Last year, I had read several blogs about Elf On A Shelf. A little elf doll that comes with a story ... how he watches you (kiddos) each day and reports to Santa at night. He shows up in random spots throughout your house and you (the kiddos) get to seek him out every morning. I decided to give this little guy a shot - hey, anything to try to keep my 3-year-old and 5-year-old boys from arguing and fighting is worth it!
At first, I wasn't sure how they would take this. Would it creep them out to think a little doll is 'running' around their house at night and hiding in unknown spots watching them? {Sounds like a few horror movies I have seen.} Would they believe that this little guy was magic and that it wasn't mommy putting him in random locations?
We went to Barnes and Noble and brought The Elf On A Shelf home. The boys love it! They named him Jack Applesauce and made him all their own. They get really excited for the hide and seek game each morning, and they really try to watch their behaviors more carefully (which is an amazing task for these two little guys). With our member discount, we got this set for $27 ... not to shabby for a new tradition we will now share every year.
Wanna amp up Santa Claus a tad bit more? I had Santa send my boys personalized emails using this site, the Portable North Pole. Santa Claus himself talks to your kiddo using their name and even shows a picture of your child in his Nice Book. Both of my boys lit up when they received their special emails! This site is free and can even be sent to others - I sent one to my nephew!
Maddox and Sean both look forward to baking cookies and building gingerbread houses with their Nana each year. We love decorating the tree together while listening to Christmas music, and we enjoy all the family time the holidays bring. What are some traditions that you and your family celebrate each year?
6 comments:
That Elf of the Shelf totally cracks me up! I’ve heard stories of this going really well or really bad. I think it’s a great way to give your kids an incentive to behave around the holidays…because Jack Applesauce is watching ;)
I think the email from Santa is really cute!
How Funny, a friend of mine has a Jack elf too and he hides around the house...maybe he will have to visit our house soon.
How cute! I've never heard of the
Elf on a Shelf before but I imagine as a child that I would've been really well behaved thinking he really was watching me. LOL
If I had kids, I'd do the email thing. I have neices but I don't know them and they're all grown now. Hmm...I bet I can think of some friends with young ones to pass this on to.
gave you a little award over on my blog =)
We've had it for two years now, and LOVE it!!!
That's a really cute idea. I may have to pick one up.
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