5 Reasons the ELF Can Stay.

The Headlines:


It's the magic season.  

SO why do some want to "off" their Elf?

Here are 5 reason's why you shouldn't.





Wow.  I can finally breathe.  The lovely burden of an overly scheduled holiday weekend is over.  I hope you all had a special one.  Our was complete chaos.  As it always is… but wrapped in pure delight.  I did "cancel" the traditional Thanksgiving meal.  Meaning, no turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes… but BP (the husband) went golfing which meant I worked extra hard preparing what we DID eat!  We had a rich app, a grilled tri-tip, a scrumptious soup, a basic salad and a decadent dessert.  I will honestly tell you it was pretty stinking good.  But a lot more work than I thought.   It tuckered us all out!  My son included.  He was a little too rambunctious for his own good…

on Thanksgiving he was a whole lot of naughty.  One of my friends asked what happened and I said, "nothing in particular.  His Dad was just home to see his son in all of his glory!"

I "cancelled" Thanksgiving because I didn't want a bunch of leftovers we wouldn't eat.  See, the day after the holiday we packed up the kids and the grandparents and headed to the "North Pole" via the Polar Express in Northern Arizona.  It was super cute.  The kids love it.  After that, we ran up to the Grand Canyon to see the wonder that is in our own back yard.  It was a lot of time in the car but it was worth it.  Until my daughter and I got car sick and our car broke down in the driveway - just as we got home.  Ha!  The last day of the 4 day weekend was spent ferociously decorating the indoors and outdoors of our house.  It's a huge task.  2 trees, countless wreaths, major white lights.  I am relentless.  Now, most everything is done except for a few details.  Next weekend.

Anyways back to the topic I really want to talk about today: the ELF.  It is around this time that our Elf shows up.  I'm sure he's thinking about visiting your home about now too.   Or maybe not.

First appearance of 2014

It has come to my attention that some of you no longer want anything to do with the Elf.  For various reasons.  All potentially valid.  One Mom I know wants to "off" their Elf… click here to read Kristen Miller Hewitt's blog.  She's funny and has some good points.  She always does actually… it's a good blog FYI… but I take the opposite stance.  I contend that the Elf (Elffey we call him) is welcome here as long as he wants to come and here's why:

5 Reasons the Elf Can Stay as Long as He Wants:

1. He helps discipline.  This is a very basic reason that I'm positive we have all used the Elf for… "Elf is watching - better be good!"  It works.  Most of the time.  Some times. Okay, maybe every once in a while. 
2. You're only young once.  There is a small window in which children can believe the unbelievable.  It starts the day they're born and ends various times before the age of 10, depending on the child.  My daughter is 8 and her innocence is starting to fade.  She still believes but the window is starting to close.  She deserves to spend as much time in this special place as she can.  It IS a special place you know.  
3. There's plenty of time for disappointment.  When doing morning television our researchers used to always tell us "it's a good time to do news."  The reason?  Because the day hasn't beaten the viewer down yet.  The morning is filled with possibility not defeat.  That's kind of like a child.  The excitement remains during this time of their lives.  I say we encourage the possibilities and accept defeat only when it's out of our control which brings me to my next reason the Elf can stay…
4. The Elf is under my control.  I call the shots.  He lands where I put him.  I can make my children happy with the movement of a tiny little doll and I will take that.  Sooner than later, someone will call them ugly, they will fail a test, their boy/girlfriend will break up with them, they won't get into their college of choice and they may not get their dream job.  And, to a certain degree, there will be nothing I can do about any of it.  So while I can… I will.  
5. It's fun for adults too.  Let's be honest.  Part of this is for us, right?  Parents are able to rewind the clock and experience the wonderment all over.  It reminds us when our own innocence ruled.  When you didn't have to worry about hunger in the world, fighting in Missouri, your cell phone bill, car payment and mortgage.  All you had to care about in December was how many more chocolates on the advent calendar you had to eat before there were no more.  Yes, my friends, the irony when you're young is you want so badly to be older.  Then when you are… you desperately want to go back to your youth.  Well guess what?  The Elf brings back the kid in us all.  

Now as I said before - take or leave my reasons.  Clearly, you and your family need to make your own decision.  Neither is right or wrong.  As I said before, Kristen Miller Hewitt had good, humorous  points on her blog and she's a gifted, sweet and thoughtful writer - so this is by no means a "diss" on her or any other writers who may feel the same way.  But as I take the opposite stance I know there are quite a few in this school of thought too.  See, I'm convinced there are so many "Breakfasts with Santa,"  "Polar Express'", "North Pole Experiences'" "Elf on the Shelfs'"  because the children who were enamored and drawn to the story of Santa… are now parents.  WE are doing it.  WE are demanding it.  WE are, literally, buying into it.  For our children and for ourselves.  It's simply because there are few, truly magical times in our lives.  One can hope for many but usually they are rare…  that's why they're considered so special.  I would bet at least one of those precious, magic moments came around the Christmas Season which is why so many of us hold it so dear.  Sure, the little Elf charade is delaying the inevitable… but for all the reasons above, I am very okay with that.  My wish… is that you are too!