What is with this "elf on the shelf" thing?

1. 84

   DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years ago

   What is with this "elf on the shelf" thing?
   
   It's something new I've been seeing around this time of year for the last couple of years?

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2. 71

   amiebutchkoposted 10 years ago

   It actually is not that new!  My grandma had one when I was little and I am getting up there!!!!  But the tradition has been revisited in the past few years by marketers - they have now given the cute little elf doll a smart package complete with book and are selling it all over for, I think, around $25.  The gist of it is that leading up to Christmas, you hide the elf in the house for the kids to find every morning.  It might be on a chandelier, and then on the mantle and then it "flies" somewhere else when no one is looking.  It is basically spying on kids and reporting back to Santa.  Kids delight in it!

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   1. 84

      DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Oh, I see.  I'd never heard of this in my childhood.  Thank you for your explanation.

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3. 76

   zoey24posted 10 years ago

   I believe it is a way to make sure children are good before Christmas.
   The Elf sits on a shelf watching, and making sure your child has been well behaved.
   The story is, when your child is asleep, the magic Elf, flies back to the North Pole and tells Santa, how your child has behaved that day.
   This determines if your child is on the naughty or nice list.

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4. 72

   JG11Bravoposted 10 years ago

   I don't know why it suddenly blew up, but they kind of creep me out a bit.

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5. 93

   peeplesposted 10 years ago

   In my opinion it is just another lie people came up with in an attempt to bribe their children into good behavior.

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      Mklow1posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Happy! Happy! Happy!

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   2. 84

      DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I kind of 'get' that as well.  When my kids were little, I didn't do the traditional Santa routine--I taught them it was just a fun game that people played during the holidays.  ;-) So they sort of had the best of both worlds.  LOL

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6. 57

   karidposted 10 years ago

   We have one and I have to say it may work for some kids.  However, my son does not react to it well.  If his behavior is starting to go down hill the threat of the Elf going to tell Santa causes a bigger melt down.  They do like to see him move around although he doesn't move much because we can't remember to move him.

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