Day Three Hundred Fifty Three 2013

Every day after school, grandson Elijah looks for the elf on the shelf at my house. I told him the elf was hiding today. Elijah looked in all the nooks and crannies and cabinets.

He finally found the elf sitting under the Christmas tree. You have to look closely to find him.

He was holding one of the icicles from the tree [probably the closest thing to a weapon this thing will ever be allowed to have].

Elijah was dressed like an elf, too. His class Christmas party was today [that’s what I call it; I’m not sure what the school calls it these days]. They got to wear their comfy jammies, eat treats, play games, watch a movie [Polar Express] and decorate these neat elf hats. And they also got bells to wear around their necks [after school, I’m sure]. Tomorrow is a two hour day, then the kiddos and teachers are free until next year. Good times as the big day draws nearer. Six days!

Day Three Hundred Forty Seven 2013

Our demented version of the elf on the shelf has made his presence known in our house this week. He’s been keeping an eye on grandson Elijah, who was freaked out this afternoon to find the elf sitting on top of a door in the living room, a picture of Elijah by his side. Who knows where the elf might show up next? Elijah will be cautiously on the lookout.  Happy TGIF, everyone!

Day Three Hundred Fifty Three 2012

Grandson Elijah looked everywhere for our crazed version of elf on the shelf this afternoon after school and could not find him anywhere—not even upstairs. And then his sister Shelby was surprised to find the elf lurking in the freezer, just waiting for little kids to open it up for a tasty frozen treat, which is usually the first thing Elijah does when he gets here after school each day. He was too freaked out just looking for the elf to even think about grabbing a Bomb Pop. The elf didn’t mind the freezing cold, by the way. After all, he lives at the North Pole. So now he’s moved on. Who knows where he’ll appear next. You better watch out!

Day Three Hundred Forty Eight 2012

Once again, grandson Elijah crept around the house after school today, on the alert for the whereabouts of his Granny and Grandpa’s somewhat crazed and creepy version of elf on the shelf. (See Day Three Hundred Forty Five 2012) He couldn’t find it right away and went to use the bathroom. He closed the door and locked it and about two seconds later came right back out and announced to me, “He’s in there.” I went in there to look and, sure enough, there he sat right above the toilet. Elijah insisted that I move it (which is totally against the rules—you’re not supposed to touch the elf or he’ll lose his magic). I reminded him of this, but he refused to use the bathroom with the elf in there, saying, “I don’t want him watching my business.” Well, how could I argue with that? When you got to go, you got to go, and a man needs his privacy. I moved the elf. Much to Elijah’s relief (in more ways than one). Magic or no magic, I’m sure the elf will be somewhere else tomorrow. Waiting. And watching.

Day Three Hundred Forty Five 2012

YOU BETTER BEHAVE! ELF ON THE SHELF IS WATCHING.

I think last Christmas was the first time I’d ever heard of The Elf On The Shelf. According to Wikipedia, once everyone goes to bed, the elf—which apparently sits on a shelf and spies on the kiddos all day long  (which supposedly encourages them to behave themselves so Santa will bring lots of presents)  flies back to the North Pole to report back to Santa about what activities, good and bad, took place throughout the day. Before the family wakes up each night, the scout elf flies back from the North Pole and hides. By hiding in a new spot each morning around the house, the scout elf and the family play an on-going game of hide and seek. The original story was created in the 1960s but these shelf elves have been around since the fifties. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elf_on_the_Shelf

Neil and I have had this kind of creepy and crazed looking elf for as long as I can remember, and Neil insists of dragging it out every Christmas. Last year, grandson Elijah noticed it, so Neil started moving it around when Elijah wasn’t looking. At one point during our family Christmas dinner, the elf ended up sitting right beside Elijah at the table. Needless to say, it freaked him out. But, as freaked out as he was, the first thing Elijah asked about when Christmastime rolled around again this year was the elf. He saw it sitting on the shelf after school this afternoon. And it freaked him out all over again. But he’ll be looking for it tomorrow. Who knows where it will be sitting next. Waiting. And watching.