The Elf on the Shelf Freaks Erin Out

Had I thought things through I would have known that Erin would not have appreciated the Elf on the Shelf.


Erin did not have an issue with the big man himself. She liked the idea of Santa bringing toys for her benefit, but it was very concerning to her that while she was sleeping that this man would enter our home in the most unconventional means, eats our food, drink our milk, and leave toys behind. I had never thought about it myself, but she makes perfect sense.

Have you ever gone to bed at night and heard something rattle outside or even worse inside your home? I’ve grabbed a baseball bat once. My heart was pounding so loud I thought everyone down our street could hear it. For Erin, Santa was a stranger in her house making all sorts of noises. One year she heard him putting up a train set, and the next she heard him putting up a racetrack.

Two Christmases ago, I thought it would be great fun to introduce the Elf in the Shelf to my children. For those of you who have not heard about the Elf on the Shelf, it is a doll and book. When the doll shows up, the host family names the elf. Erin says we named ours Elvis. Elvis lasted three nights before Erin broke down in tears, “He just freaks me out!” Elvis was to watch over the actions and deeds of those in our house, and at night, he would go to the North Pole to report what he observed to Santa Claus. I was SOOOOOO hoping this would make an impression on the boy-child. When the elf appears the next morning, he shows up in the most unusual of places, and he is the most mischievous of elves. I’ve seen photos of where an elf rolled the inside of someone’s den. The kicker is that the children have to clean up after the Elf – I like that part. The straw that broke Erin’s last nerve was Elvis showing up in the children’s bathroom. She heard him go into her room that night and then into the bathroom. What she really heard was my entering her room to check on her, but there was no confusing her with the facts…not happening. She was not going to sleep again until that elf was out of the house. He was gone that very morning. So sad. I was hoping to have a lot of fun with the elf.

I started thinking about the Elf on the Shelf this week as I pulled out the Christmas decorations for my home. I have Nativity Scenes for every room in my home. The children have one for each of their rooms. There is one in the den, and one in the dining room. As a general rule, we don’t put baby Jesus into the manger until Christmas morning when we sing “Happy Birthday.” Is Baby Jesus like the Elf on the Shelf in your house? Do you bring Jesus out once a year because it is the decorative thing to do? When you bring baby Jesus out, do your family and friends think that it is just part of the holidays – something fun with which to decorate? Or do they know just how holy this holiday is to you? It would be a bit freaky or odd to say the least if the only time you brought Jesus into your home was as a baby during the Christmas holidays. Don’t ya think?