I swore I’d never do it… but I caved in and ordered not only one, but TWO Elf on the Shelfs! As one of those parents that were like, yeah, no thanks… We don’t need an elf to be there to threaten my daughters to be good so Santa would show up on Christmas with lots of toys. BUT when your kindergartener comes home from school every day closing her eyes and wishing for Santa to send an elf to her house, (I blame the classroom elf!) how do you not put in an order for one… or in my case two?

The excitement that exuded out of Piper and Kenzie’s faces (mostly Piper’s) was definitely worth the whole “elf commitment”. I wish I got it on video because she was in hysteria for almost an hour that Santa heard her wish and elves came!

Snowflake and Frost (our Elves) showed up after school one day and brought lollipops and apple juice, “they” couldn’t get it together to be breakfast baring elves. The next day the elves moved to a new spot and I was surprised to find my 6-year-old daughter disappointed that they hadn’t caused any mischief…

This whole elf thing is new to me so in case you are one of the few that doesn’t have an Elf yet I put together some of the basics as a guide. I will say my husband didn’t even know about elves so if that’s you, you are not alone.

Elf Edicate 101

The Elves arrive on December 1st, or sometime in December, some say it shows up after their tree is up, I like this idea. Ours arrived on the 11th, which as first-timers is just the right amount of commitment! They often bring a sugary breakfast. Ours brought lollipops and juice.

Don’t touch. No one is supposed to touch the Elf, they lose their magic if they are touched. Keep that in mind when placing them in a new spot. High up is best if you have little kids.

Reporting to Santa. At night they report back to the North Pole about how well behaved their child has been.

Returning each morning. When they return they are always in a new spot in the house.

Mischief Makers. Some Elves are into mischief and do things like get into the cookies or make a mess in the playroom. Some elves go all out with their mischief-making. I’ve seen cotton ball baths in the Crockpot, an Elf sitting in the middle of the kitchen with every pair of shoes in the house, making a mess in four, or even drinking syrup with a straw right from the bottle. Some may go a little overboard and make other elves look lazy if you ask me.

Departure. On Christmas Eve the Elves go back to the North Pole for their final report to Santa and they don’t return until next December.

Pros of an Elf

• The smiles on your little one’s face(s) are seriously priceless. This to me makes it all worth it!
• Kids are eager to get a good report from the elves and be on the Nice List.
• The kids help out around the house without being told! At least mine have been cleaning up after themselves and surprising me with a spotless playroom and beds made since Snowflake and Frost showed up.
• Traditions are so much fun no matter what they are!

Cons of an Elf

• These Elves can turn into a way to get kids to be good with the bribe of presents from Santa. I’m still not sure how I feel about this.
• If you commit to a mischievous elf coming up with new ideas could get challenging. (Be thankful for Pinterest!)
• Forgetting to move the Elf could land you in a tricky spot with your littles.
• Another thing to do around the Christmas craze…

I found more pros than cons so far and am glad these two little elf dolls are bringing so much joy and excitement to my daughters. It’s been fun so far, although it’s new to our family so I get how some aren’t so excited about it.

 

Do you have elves in your home and if you do what kind of trouble do they cause around the house?

Shop this post: (Links Updated, unfortunately, I can no longer find the elf on the shelf dolls sold without the books)

 

Head to our December Tradition post next!