No Elf on My Shelf

After reading this amusing link on a friend's facebook page and this blog post about the elf losing his magic I decided to vent a little on my blog instead of post my opinion on facebook about this topic for fear of getting mean comments back. Remember this is just my opinion and I do like to be controversial at times to get people thinking and maybe stir up a small yet healthy debate, but nothing mean spirited. Besides, I don't think all that many people read my blog, but if you are reading it it is because you have chosen to click on it not because it was in your Facebook Newsfeed. So here I go. We don't have an Elf on the Shelf and I don't plan on ever getting one. Facebook and Pinterest are littered with pictures of places people are putting their Elves. I personally think it is ridiculous and causes unnecessary work for the mom (we all know the dad isn't into this and won't be moving the elf). My husband and kids don't even know about it. While we do "do Santa" he is only a small part of our Christmas celebrations. We primarily talk about and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and how giving instead of receiving is the true meaning of Christmas. So I already feel a little weird about lying about Santa. I don't need to add another element of lying in during this joyous time of celebrating The Truth. But I still think Santa is an important part of the whimsy, wonder, and short lived make-believe time of childhood. Plus, we focus on how giving, generous, and forgiving Santa is. I know it is fun and cute and silly to move an Elf around your house and pretend it is watching you. I get that. But "it's all fun and games until someone gets an eye poked out." I just really want to be sure that my kids are behaving, being kind, sharing and giving because it is what God teaches us the right thing to do, not because an Elf is "watching" them and is going to tattle on them if they break a rule. I, the parent, should be the one to give them the consequence for their bad choices. Parents should not be pawning their job off on an Elf. Besides, we all know that Santa is coming no matter what and the kids will call your bluff on it soon enough. How beneficial is it to give empty threats like that anyways? What happens when Christmas is over and the elf is gone? Who will be watching then? How will you get them to behave once they are all hopped up on sugar, overloaded with new toys and no one is "watching." I want my kids to learn that they are expected to behave all the time regardless and that they will receive an immediate consequence when they don't. They won't have it hanging over their heads until Christmas morning. I'm not about to have that elf ruin my kids' Christmas morning by not letting them get any presents for making bad choices. No thank you! I will handle it myself and then show them grace and forgiveness on Christmas morning just as God showed us with the gift of his Son. I don't want an Elf to change their behavior for 1 month. I want Jesus to change their hearts for eternity.  So that's my beef with the elf. Don't hate me for it. Just because it won't ever be a tradition in our home doesn't mean it can't be one in yours. I know your kids love Jesus and the Elf doesn't take that away. I just think the Elf on the Shelf is yet another distraction from Jesus in addition to undermining the authority the parents have in the home.  Sorry, I'm not a hater. I do think it's cute and the intentions are good. The Elf won't damage your kids in any way. It can actually make some really fun and silly memories.