say more? Sooooooo I never know what will happen.
Anyway, hope you have a great day, stop by and join in the #WW Linkup.
Have a great day!!!
HAHAHAHA, ok, that is funny that your husband hides him to creep you out! Sounds like something we would do here!
All of the above – especially ain’t nobody got time fo dat.
Right?! Because seriously, I ain’t got no time for that!
I have 6 kids, five still in the reasonable age range to believe in all the magic of Christmas. My eldest however made up her own elf. A claw machine stiffed Stewie Griffin. Every Christmas she gets him out and I let and help her set up little hijinks with him. He’s not as creepy as the Elf on a Shelf and this year he has decided to include a Star Wars Ewok in the hijinks. I say as long ad she’s enjoying it and it brings a few smiles along the way. I may have some time for that. 🙂
I would totally rather have Stewie Griffin prank the house than a creepy little elf!
Love this!! I hate that creepy elf. BTW, I love the last gif, Nene FTW!!!
Nene is amazing!
Our elf is boring. He doesn’t make messes or do fun things. He just moves around to different place sin the house. I even made a list of 25 places for him to hide and I saved it from last year, so that takes that much more out of it. I am a lazy elf mom and I’m okay with that.
Nice! You made a list! I am lovin’ the half-assed Elf moms.
Not here! And I can definitely use that time excuse, because we really don’t have time for that. Although we seem to find time for magical Halloween costume making and TARDIS shed painting.
Priorities, you know?
You make your magic in your own, less creepy ways.
That elf is weird.
Make your own magic is right! You don’t need to buy a creepy elf to get into the spirit of things!
LOL This post cracked me up! I saw it via Sverve and had to check it out! I don’t think we’re going to be participating either. Like you said, we have enough to do! lol!!!
Seriously, why take more onto ourselves? I am not down with that!
I have friends who do this, but…nope.
For one thing, the kiddo isn’t with us for Christmas, so it would just be Scotty and I, and let’s face it…nope.
I do do quite a bit at Christmas, though, like advent calendars and special baked goods and holiday scavenger hunts. So I’m with ya on not having time or energy for yet another thing. I think even if the kiddo were here, nope.
Happy holidays to you!
It is fun to have the magic, but for me, the elf shows us how commercialized the season has become.
You nailed this one… you named every single reason why I refuse to get one! #elffreehome
YES! Love that hashtag! #ElfFreeHome!
I love Christmas and all but no, no elf on the shelf for this family. Pretty much for the same reasons you mentioned here.
I love Christmas too. Just not that damn elf!
There will be no elf on our shelf, but there will be some kindness mice or kindness fairies (if I can’t find some Christmas fairies at Hobby Lobby soon). I was inspired to do this by The Imagination Tree blog, you can read about the Kindness Elves here http://theimaginationtree.com/2014/11/25-ideas-the-kindness-elves.html
Now, kindness fairies sound nice! I will check them out!
Thank you! I agree with all of your points!!! For me, the biggest thing is adding another mystical creature that I will eventually have to explain wasn’t really magic. Also, I have enough to do- not going to add something else to my plate that I’m not excited about myself. To me, there’s already enough magic to the season, don’t need to add more! If people really get into it, great. But, truthfully, I hope the elf fades away in popularity LOL.
Carrie
YES! I have enough to explain as it is!
I love the last reason! I’m lazy and I just don’t want to. That’s me! It sounds like a lot more work to add to my already full plate. So my children are being kept in the dark about Elf on the Shelf, which is an adorable idea that I just don’t want to do. 🙂
I think it’s actually my #1 reason, but you save the best for last, right?
Totally agree! I have friends that do it and love it but it just seems like too much to me, and a distraction from the real meaning of Christmas. Here’s a question: how do you handle your kids asking about the Elf when they see it at other’s houses? If you tell them he’s pretend, that their parents are moving him around every night, they’ll tell their friends that and then suddenly your crushing the spirit of the season for someone else’s children. We’ve run into this problem with Santa, since we don’t do him, or any of those holiday type things.
Amber at OurCharmedLife.net
My kids hear about him, but I just tell them that he doesn’t visit us. My kids are pretty understanding of different strokes for different folks.
My boys’ friends had one last year. We had an elf in with some old decorations so we put him out, but he never moved. The boys wanted to know why. I told them he was old and his leg was torn and he must have lost his magic long ago. They were very disappointed and mentioned it throughout the month. Finally around the 20th he disappeared. I told them he must have gotten called back to the NP by Santa. I sewed his leg and 3 days later he reappeared. Magic! He moved each night, that is all. He stayed one xtra day because he got his magic back so late in the season. I had hoped I might get away with no elf this year, but They asked me Nov 1st about that darn elf.
The problem is….I can’t find him! I am seriously considering that he did go back to the North Pole because I have looked just about everywhere I can think of that I might have hidden him. I know they are going to ask again soon because our tree is up and their friends are getting their tree this weekend which is when their elf shows up.
Since I have a chance at a fresh start I ordered a completely different elf. He is plush and cute and not creepy. No book, no rules layer out in some book, etc. he will move around the rest of the month (well, when I remember) but no pranks or naughtiness. If the kids are supposed to be good for Santa/parents, shouldn’t the elf? And there is no way I am making more work for myself. The only additional work will be a letter from our old elf who “retired”. It will be delivered by the new elf 🙂
Honestly, that is such a cute story! Great job bringing in the magic!
There ain’t no elf on our shelf either 🙂 No plans on getting one, Santa don’t come here anyway!
So who needs a naughty elf, right?!
I don’t have kids but I wouldn’t have an elf either. The expression on their faces are weird to me, haha. Plus, I think it would be a lot to keep up with. I like your list too!
They are creepy little buggers and they do not set a good example!
We have a Christopher Poppinkins, which is the same thing basically. He sits on the mantel and “watches over” the kids. I’m too lazy and not creative enough to figure out what to do with him other than that.
I just don’t want to deal with added obligations, LOL.
I had never heard of Elf on a shelf until I read your post. I’m all for the magic of Christmas, but a mischievous elf?…Really? I am behind you fully, Why make work for yourself when Christmas is magical enough without a naught elf!
Popped over from #SHINEbloghop.
Right?! It is so silly!
We have one. It scares me. Natalie loves it though. But it scares me. And I hate having to move it.
They are SUPER creepy!
I have never understood this, and it just is not going to happen in this house, just like you I have to clean up after everyone too. Why would I clean up, wait for everyone to go to bed, and then make a mess!!!! I am not that crazy!!!! Ps the youngest always helps clean up…..
EXACTLY! I am not down for more messes!
There won’t be any elf on my shelf either and probably will never be. I’ve seen so many creative things people have done but just like you, I simply cannot be bothered. It’s too time consuming and everything. And yes I am lazy too. lol :p
Super time consuming! I seriously, ain’t got time for that!
This is me too. I just can’t be bothered, but Elf on the Shelf has now gripped the UK, and lots of my mum friends have started doing it as a tradition for their children. But it’s just too much work…plus my OH would hate the cleaning up afterwards too.
Too much work, man. As if we don’t do enough already!
I wasn’t going to cave and do Elf on the Shelf until last year my girls talked about being the only kids without one so much and yearning for an Elf on the Shelf so badly that they wrote letters “Please, Elf on the Shelf, stop here!” and taped them to all of our windows. I just had to cave.
Well, if they are writing letters and stuff. I mean, come on, that’s kind of cute!
I’m definitely way too lazy to execute an elf on a shelf! I love the nene meme lol!!!! I don’t know how other parents find the time and are willing to put in the effort for such an elaborate activity. I got an advent calendar and called it a day
No elf at our house, but I have an excuse – I am not a fun mom. Nor do I pretend to be one.
It’s the bane of my Christmas existence. I hate Elf on the Shelf. But bonus (aka step) daughter’s mother does it. It isn’t a fight I want to pick with her and I look forward to the day she has outgrown it.
I would look forward to that as well. I told my mom she wasn’t allowed to sneak one in.
I don’t know how it’s possible to make an elf so creepy but the creators certainly did it! I look at that thing and wonder how I’d be able to sleep at night with it in the house. I agree on all accounts! I have enough ish to do than to add that to my list of “to dos”.
In addition to your reasons, I object to another obstacle to jump and another lie based on commercialism. No elf for us thank you! Of course for some insane reason teachers now bring them to school which leads to student comparison and eventually ridicule and bullying. Epic Elf Fail!!!!!
Lol. I am so with you on this. I’m not for it and we don’t do Santa in here. So there is no put of an Elf. Plus my son will destroy him. He’d be in pieces within an hour.
Hahaha, my daughter would probably destroy him too!
Aint no elf on my shelf either! HAHA Echo! You win the funny elf post award! No way to cleaning up his dang messes! He might try to kill me at that precious Enter Sandman moment and I do not have time to wonder for Whom the Bell Tolls <3
The elf needs to go. I hate that thing.. It’s terrible.