Elf on the Shelf is creepy. For those of you who don’t know, Elf on the Shelf is a small stuffed elf in a red suit with long arms and legs that, as the story goes, watches kids between Thanksgiving and Christmas to report to Santa who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.
The idea seems kind of fun. Originally it came from a book published in 2005 that had the elf reporting to Santa nightly, then racing back to the children’s homes before they awoke, ultimately ending up in a new position each night. So Elf on the Shelf was a hide and seek game in the beginning, but it’s become something different.
Somewhere along the way, parents who weren’t content with the simple moving of the doll nightly decided to up the ante. Those of you who have friends or relatives who are into Elf on the Shelf and prone to posting his exploits on Facebook, you’ve seen what I mean.
These elves aren’t just moving around at night. They’re making snow angels in powdered sugar on the counter. They’re wrapping toilets completely in Christmas paper and then sitting nearby, smiling at the user’s misfortune. And they’re even pooping out chocolate chips onto those cookies the kids couldn’t wait to eat the night before.
Depending on the humour of your friends and family, you may have seen worse. I have. Truth be told, I’ve come up with a few ideas myself and passed them on to family, but I won’t do Elf on the Shelf at my house because my kids would find it a little too disturbing. Any doll that can move around at night and do things while you’re sleeping is not welcome at the Wood house.
We’re into many other silly Christmas traditions, though. We do put carrots and oats out for the reindeer and make special presents to bring to Santa at the mall. You know, the real Santa, not one of those “helpers” with fake beards. We can tell the difference.
We hang stockings for all of our pets, robo hamsters included, and try to get them to open the stockings while taking too many pictures that will likely find their way onto Facebook.
We meet with extended family and exchange gently used gifts in a Greedy Santa free for all that must include at least one present no one wants so we can all try to make each other end up with it. The infamous hanging macramé cats that we brought and my sister won two years ago have been “left” at our house many times since then, but they always seem to find their way back to her house — this last time in her suitcase when she came to visit, which, of course, leaves us open for payback at Christmas time when we go to see her.
Christmas really should be full of fun traditions with family, in my opinion. And if Elf on the Shelf is that for you, carry on and enjoy, but my family’s not ready to embrace the little prankster. Maybe when my kids are older and they don’t actually think the creepy thing comes alive at night.
However you celebrate, I hope you have a fantastic Christmas full of love and laughter and that your traditions and gatherings bring you much peace and joy this holiday season. Merry Christmas and God bless.
