5 Reasons to Keep your Elf on the Shelf Tradition Going

5 reasons to keep your Elf on the Shelf Tradition going despite the naysayers

I’ve seen some posts lately about the Elf on the Shelf and people kicking the idea to the curb.  I get it, it’s not for everyone and soon I too will probably keep our Elves tucked away in the Christmas boxes stored in the garage.  But for now, my kids still believe!  The magic of Christmas lives on in their little hearts so we will continue to help build that, because I know it won’t last much longer. We have 1 maybe 2 years left.  The world has changed, the secrets get out quicker, and soon they’ll stumble upon the social media pages we seek for #ElfOnTheShelf ideas.  The things that people say about the cute Elf on the Shelf are sometimes ridiculous. Here are 5 reasons why you should KEEP your Elf on the Shelf tradition going, while you can.

1. It’s NOT a sometime discipline tool. Let’s get one thing straight, we do not wait all year long to keep our kids in check just for a few weeks up until Christmas.  The Elf on the Shelf is NOT meant to be a discipline tool or an “oooooh he’s gonna get you” guy.  We discipline our kids all year round so you can rest your little worried minds about that.  Stop being so judgmental dammit.

2.  It keeps the magic of Santa alive.  Yes we know Christmas is about Jesus but it’s also about traditions and is a great holiday to teach children about beliefs and the power in that.  Not only does it light up the kids, but it lights a spark of magic within us adults as well. Having faith in something is a beautiful thing that can show your kids the power of believing in something.

3. You won’t be able to keep the spark/belief in your Elf on the Shelf forever. You know how there’s always others telling you to enjoy this time because it flies by and soon it will be gone, well that’s what we’re doing.  Too see our children’s little eyes light up every morning, anxiously running around the house looking for where the elves are, it’s so heart warming.

4.  It can be an activity that bonds your family together.  If its you and your spouse, your partner, your sister, your mother, a friend, or even if it’s just you, whoever is helping you move that elf, I know you are getting laughs coming up with ideas on where to place them.  Again part of the magic that the holidays’ brings. Let it bond you and enjoy this activity as a unit.  If you’re doing it alone, cherish these memories so you can recount them to your young-in’s around the Holiday table in future years.

5.  It does NOT have to stress you out, it can be something to look forward to.  You know how they say things are 10% what happens to you and 90% your attitude towards it.  If we forget to move the shelf, there are no meltdowns, we explain to the kids that sometimes the elves just wanna stay where they are.  And yes we do forget to move them sometimes, but that’s okay, whose perfect?  Not us!  You go with the flow, you roll with the punches and you enjoy the magic they still believe in while they do.

While my children have the awe and excitement of a fun Holiday tradition, we’ll partake in the fun.  The joy of Christmas lives on this way, yes there are other ways and we’ll find them as the years go by but for now, this is our thing and we are enjoying it and love it!