The time has come. The elves have arrived. And there’s a lot of noise coming from the parents I know. When it comes to Elf on the Shelf, you probably fall into one of two camps: love him or hate him. And those whohate him? It’s a hate that runs deep. What did he ever to do you?
They say the Elf on the Shelf is a waste of time. That it’s creepy. People go overboard. It’s manipulative. The list goes on and on. And, while I can understand that point of view a little, I don’t understand the bashing of parents that do love the Elf on the Shelf.
So I am waving my “I love the Elf on the Shelf” flag high today and sharing just why we love him so much.
1. Christmas Magic. As my children are getting older, I know our days of “believing” are numbered. So I am holding onto the Christmas magic as long as I can. And you know, you are never too old to believe in the magic and spirit of Santa.
2. Tradition. I look back on my childhood holiday traditions and have fond memories of them, and some of them we have continued with my own children. By doing the Elf on the Shelf, we are creating a new family Christmas tradition. Even after the kids have grown out of this stage, I think our Elf will still come back each year and be a part of our Christmas.
3. Creative Outlet. The best part of Elf on the Shelf is you can be as involved with it as much as you want. You can get really creative or you can just move your Elf from shelf to shelf. It’s really up to you! (And if you need some help, take a look at my Elf on the Shelf calendar!)
4. It Inspires Good behavior. OK, OK, I will admit that I do love that the Elf seems to be a good reminder to my children to be on their best behavior. Yes, I know they should act like this 365 days a year. But, let’s face it, they don’t. So it’s nice to have a little ally with me all month keeping the kids in line.
5. My kids like it. Bottom line, if my kids weren’t receptive to the Elf, I would give him up in a heart beat. But let me tell you, they are all about the Elf. They actually countdown until the day they know he will arrive. As much as I am not a morning person, I love to hear their excitement as they find him every morning. And it reminds me that the Christmas magic is still alive in my house!
