Hellobee Boards

It's creepy! I don't want to teach my kids that some doll is spying on them and reporting back to Santa, and I don't have the time or the interest to stage elaborate scenes every night.

Oh gosh! Not sure what I would say - my kids ask why ours never moves (I don't have time for that) and I just tell them he is watching them from afar! haha

I would just say you don't know why you don't have an elf - they only seem to come to some kids houses

I got those questions for a week... and I caved. *sigh* We didn't read the book or say anything about the reporting to santa business. I just move the thing around.

She just kept wondering why the elf would come to all of her friends' houses but not to our house. She asked me if I had the elf's phone number Even her teacher said "molly, what's your elf's name?".

If DD ever asks this, I think I will probably just tell her that everybody celebrates the holidays in different ways with different traditions, and there's nothing wrong with that.

I hate the elf. He's creepy and I have no interest in moving him around all the time. They have an elf at school, that they named Buddy (LOL) that I have mixed feelings about.

My kids are still little, but how bad would it be to just say "that elf is creepy" to them. Then when other kids as about their Elf my kids will say "the elf is creepy!"

We do the elf - but it's definitely been a big topic of discussion at preschool. I think a few teachers even have their own classroom elf! Lo asked me why some kids didn't have one and I told her that even though the elf is magic and from the north pole (obviously we do it so I want her to believe) but parents still have to invite the elf into the home and some parents don't. She was satisfied with that. If I were in the no elf camp I'd say the same thing but add the 'you are already well behaved' etc.

Just not a fan of the idea. We already do SO much around this time of year (holiday events, parties, exchanging gifts, etc.) that I just think it's too much. We don't do an advent calendar for the same reason. I think Christmas is magical without those things.

I think it's counter productive to have a naughty figure to tell kids to be good. Plus I'm not really into pushing Santa so the whole concept is not for me.

You could say:

- You do have an elf watching, he's just shy and prefers to hide (so he gets a better view all around the house)

- You don't need a elf because your LO is really good (they only send Elves to children who might do naughty stuff)

- You have a hotline to Santa so you don't need an elf

- Not everyone gets an elf, it's just one of those things.

FWIW, we have an elf but he only does good, helpful things.

LO's preschool teacher says the answer to hard questions from kids is "What do you think?"

I have been getting this on and off the past week from DS. He has one at school and I guess his friends have been talking about their elves. I just told him that we won't always have what others have, and they may not have what we do. He kind of grumbled at that but accepted it.

@skipra: Love this answer.

I would tell my child that I find the idea of normalizing constant surveillance creepy as hell. Also, that I have better things to do with my time. But if she was really into it, I'd find a way to do it that wasn't so weird.

El came home this week asking, "What's our elf's name?" I just kept saying, "Elf? Not sure what elf you're talking about buddy. I guess we don't have one." They must have been talking about the blasted thing at school.

We have one because someone gave it to us as a gift, but it's just a regular toy in our house. We won't ever have one because I'm not a fan of the naughty/nice concept and bribing our kids to behave. We also aren't necessarily planning to do Santa either though, we will see how DD1 goes about it when she's a little older. So far she doesn't really mention him.

@skipra: I LOLed at that! Yeah, we definitely are never doing the damn elf. One more thing pushed on us by retail and Pinterest. No thanks. We don't do the whole, Santa only brings presents to good kids thing either because does that mean less fortunate kids were naughty?? Also, I fully plan to have Christmas whether my 3 year old throws a tantrum one day in December or not.

@looch: This is the best answer I've seen! "I have Santa's direct email address" -- Love it!! Plus, this way LO won't tell her friends "she doesn't need an elf, because she behaves" or anything like that. Thanks for the great tip!