Right before Thanksgiving, I had a little dialogue with some friends and fans of the mom a la mode Facebook Page about how to properly
navigate the Elf on the Shelf tradition.
You see, this is a big year for the Elf in our family, as Roc is old enough to comprehend – ok, maybe not fully – who this little guy is, and the role he plays in our own little Christmas story.
And I didn’t want to mess it up.
So naturally, I took to the web, researching a bit and canvassing my readers as to what they do with their Elf. It was so much fun to read about the ways you surprise and delight your little ones! (And as I type this, I’m reminded that I better position our own Elf in a new spot before I head to bed this evening.)
Geez…this Elf thing is a lot of work. And not just the repositioning of the little guy each day. I’m finding it tough sticking to “the story” of him.
My boy is sharp and asks questions like, “Is he pretend???”
And lately I’ve been simply responding, “he’s magical,” in the hopes that it swirls around in Roc’s little brain into some whimsical illustration of what this all means.
Speaking of “magical,” I’ve been so impressed with the various ways you all bring a little magic to your children’s holiday and Elf experiences.
There’s Jennifer M. who leaves out powdered mini donuts, hot cocoa and a letter from Santa for her kids to usher in their Elf the morning after Thanksgiving.
And Jimmy J. whose Elf magically appears right after Santa arrives at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
And as for Santa himself, Danielle K. suggested visiting the website: Portable North Pole that allows for a personalized video message from the big guy!
But perhaps best of all are the documents my good friend, Patrick F. put together – and posted on a file share site! – with various Santa and Elf letters to his children. Pat graciously shared these files over his personal Facebook page and granted me permission to share them here with you as well.
Pat also had some fun ideas with how to navigate the Elf – from sitting him in a little bath of mini marshmallows, to having him pump iron (I’m told it involves 2 large marshmallows and a toothpick). But he advises to keep it simple and save the fancy Elf antics for key milestones throughout December, like Advent Sundays, 10 Days Before Christmas and Christmas Eve.
Keep it simple. Keep it magical. Words to “Elf” by…
Would love to hear about your own family’s Elf or Santa traditions. Please share in the comments below!
oxox
-mom a la mode
{I was not compensated in any way for this post. All opinions expressed here are solely mine or those of the reader quoted.}
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