Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Parents find the Elf on the Shelf tradition both stressful and amusing.
- Founders of the tradition acknowledge parental frustration.
- Simple elf ideas include hiding in the freezer or staging playful scenes.
SALT LAKE CITY — Between holiday shopping, Christmas tree decorating, school projects due before the break and in-laws coming to visit, the Christmas season is filled with many wonderful things to cherish, but for many parents, it's a stressful and overwhelming month.
Social media is ripe with parents blaming a particular festive tradition for pushing them over the edge — the dreaded Elf on the Shelf.
It certainly doesn't help when overachieving "influencer" moms do elaborate schemes with extravagant gifts every single day for their angel children.
As someone who grew up right before the Elf on the Shelf became mainstream, I can't relate to the parental grief this tradition causes or understand how children enjoy a mischievous elf moving around their house who, let's be honest, has a creepy smile.
The founders of the elf tradition — twin sisters Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts — admitted to the New York Post they understand why parents become frustrated with the tradition.
The elf flies back and forth from the North Pole and hides in a new place each night in participating houses, but the hiding places don't have to be complicated. Silly elvish stunts can be as simple as hiding in the freezer, Bell said.
If you're stuck in a rut, here is a collection of hilarious and devious ideas from various social media posts for how to use an elf to make your children's Christmas season one to remember:
- Place dominoes on a flatbread and write a note saying, "I ordered you a Domino's pizza."
- Have the elf sneak into a bag of Oreos with a tub of toothpaste.
- A row of cookies with Hershey's Kisses can easily be made into an elf poop trail.
- Freeze the elf in water, then use an Elsa toy from "Frozen" to make it look like an accident.
- Use other toys so the kids can walk in on a high-stakes game of Uno.
- Use some frosting and a cup to show the kids what happens when an elf — or child — eats too many Christmas cookies.
- Since the elf is always getting into things, why not tangle the elf up in a strand of lights?
- Some string, aluminum foil and a cut-out alien can make for a quick but successful alien abduction.
- To aid in the spirit of giving, the elf can ask kids to round up old toys to donate to the North Pole with this great idea.
While I know the Elf on the Shelf tradition is cherished by many families, if you are looking for a way to end the tradition, save some chicken bones from your next dinner to make it look like you cooked and ate the elf. It would be quite effective, but also might just traumatize your children, so user discretion is advised.
