Forgoing the elf - is this realistic?

[Anonymous]

I mean I have heard of the Elf, but did not realize it was a big thing. Somehow my kids made it to their late teens without all the OTT Xmas stuff.

[Anonymous]

We never did it and my sons never brought it up. Seems like a stupid made up thing people do to post on FB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did not do the ELF. Kids are fine. We did advent calendars, stockings, made gingerbread houses, prepped for Santa/reindeer.

The Elf is not mandatory. But be careful to not be “we focus on the religious part” sanctimony.

Who cares if she focuses on the religious aspect of the holiday? Who are you to tell her what to focus on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did not do the ELF. Kids are fine. We did advent calendars, stockings, made gingerbread houses, prepped for Santa/reindeer.

The Elf is not mandatory. But be careful to not be “we focus on the religious part” sanctimony.

Who cares if she focuses on the religious aspect of the holiday? Who are you to tell her what to focus on?

We care

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did not do the ELF. Kids are fine. We did advent calendars, stockings, made gingerbread houses, prepped for Santa/reindeer.

The Elf is not mandatory. But be careful to not be “we focus on the religious part” sanctimony.

Who cares if she focuses on the religious aspect of the holiday? Who are you to tell her what to focus on?

We care

Well that just makes you pathetic. Focus on your own life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did not do the ELF. Kids are fine. We did advent calendars, stockings, made gingerbread houses, prepped for Santa/reindeer.

The Elf is not mandatory. But be careful to not be “we focus on the religious part” sanctimony.

Who cares if she focuses on the religious aspect of the holiday? Who are you to tell her what to focus on?

We care

Why though

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We never did it and my sons never brought it up. Seems like a stupid made up thing people do to post on FB.

+1. One more things for moms to do.

[Anonymous]

We have never done that. It is a choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the big deal about moving an elf at night to a different place

I find the whole idea weird and creepy. The elf is watching you and reporting to Santa?? And the elf gets sick if the kids are “bad”?? I don’t want my kid to be motivated to behave because of an elf reporting back to Santa. I honestly feel the elf is something bad parents use to make their kids behave.

We do lots of fun Christmas stuff at our house not not the elf and I’ve never been asked about it!

[Anonymous]

PP who does Elf on the Shelf - didn't like the creepy reporting thing - which is how I first tried to get out of it. So our Elf came with a note saying she doesn't report back to Santa, cause that's creepy, and mom and dad didn't like that.

Impressed with all of you who avoided it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did not do the ELF. Kids are fine. We did advent calendars, stockings, made gingerbread houses, prepped for Santa/reindeer.

The Elf is not mandatory. But be careful to not be “we focus on the religious part” sanctimony.

Who cares if she focuses on the religious aspect of the holiday? Who are you to tell her what to focus on?

We care

It’s a religious holiday that has become commercialized. And you are cautioning a Christian not to focus on the religious aspect of Christmas? Bizarre.

[Anonymous]

Never did it, my kids are teens now. It came up recently and they all said they were glad we never did it as they thought it was creepy.

[Anonymous]

The elf is creepy in a haunted doll in a movie way and it has a creepy face and it’s not even pretending not to be watching you. So no we don’t do it I don’t need Christmas themed nightmares.

My sister is super into hers, and so I haven’t told my kids they’re fake, just that Santa doesn’t assign them in houses that also celebrate Hanukkah.

[Anonymous]

I never did an elf. I told my kids different families have different traditions at the holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did not do the ELF. Kids are fine. We did advent calendars, stockings, made gingerbread houses, prepped for Santa/reindeer.

The Elf is not mandatory. But be careful to not be “we focus on the religious part” sanctimony.

Who cares if she focuses on the religious aspect of the holiday? Who are you to tell her what to focus on?

We care

It’s a religious holiday that has become commercialized. And you are cautioning a Christian not to focus on the religious aspect of Christmas? Bizarre.

Different poster—agreed. We never did the elf because 1. It is stupid and 2. The elf is not part of the Christian tradition, and we are Christians.