Wow it's almost been a full year since I have blogged! When I started this blog I had the intentions of posting all the time and committing to it. My youngest started school and I was a stay at home Mom, home alone, with "nothing" to do. Last year I made the decision to go to college and that has pretty much consumed my life. Well that and being a Mom, Wife and all the other fun stuff. So what brought me back you ask? Well I have been seeing all these negative post about Elf on the Shelf and well you guessed it...I have a Elf on the Shelf and I wanted to voice my opinion as to why we enjoy our Elf on the Shelf!
(The kids were so happy when we got an Elf on the Shelf
that they drew pictures of him)
It all started 3 years ago when I seen the idea of Elf on the Shelf and liked the idea of it. So I bought one and he showed up on our doorstep all wrapped up, sent from Santa himself! How excited the kids were to read the book and name him. The kids decided on the name "POOF!" You wouldn't believe how good the kids started acting knowing that Poof was reporting back to Santa. Each morning the kids would wake up (even my 15 year old at the time) and search for him and each morning I was greeted with much excitement and hey the kids were getting up on their own and getting ready for school without being grumpy! What a great bonus!
(How could waking up to snow angels and snowballs/truffles not be exciting?)
So why did I decide to jump on this bandwagon????....because I knew it would be exciting for the kids. I mean what could be so bad about me waiting until the kids fell asleep (I am awake anyways) and hide or do something creative with Elf on the Shelf that would bring excitement to the kids? My kids are only with me for a short time, in fact this is the last year my oldest will be under the age of 18. Yes I will have my first official "adult-child."
(Look at the joy Poof brought to my 16 year old on her birthday...
even a teenager joins in on the fun)
When I look back on my childhood I don't really remember much about Christmas because it was the same thing each year. We would wake up on Christmas (1 day) and unwrap gifts and then it was over just like that. With Elf on the Shelf we get so much more memories for 25 days (or more). My kids can reminisce such as the time that POOF tried to give our oldest a makeover, or when he turned on the movie ELF and made elf spaghetti and we all laughed. As family we gathered around, popped some popcorn and watched the movie ourselves.
(How is this not a good memory, I laugh every-time)
Christmas is the best time of year. We celebrate the birth of Jesus, this should be a month to remember, and we do and we make memories with Elf on the Shelf. Sure I could do it without Elf on the Shelf but I'm pretty sure if I laid out a plate that has dog bacon and dog cookies on it telling the kids that I tried to make them bacon and eggs and that the cookies would not be a good idea to feed to Santa, the kids wouldn't find it very amusing.
(These are just some fun times to brighten our morning)
So let's talk Elf on the Shelf and how we do it! Well on the morning of November 30, the kids receive letters from Santa and Poof. Each of the letters include "magic beans" (tic-tacs) that the kids plant that night in sugar and that is what brings Poof to life the next day. When the kids awake they find that the magic beans have sprouted into cookies!
(The kids look forward to planting their seeds each year and waking up to
these cookies and Elf milk which is green milk)
Each day after that something magical happens. Most of what Elf on the Shelf does I would do anyways for example buy Christmas ornaments, instead Poof hides and when the kids find him he has the ornaments. Or Poof brings a gingerbread house, we do one anyways why not make it even more memorable by letting our little Elf bring it. The kids were never excited that I bought a gingerbread house (they loved to put it together) but when Poof brings it, its a whole other level of excitement.
(Each year we make Gingerbread houses why not let Poof bring them for a little bit more excitement, it's fun to see the joy our Elf brings)
BUT CHRISTMAS ISN'T ABOUT THAT...IT'S ABOUT THE BIRTH OF JESUS....
This is very true, but let me guess you don't do Santa in your house (yeah right)? There are not many people I know who don't do Santa so what's the complaint? I mean my husband's parents the most Godly people I know and who's Dad is a Pastor did Santa for their kids. Of course it is understood in our family what the true meaning of Christmas is but Santa has become a part of Christmas and now in our house so has Elf on the Shelf. Did I mention that Elf on the Shelf is Godly? Let's see when Santa sends letters the letters stress the importance of the birth of Jesus. Poof has brought The Nativity (I highly recommend watching this movie around Christmas, or anytime for that matter), brought crosses for the kids to paint (did I mention I have them hanging on the wall and each time I walk by them I have great memories) and that's to only name a few. So no Poof doesn't just play hide and seek he also reminds the kids the reason for the season. So not only do they get to hear it from my hubby and I, at church, it also comes from Poof!
(There is so much that Poof does for our family to make sure that the kids remember the true meaning of Christmas...look how happy they are to watch an amazing movie that little kids might not be so excited to watch had our Elf on the Shelf not brought it)
These memories are made because I bought this Elf on the Shelf. I must admit had I not bought Elf on the Shelf I would not be doing some of the things that I do and I would have missed out on some of the most memorable times with my kids. Poof has brought memories to my house that will never be forgotten and I have pictures to remember them. Each year the kids talk to each other "remember when Poof did this," "remember when we watched that movie Poof brought us?"
(There are so many memories and pictures I have of us as a family enjoying the long lasting fun that will always be remembered each Christmas season)
All I can say is maybe Elf on the Shelf isn't for you, but why do you have to bash it? My kids enjoy waking up to their Poof and I enjoy watching them and how excited they are each morning. I even made my sister jump on the bandwagon by buying my nieces an Elf on the Shelf, and when my sister found out she was not happy, but if I called her right now and asked her if it was worth it she would say the memories will last forever! So why is Elf on the Shelf everywhere??? Because it brings happiness to the kids each day. Sometimes our Elf does something so simple as to hide in a cabinet, other days he does something creative, other days he brings gifts, but most of all he brings joy to my kids!
(This year we added a new friend, Jingles and the kids absolutely love her just like they love Poof and we will have many more memories for many years to come...I call those blessed memories. If Poof had not became part of our family our Christmas would consist of waking up on Christmas and that's it. Now it consist of family time together all month long)
that they drew pictures of him)
It all started 3 years ago when I seen the idea of Elf on the Shelf and liked the idea of it. So I bought one and he showed up on our doorstep all wrapped up, sent from Santa himself! How excited the kids were to read the book and name him. The kids decided on the name "POOF!" You wouldn't believe how good the kids started acting knowing that Poof was reporting back to Santa. Each morning the kids would wake up (even my 15 year old at the time) and search for him and each morning I was greeted with much excitement and hey the kids were getting up on their own and getting ready for school without being grumpy! What a great bonus!
even a teenager joins in on the fun)
When I look back on my childhood I don't really remember much about Christmas because it was the same thing each year. We would wake up on Christmas (1 day) and unwrap gifts and then it was over just like that. With Elf on the Shelf we get so much more memories for 25 days (or more). My kids can reminisce such as the time that POOF tried to give our oldest a makeover, or when he turned on the movie ELF and made elf spaghetti and we all laughed. As family we gathered around, popped some popcorn and watched the movie ourselves.
Christmas is the best time of year. We celebrate the birth of Jesus, this should be a month to remember, and we do and we make memories with Elf on the Shelf. Sure I could do it without Elf on the Shelf but I'm pretty sure if I laid out a plate that has dog bacon and dog cookies on it telling the kids that I tried to make them bacon and eggs and that the cookies would not be a good idea to feed to Santa, the kids wouldn't find it very amusing.
these cookies and Elf milk which is green milk)
Each day after that something magical happens. Most of what Elf on the Shelf does I would do anyways for example buy Christmas ornaments, instead Poof hides and when the kids find him he has the ornaments. Or Poof brings a gingerbread house, we do one anyways why not make it even more memorable by letting our little Elf bring it. The kids were never excited that I bought a gingerbread house (they loved to put it together) but when Poof brings it, its a whole other level of excitement.
BUT CHRISTMAS ISN'T ABOUT THAT...IT'S ABOUT THE BIRTH OF JESUS....
This is very true, but let me guess you don't do Santa in your house (yeah right)? There are not many people I know who don't do Santa so what's the complaint? I mean my husband's parents the most Godly people I know and who's Dad is a Pastor did Santa for their kids. Of course it is understood in our family what the true meaning of Christmas is but Santa has become a part of Christmas and now in our house so has Elf on the Shelf. Did I mention that Elf on the Shelf is Godly? Let's see when Santa sends letters the letters stress the importance of the birth of Jesus. Poof has brought The Nativity (I highly recommend watching this movie around Christmas, or anytime for that matter), brought crosses for the kids to paint (did I mention I have them hanging on the wall and each time I walk by them I have great memories) and that's to only name a few. So no Poof doesn't just play hide and seek he also reminds the kids the reason for the season. So not only do they get to hear it from my hubby and I, at church, it also comes from Poof!
These memories are made because I bought this Elf on the Shelf. I must admit had I not bought Elf on the Shelf I would not be doing some of the things that I do and I would have missed out on some of the most memorable times with my kids. Poof has brought memories to my house that will never be forgotten and I have pictures to remember them. Each year the kids talk to each other "remember when Poof did this," "remember when we watched that movie Poof brought us?"
All I can say is maybe Elf on the Shelf isn't for you, but why do you have to bash it? My kids enjoy waking up to their Poof and I enjoy watching them and how excited they are each morning. I even made my sister jump on the bandwagon by buying my nieces an Elf on the Shelf, and when my sister found out she was not happy, but if I called her right now and asked her if it was worth it she would say the memories will last forever! So why is Elf on the Shelf everywhere??? Because it brings happiness to the kids each day. Sometimes our Elf does something so simple as to hide in a cabinet, other days he does something creative, other days he brings gifts, but most of all he brings joy to my kids!
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