Saturday, December 20, 2008

Elf on the shelf....




I don't know if you have heard of this or not but last night while we were eating dinner "santa" rang the doorbell. When we answered the door this little Elf was there with a letter from Santa and a book about the Elf. You should have seen the kids eyes when we read the letter to them. They were so excited.

Here is a fun new tradition you can start in your home. Elf on the Shelf is a little elf doll that reports directly to Santa Claus. Kids can tell the elf their Christmas wishes. It was so cute Trey actually went up to the Elf careful not to touch him, "there are specific rules that you are not to touch the elf or his magic will wear off and he won't be able to talk to Santa" and Trey whispered what he wanted for Christmas. They may also want to be on their very best behavior as the Elf on the Shelf has Santa's ear. Some children also like to name their elf. We named our Elf Arnie.
The elf moves around your home during the weeks before Christmas. During the holidays the elf watches the kids carefully during the day. At night when the kids are sleeping the elf magically returns to the North Pole to report to Santa Claus. In the morning the elf appears in a new place which offers a daily hide-and-seek ritual for kids. Kids will love trying to locate the elf's new location each morning. Grace found him this morning and was so excited to be the first one to find him. Elf on the Shelf comes with a hardcover book that explains the story and an elf doll.



The only thing we wish we he would have gotten here sooner. I just love this. They actually cleaned the game room on their own last night without us asking! Wish he could stay year round but the book says he goes back to the north pole after Christmas and returns the next year. I would highly recommend one of these guys for your house.

14 comments:

  1. I have not heard of it, but I love the Elf!!! What a great idea!! And he is so cute! The Cajun Eggnog is actually at a frozen daiquiri shop, so I don't know the recipe, but I'll try to figure it out! Have a great weekend!

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  2. We heard about Elf on the Shelf from Jen Ross and we got our first one this year. The girls named him Hermie (like the elf on Rudolph) and he's been all over our house since the day after Thanksgiving. I think I may start a little later next year though because I'm running out of new places for him to appear each morning.

    It's a great family tradition though. For those of you who do not have one, you need one. :)

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  3. One of my friends just told me about this. I am so getting this....how fun!

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  4. What a cute idea! I have never heard of this. That is great! I wish it was around when my kids where young. Or if it was I did not know about it.

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  5. Because I'd forgotten to ask you about it earlier I called your house and talked to Tom. He told me all about how the kids have been reacting to the Elf. I LOVE IT!!! I cracked up when he said that Trey had been acting up this morning and Grace reminded him the elf was watching and he all of the suddent just stopped what he was doing! LOL!!

    I can't wait to get one and do it with Camryn next year!

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  6. Everyone I know has an Elf so I'm going to join in the fun next year ; ) I am cracking up picturing Tom leaving him on the doorstep & running! How cute!!! He's such a great daddy!!!

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  7. What a great idea! I've about worn out the "santa is watching" warning so I really need this elf. He will be visiting next year for sure.

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  8. We love the elf. Michael fell for it hook, link and sinker. Jacob says "that elf needs to get out of here" because he doesn't like spies. Ha!

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  9. Oh wow, how cool is that? But too much work, moving that sucker from here to there every day without the kids seeing you! You're a sneaky mom on a mission!

    Justine :o )

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  10. I believe this idea has ot yet reached Europe, at least not France. Maybe next year?

    If it helps to make the kids clean their room etc... perhaps not a bad idea!

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  11. We had the elf growing up and I have quite a collection now b/c I so love all the vintage Christmas decorations. We've never had one spy on the kids, though.

    Perhaps next year! I could put them all over the house!! LOL

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  12. The Elf also arrived at our house this year. Unfortunately for me, he arrived right after Thanksgiving. That little suckers has been all over our house and then some! It's such a cute idea--don't you wish you had thought of it?

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  13. My brother just picked me up one in Dallas today for half price! I am so excited to have a new tradition to start next year.

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  14. I know everyone is so excited about the elf and I know everyone will love the tradition. The only thing that makes me sad is my sister started this tradition over forty years ago . She lived two houses down from Carol Aebersold who claims the story as her own. Carol was suppose to be a good friend to my sister. When my niece saw the book on the internet three years ago she called my sister and told her. She refused to believe a friend would take credit for her story, she had even given the Aebersold twins their first elf. This had hurt my sister so much, it has made her ill. Our whole family felt like the story was ours and it hurts terribly to see someone take credit for something we and hundreds of other friends know my sister created.

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