Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I hate the elf -- can't you just discipline your kids without holding the threat of no presents over their heads? Or if you want to do this manipulative bullshit, can't you just TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT like the grown up you supposedly are? Please.

+1

Just say the elf reports back to you.

Anonymous wrote:The elf isnt related to "Christianity" anymore than the tree is. Its just an extra thing that we do around the holidays

Easy for someone who celebrates Christmas to say.

... the Christian holiday you mean

The elf isnt related to "Christianity" anymore than the tree is. Its just an extra thing that we do around the holidays

OP, I suggest Grandfather Frost. He's kind of like Santa, however, he doesn't come on Christmas, he comes on New Year's Eve and gives kids their presents.

Op, your worries are small

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but you don't get CHRISTmas fun and a huge bar mitzvah blow out party$$ a few years later.

Accept the swag that goes with your faith. No need to expand the borders.

Right. Because every single Jew has a huge, expensive Bar Mitzvah. It's mandatory.

And you know this because?

Sorry, but you don't get CHRISTmas fun and a huge bar mitzvah blow out party$$ a few years later.

Accept the swag that goes with your faith. No need to expand the borders.

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I hate the elf -- can't you just discipline your kids without holding the threat of no presents over their heads? Or if you want to do this manipulative bullshit, can't you just TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT like the grown up you supposedly are? Please.

You get the grinch award.

Ugh. I hate the elf -- can't you just discipline your kids without holding the threat of no presents over their heads? Or if you want to do this manipulative bullshit, can't you just TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT like the grown up you supposedly are? Please.

Use the elf, call him Hannauka Harry. Give him a blue shirt. Done. The elf is a convert. No big deal.

Okay, OP. So, hannukah gifts are given specifically from a person to a person (ie, mom to son) not supposedly from some mythical figure with tiny helpers, right?

Couldn't you do a Hannukah Harry/polar bear/dreidel with googly eyes who is supposed to report back to YOU and DH if the kids misbehave?

The thing is, Santa keeps that whole naughty and nice list, etc. Can you hold something like that over your kids' heads - if you're not nice to little brother I won't get you anything for Hannukah. I have Deirdre Dreidel here keeping an eye on you.

?

Anonymous wrote:We have an Elf but have not tied it to good behavior and naughty or nice. Instead, Santa sent him with a letter telling DD how excited they all are at the North Pole to celebrate Christmas. Our elf came down to spend the holiday season with us and share some of the Christmas magic. DD is entranced by the Christmas magic that has the Elf move from place to place each night while she sleeps.

I don't know, though, how you'd translate this to a Jewish custom. A magic dreidel that gets hidden each day (except, who is hiding it?)?

This is us too. Dd was QUITE sad this AM when the Elf had decided to hang out in the same spot another day. But like this PP I don't know enough about Judaism to devise a similar jewish tradition that would magically move a small item around the house each night.

I'm Christian -- at our house we have trees and Santa (no elves -- my kids are too old for that) but we don't worship any of those things. They are not part of Christianity. BTW, we eat challah on Fridays because that's the day the bakery has it and it's yummy. That doesn't make us Jewish.

A circumcised elf is completely fine.