Walt the Elf is back, ready to "watch" the kids and "report" back to Santa.
That's right. It's Elf on the Shelf time. Also known as "the four weeks of time during which I regularly jump out of bed at midnight - or 5 a.m. - and think: CRAP! I FORGOT TO MOVE THAT STUPID ELF!"
Yeah.
I really really dislike that elf.
You might remember last year when I blogged about my regular Elf on the Shelf failures. I'm not fairing much better this year.
The girls decided to read the "Elf on a Shelf" book Saturday night so that Walt could return from the North Pole (also known as the top shelf in my closet). I'll admit a small part of my soul died when I pulled Walt out from behind a pair of shoes I haven't worn in years. I really don't like Walt.
Look, I'm sure he's a good - although spectacularly creepy looking - elf. I just wish he could stay in one spot from now until Christmas Eve when I can throw him back in the Target bag in my closet. Because quite honestly, I never remember to move him anyway.
[It should be noted at this point that Olivia, who will be 10 in January, was the "elf instigator" this year. Which means she still believes in Santa. Which means I don't have to have THE TALK this year. This is the ONLY silver lining in the land of creepy elves right now.]
Back to Walt.
Saturday night I remembered to free him after the girls went to bed. I had zero motivation to do something "creative" with Walt. So I had him hang from the doors of my china cabinet. The girls had left him a note asking him to "not make a mess" - which really makes my job easier. This means I don't have to set up the whole "elf making a mess in the kitchen" scene.
Then on Sunday my girls inform me that Walt "moved" during the day. I know that this really means my darling husband found him on the floor and not remembering which cabinet door he had been on, simply hung him on the other door. This also means I had to quick make up a story about how Walt's arms probably got tired and he needed to move.
Note to self: Tell husband if elf falls to his death, just put him back in the same spot.
Sunday night I was all snug in my warm flannel sheets when I saw my sister's Facebook status that their elf was returning.
CRAP.
I forgot to move the elf.
I get out of bed, find the elf, and place him near some Christmas decorations in the family room. I made sure he was at "dog level" hoping that one of our old and slightly blind dogs would find him and eat him.
It didn't work.
Monday night....I go upstairs, ready for bed. Climb in bed.
CRAP. Stupid elf.
So I quietly "yell" downstairs and tell the husband to "move something" (code for "elf" in case little ears are listening). He hangs the elf from another cupboard door in the family room.
Yes, that's right. I have failed Elf on the Shelf on two out of the last three nights. I suck at this. The odds are never in my favor when it comes to the elf. And forget the whole "let's get really creative and have the elf hanging out in Barbie's dream house while plotting to take over the rest of the toys" scenario. It's not going to happen.
It will be a miracle if I remember to move the elf every night. Adding creativity to the mix is just a recipe for elf disaster.
Never did Elf on a Shelf with my kids, but there were many things I forgot to do when they were growing up...the Tooth Fairy was habitually late.
ReplyDeleteI nominated you for a Liebster Award.
http://songbirdscrazyworld.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-liebster-award.html
Christmas has always been a family celebration in the Grinkmeyer home, but as our children grew older we found that their interest in Christmas morning waned and the sparkle in their eyes was gone. The day after Thanksgiving, 1992, we introduced the Christmas Web in our home with the placement of Magic Wands into their socks that had for years been hung at the fireplace mantel. Attached to each Magic Wand was a piece of yarn (a 70 yard piece of yarn). When our two teen-aged children came down Christmas morning, they found that the yarn was wound through the house - around window latches, door knobs, chairs and doors. It ended in a closet or cabinet which held their special Christmas gift from one of Santa’s elves, an elf who had been looking out for them for the past year and knew of their desire for this special Christmas gift.
ReplyDeleteThe Christmas Web continued as each of our children got married and as they had children. Each of our grandchildren have an Elf on the Shelf or Elf Magic elf who is now the elf that hides their special Christmas gift each year and leads them to it with their individual Magic Wand. We now have seven Magic Wands each with 70 yards of yarn winding through our house every Christmas morning, making getting a cup of coffee an acrobatic achievement before the winding hunt begins.
The Christmas Web has become a highly anticipated family tradition for our children, grandchildren and us. We hope it brings as much joy to your family as it has to ours.