Bah Humbug! There I’ve said it. It isn’t as though I don’t love Christmas and the whole holiday season, because I do. It is a time where we head back to Chicago to visit our extended families and it is a fun time with the kids. It just seems that the world is conspiring to make this season more complicated and stressful than it needs to be. Well maybe not the world, but definitely my mother.
I remember Christmas as a magical time when I was a child, for the most part. I recall my Mom chain smoking in the car on the way to Grandma’s threatening us to behave. Ah memories. This makes me consider if my Mom felt that the holidays were too complicated as well. Then I remember she gave the kids the damn
Elf Magic Dolls (similar to
Elf on a Shelf), I could care less if she thought Christmas was complicated back then.
I believe in the magic of Christmas. What I don’t believe is that you need to go absolutely “elfing” crazy for a full month before in order to experience said magic. That is what the Elfs do. They make me crazy. The reason is simple: there is no way I can live up to the crazy moms out there who spend hours a day dreaming up antics for their kids elves.
These antics are called Elfcapades. There are many blogs dedicated to documenting the activities of these elves. Sledding down stairs on a new book. Drinking Aunt Jemima Pancake Syrup with a straw. Hiding themselves along with more gifts. Ziplining from chandeliers and Christmas trees. These elves do something different every day until Christmas comes. In other words, each day I have to dream up something new and magical (along with a treat or small gift) until the elves are magically whisked away on Christmas Eve by Santa. I've bitterly done this for six years, going on seven.
Not that the elves didn’t have a brief bit of value to me. When the kids were younger I was able to use them to ensure good behavior prior to Christmas. The elves, named Maureen, Larry and Curly, were a direct conduit to Santa and the naughty or nice list. The behavior blackmail worked for only two short years. The other speck of joy I received from the elves is when the kids finally figured out that Mo was a nickname for Maureen. There was a moment of pride and happiness when they realized that their elves were actually Mo, Larry and Curly. That was four years ago. Since then, the elves have been nothing but another chore for me during the holiday season.
While there are a
ton of blogs for
elfcapades out there including this
pinterest board, I am happy to report that I am not alone in my distaste for these creatures. The blog
People I want to Punch in the Throat did a lovely job last year with the post O
ver Achieving Elf on the Shelf Mommies. My Mom was not a fan of that article when I sent it to her yesterday. Said the writer was a bitter complainer.
However, the absolute winner in my books goes to the folks at
Baby Rabies. Why, you ask? They are the clear winner because they are sponsoring their
2nd Annual Inappropriate Elf Contest. I may not be thrilled to dream up magical elfcapades for the 7
th year in a row for the kids; but sadly, I think I could spend some time thinking about elves doing naughty things. This was one of last year’s top picks and my personal favorite, from
Adventure Mama. Kelsey, I tip my hat to you!
Bah Humbug! There I’ve said it. It isn’t as though I don’t love Christmas and the whole holiday season, because I do. It is a time where we head back to Chicago to visit our extended families and it is a fun time with the kids. It just seems that the world is conspiring to make this season more complicated and stressful than it needs to be. Well maybe not the world, but definitely my mother.
I remember Christmas as a magical time when I was a child, for the most part. I recall my Mom chain smoking in the car on the way to Grandma’s threatening us to behave. Ah memories. This makes me consider if my Mom felt that the holidays were too complicated as well. Then I remember she gave the kids the damn
Elf Magic Dolls (similar to
Elf on a Shelf), I could care less if she thought Christmas was complicated back then.
I believe in the magic of Christmas. What I don’t believe is that you need to go absolutely “elfing” crazy for a full month before in order to experience said magic. That is what the Elfs do. They make me crazy. The reason is simple: there is no way I can live up to the crazy moms out there who spend hours a day dreaming up antics for their kids elves.
These antics are called Elfcapades. There are many blogs dedicated to documenting the activities of these elves. Sledding down stairs on a new book. Drinking Aunt Jemima Pancake Syrup with a straw. Hiding themselves along with more gifts. Ziplining from chandeliers and Christmas trees. These elves do something different every day until Christmas comes. In other words, each day I have to dream up something new and magical (along with a treat or small gift) until the elves are magically whisked away on Christmas Eve by Santa. I've bitterly done this for six years, going on seven.
Not that the elves didn’t have a brief bit of value to me. When the kids were younger I was able to use them to ensure good behavior prior to Christmas. The elves, named Maureen, Larry and Curly, were a direct conduit to Santa and the naughty or nice list. The behavior blackmail worked for only two short years. The other speck of joy I received from the elves is when the kids finally figured out that Mo was a nickname for Maureen. There was a moment of pride and happiness when they realized that their elves were actually Mo, Larry and Curly. That was four years ago. Since then, the elves have been nothing but another chore for me during the holiday season.
While there are a
ton of blogs for
elfcapades out there including this
pinterest board, I am happy to report that I am not alone in my distaste for these creatures. The blog
People I want to Punch in the Throat did a lovely job last year with the post O
ver Achieving Elf on the Shelf Mommies. My Mom was not a fan of that article when I sent it to her yesterday. Said the writer was a bitter complainer.
However, the absolute winner in my books goes to the folks at
Baby Rabies. Why, you ask? They are the clear winner because they are sponsoring their
2nd Annual Inappropriate Elf Contest. I may not be thrilled to dream up magical elfcapades for the 7
th year in a row for the kids; but sadly, I think I could spend some time thinking about elves doing naughty things. This was one of last year’s top picks and my personal favorite, from
Adventure Mama. Kelsey, I tip my hat to you!
Bah Humbug! There I’ve said it. It isn’t as though I don’t love Christmas and the whole holiday season, because I do. It is a time where we head back to Chicago to visit our extended families and it is a fun time with the kids. It just seems that the world is conspiring to make this season more complicated and stressful than it needs to be. Well maybe not the world, but definitely my mother.
I remember Christmas as a magical time when I was a child, for the most part. I recall my Mom chain smoking in the car on the way to Grandma’s threatening us to behave. Ah memories. This makes me consider if my Mom felt that the holidays were too complicated as well. Then I remember she gave the kids the damn Elf Magic Dolls (similar to Elf on a Shelf), I could care less if she thought Christmas was complicated back then.
I believe in the magic of Christmas. What I don’t believe is that you need to go absolutely “elfing” crazy for a full month before in order to experience said magic. That is what the Elfs do. They make me crazy. The reason is simple: there is no way I can live up to the crazy moms out there who spend hours a day dreaming up antics for their kids elves.
These antics are called Elfcapades. There are many blogs dedicated to documenting the activities of these elves. Sledding down stairs on a new book. Drinking Aunt Jemima Pancake Syrup with a straw. Hiding themselves along with more gifts. Ziplining from chandeliers and Christmas trees. These elves do something different every day until Christmas comes. In other words, each day I have to dream up something new and magical (along with a treat or small gift) until the elves are magically whisked away on Christmas Eve by Santa. I've bitterly done this for six years, going on seven.
Not that the elves didn’t have a brief bit of value to me. When the kids were younger I was able to use them to ensure good behavior prior to Christmas. The elves, named Maureen, Larry and Curly, were a direct conduit to Santa and the naughty or nice list. The behavior blackmail worked for only two short years. The other speck of joy I received from the elves is when the kids finally figured out that Mo was a nickname for Maureen. There was a moment of pride and happiness when they realized that their elves were actually Mo, Larry and Curly. That was four years ago. Since then, the elves have been nothing but another chore for me during the holiday season.
While there are a ton of blogs for elfcapades out there including this pinterest board, I am happy to report that I am not alone in my distaste for these creatures. The blog People I want to Punch in the Throat did a lovely job last year with the post Over Achieving Elf on the Shelf Mommies. My Mom was not a fan of that article when I sent it to her yesterday. Said the writer was a bitter complainer.
However, the absolute winner in my books goes to the folks at Baby Rabies. Why, you ask? They are the clear winner because they are sponsoring their 2nd Annual Inappropriate Elf Contest. I may not be thrilled to dream up magical elfcapades for the 7th year in a row for the kids; but sadly, I think I could spend some time thinking about elves doing naughty things. This was one of last year’s top picks and my personal favorite, from Adventure Mama. Kelsey, I tip my hat to you!
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