Community Chat

[novamc1]

Now i'm beginning to wonder how sternly and strictly some adults must dictate to children when it comes to rules of behavior or how explicitly they threaten their children with revenge from the Elf.

I guess some adults want to change the persona of what is supposed to be a smiley, friendly little guy who helps Santa into an evil menace.

To each his own here, I suppose.  Happy Holidays!

[novamc1]

@nun ya

I'll never forget the day that my older son finally asked me whether Santa was real.

I launched into a speech about how we all want to believe in a kindly person who.......when he interrupted me and said, "Mom, that's not what I asked."

LOL!!

[Cakers3]

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@novamc1 wrote:

Now i'm beginning to wonder how sternly and strictly some adults must dictate to children when it comes to rules of behavior or how explicitly they threaten their children with revenge from the Elf.

I guess some adults want to change the persona of what is supposed to be a smiley, friendly little guy who helps Santa into an evil menace.

To each his own here, I suppose.  Happy Holidays!

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@novamc1  The elf is a snitch.  Friendly liitle guy who tattles on misbehaving children.  That is the original intent of the elf.

Kids used to write letters to Santa, not depend upon the elf to tell Santa their wishes.

[cherry]

St Nicholas always left treats for all of the children at their school..They had such fun with it..These parts of childhood last, because it is fun for the parents, and also for the kids...A little magic is good for  the child in all of us

[Cakers3]

[Cakers3]

Fun thread!  Looking forward to the annual:

Glitter on holiday cards-yay or nay.

[VanSleepy]

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@Cakers3 wrote:

Fun thread!  Looking forward to the annual:

Glitter on holiday cards-yay or nay.

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LOL we're already talking about tipping the letter carrier...

[chickenbutt]

I've never heard of this and I agree that it seems pretty creepy.

We knew that if we (or just one of us had to for all of us to get punished) didn't act right we would get the carp beat out of us.  That was enough.  But I supposed that's probably even more creepy, so I guess we didn't need any shelf elf. 

[SunValley]

Threatening children that they will have no gifts if they misbehave and using Santa, an elf, or other tradition to manipulate them has been going on for centuries. A long history of bad parenting! I was always threatened with my father’s appearance at home. Lol. Seriously, there are lots of families (and even classrooms in our elementary school) who enjoy their elf on the shelf and see it as a fun holiday tradition with no snitching involved. 

I bought my elf in 1970 or 1971, long before I had my children, and he looks exactly like the ones sold today. He flies back to the North Pole not to snitch but to share our holiday spirit. My children loved their elf and woke up each morning eager to look for him to see what silly place he went to next. Nothing sinister or creepy about this cute little guy. Now three more little ones in our family get a kick out of looking for him. Santa Claus is Coming to Town is the song that creeps them out—I don’t want someone getting into my house and watching me sleep!

[novamc1]

The classic story  about Santa leaving a lump of coal in Christmas stockings as punishment must  terrify some grownups.  LOL!

Funny how kids don't seem to get "creeped out" by a tiny little toy elf. .  Childhood innocence and "magical thinking"  are wonderful things.

 By the time they figure out what is real and not real about Christmas, their magical thinking has been replaced by knowledge and  a more realistic outlook on the world.

That's probably why they don't grow up resenting any "lies" they were told about elves, Frosty the  talking Snowman, or a herd of  reindeer and a sleigh landing on their roof at night.

What's really terrifying is the thought of a pudgy old man trying to squeeze himself and a big bag of toys down a chimney.