Monthly Archives: December 2011
Dec
07
2011
 IMHO stands for “in my humble opinion.” But maybe my opinion isn’t too humble, in which case, I apologize. Here’s how I feel about Elf on a Shelf… I don’t like him. At all. (cute little sign, though…nice job, artist, whoever you are!) Why, you may ask? Because it runs completely counter to what Lucas...
Posted in Jesus
bridget - December 7, 2011 - 1:57 pm
Thanks for the kindle book recommendation! Totally agree with your whole post 
Captain Murdock - December 7, 2011 - 2:07 pm
Am I the only person on the planet who has never heard of this creepy elf who lives on a shelf? Just in the last two days, I’ve seen references to him everywhere. Thanks for the book references. We don’t teach our kids about Santa but unfortunately, despite our best efforts, our oldest son totally spoiled it for his Pre-K class and blurted out the ugly truth during story time last year. Ooops. Sorry kids! 
Amber - December 7, 2011 - 2:15 pm
I’m anti Elf on the Shelf (for our family) as well. I LOVE the idea of thinking of creative and fun things for him to do and the idea of the kids waking up to a surprise every morning…however, what I don’t need is one more non-Jesus-related thing for the kids to focus on during this holiday season. 
LauraC - December 7, 2011 - 2:28 pm
Never heard of Elf on a Shelf. Never believed in Santa, either, and our daughter (4) knows he’s just pretend. Our littlest guy, (1.5) is too young to know yet! I’m not opposed to Santa, and we watch all the Christmas classics, but we don’t have a Santa in the house, never have and never will! 
cari - December 7, 2011 - 2:40 pm
enjoyed your thoughts on christmas and kids. 
Lara - December 7, 2011 - 2:47 pm
I’m anti-elf too! I felt like the Grinch admitting it on Facebook though! I agreed with a lot of Jen’s points, but can’t bring myself to pull out of the Santa gig. However, we do advent each day and talk about Jesus the entire Christmas season. All Santa does is fill stockings (actual gifts are always from Mommy and Daddy.) 
Donna - December 7, 2011 - 2:47 pm
Cheering and applauding!!! We have raised our children without Santa (oh and the flack we got for that 20 years ago with our first was not to be believed!) and, yes, I think the elf thing is creepy. 
Shelly - December 7, 2011 - 2:59 pm
Ah, they don’t call us twins for nothing. Love. I’m doing a post today too, linking to the Hatmaker blog. Yep, twins seperated at birth. 
Marci - December 7, 2011 - 2:59 pm
Yep. Uh-huh. Amen. I am reading “Give them Grace” it is about exactly what you wrote about… a good addition to “Shepherding”. We want our kids to know that they need a Savior to give them grace… not a Santa-god to give them what they want because they act “nice”. 
Susan Hall - December 7, 2011 - 5:09 pm
Just today the children and I were studying Ephesians 6:11 (full armor of God). We were acting out putting on the armor then I re-read 6:11. When I read “the devil’s schemes” I knew what to do. I pulled out a Santa doll we were given and we slayed that scheme! Hahaha… it is refreshing to know my children understand the true meaning of Christmas. 
Tricia - December 7, 2011 - 5:43 pm
Amen!! When my now almost 18 year old was three, he asked me who the man in the red suit was. But he could tell you why we celebrated Christmas. Not everyone agreed with our choice. Our “advent calendar” was putting one piece of our little nativity scene up each day with Jesus being the last piece placed on Christmas morning. We still gave gifts and had stockings, but my children knew the real reason for Christmas and they bear no “scars” from not believing in Santa! 
Sally - December 7, 2011 - 5:58 pm
I absolutely agree with you about the “elf”. In addition to everything you stated, isn’t it kinda creepy that this little doll is watching you? Ugh! 
missy @ it's almost naptime - December 7, 2011 - 10:33 pm
So funny – a friend was just telling me how much she loathes the Elf, which her MIL gave to them. She says she wants to scream “JESUS IS WATCHING YOU EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR!!!” at them all the time!! 
Carissa - December 8, 2011 - 7:40 am
Glad to hear I am not the only one who feels this way. It is just another distraction from the true meaning of Christmas. My kids are tweens, but when they were younger, we made it clear Santa was something we just pretended about. There was never the big disappointment like their friends when they found out Santa wasn’t real and no feeling that we had deceived them. As I see my friends struggle with this disappointment in their children it is one of the things I can say we handled well with our kids. I agree with Sally, the elf is kind of creepy. Our little neighbor boy got one this Christmas and the kids are told if they touch the elf he loses all his powers. That would have scared me as a kid! 
shannon - December 8, 2011 - 1:38 pm
I totally agree. That thing is CREEPY anyway – although I think Santa is creepy too. If that elf were in my house I would seriously have nightmares. LOL! 
Elle Bee - December 11, 2011 - 10:28 am
My sentiments exactly!!! I’ve just outed our family’s Santa-less house on my blog and also had some discussions on FB after posting Jen Hatmaker’s link. It’s just insane to me! Our kids get excited about nativity scenes. They squeal about the baby Jesus. There’s so much magic and excitement in this season and revering a guy in a red costume who brings toys to kids who are already buried in toys is just beyond my understanding. Kids are bombarded with materialism from every angle. I’m doing my best to keep Jesus the focus. Great post! Gross elf! 
Teresa Fowler - December 11, 2011 - 6:59 pm
Thank you so much for your post! We do not teach our children about Santa Claus either, but yet we still love all the fun stories, cartoons and songs that go along with Christmas these days. Thank you for putting it into words that I could not. Many of our friends, and even our family, support us but think don’t see the harm in teaching kids about Santa. Also, your family was so precious at the “Walk thru Bethlehem.” The whole project was amazing and such a great experience. I was so impressed by all the hard work that went into it. Thank you for adding to our Christmas Season! 
The Mom - December 11, 2011 - 8:30 pm
You WERE listening all those years growing up!!!! THE MOM 
Jaimee - December 13, 2011 - 3:01 am
Hey there girl! I read you all the time but don’t comment nearly enough. Love your loving sass, keep it coming! We don’t do Elf on a Shelf either because it takes too much away from what Christmas is about… but we do do (hehe love “do do”) the Christmas Angel! She still moves every night as she flies to a new place so we can have fun finding her. And you can find her doing sweet things to help like folding Mommy’s laundry or picking up toys and such. She teaches the real meaning of Christmas through a new Bible verse/story each day and gives the boys a Christmas challenge each day…. it might be to bake cookies for your neighbor or to make a Christmas card for the nursing home or to think of a gift of service on your own that you can do for a family member. Loads of fun and keeps the focus where it should be. Merry Christmas friend! 
Jill - December 13, 2011 - 7:48 am
I think it’s good for you to have contrary comments on your blog so you don’t start liking yourself too much. Santa brings some presents at our house. We don’t sit on Santa’s lap for pictures and he’s not the biggest deal at Christmas, but he also is a fun tradition. We have had a big push this year to talk about why giving is always better than getting and why we give presents to celebrate that Love came down at Christmas. I am happy with our focus during this advent season. Just wanted to add my 2 cents. Love ya! 
Colleen - December 13, 2011 - 8:07 am
Ahahaha…yes, thanks, Jill, for keeping my feet tied to the ground. Actually, I just found out a few days ago about the elf doing mischievous things during the night. I didn’t realize that was part of his role….which I think is pretty funny of him. I rarely spout off such hard-lined opinions on my blog (well, at least I think I don’t), but alas, I was in PercocetLand that day and thus felt uninhibited to write about my oh-so-lofty opinions. And as for Santa, I think most of my anti-Santa-ism stems from growing up that way. Yes, my kids talk about him and leave treats for him on Christmas Eve and come home from school and hang their Santa crafts on my fridge…so I’m not a complete Nazi.
Colleen - December 13, 2011 - 8:07 am
Oh, I love the Christmas Angel idea! What a fun tradition!! I’m gonna sock that one away for next year. When I have energy to move her. 
Rebecca - December 13, 2011 - 8:54 am
Hi Colleen! I just stumbled upon your blog for the first time (through a long series of blog stalking) and I can’t tell you how delighted I am to read your opinion of Elf-on-the-Shelf. I just discovered this thing, I agree that it’s a truly awful idea!! Thank you for articulating that sentiment so well! 
Lindsey - November 13, 2012 - 6:11 pm
Thank you for having the guts to write this post! I felt very disgusted and overwhelmed by Christmas last year, but sadly didn’t do anything differently in my celebration/preparation of the holiday. My husband and I are in the process of adopting our first child from China, so we have been talking a lot about how we want to handle Christmas next year. We have decided no Elf on the Shelf or Santa. We plan to tell her about the real St. Nicholas though. My husband still wants to do gifts from “Santa” as you talked about doing as a child. Anyway, we haven’t told our parents yet; kind of dreading that conversation. We’ve told a few friends and sadly haven’t received a lot of encouragement, but that’s sadly to be expected. Maybe the Lord just wants me to learn to toughen up! 
bring ‘em home » Yes, My Couch Is Ugly - December 12, 2011 - 10:25 pm
[...] I have NO idea how I managed to write my last post. [...]
Dec
04
2011
 I love Christmas music. (much to my husband’s chagrin) I’m one of thooose people. I’m so excited that last week was Thanksgiving so that listening to it would actually be legal. Not that you’re dying to know, but I thought I’d list some of my favorite Christmas tunes/albums. I’d love to hear your’s! Drumroll, please…...
Posted in nuthin'
5 comments 
heidi - December 4, 2011 - 7:31 pm
Josh Groban “O Holy Night” SOOOO GOOD! 
christy - December 5, 2011 - 10:08 am
We. Are. Kindred. I have to add: TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA’S “Christmas Eve Sarajevo” That is all. 
Shannon - December 5, 2011 - 9:21 pm
I fully expect to see the Andy Williams “Jingle Bells” dance when we get to Mom’s house. Just sayin’. BTW another Christmas favorite…”Mary Did You Know” by Wynonna and Kenny Rogers, “This sleeping child you’re holding…is the great…I AM” Gets me every time.
Colleen - December 5, 2011 - 9:24 pm
Oooo…good one. I forgot about Mary Did You Know. Lerve that. And I am having surgery tomorrow. Alas, there will be no Jingle Bell dance this year. Maybe Brian will do it. 
Anna - December 6, 2011 - 9:27 am
Oh ma goodness! The Carpenters is my fav too! It’s not Christmas without Karen Carpenter. Also, I have to have Bing Crosby. His version of “Jingle Bells” with the Andrew Sisters is AWE-some! |
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We have an elf on the shelf. He doesn’t tattle to Santa. he just gets into silly mischief overnight and the girls go looking for him when they get up each morning between Thanksgiving and Christmas. SO what I’m saying is, he can still be fun. Just skip the book and the tattling part and it CAN be a fun tradition. We did do a little video from Santa this year because I knew Brenna would get a huge kick out of it, but I’m letting them in on the secret that there’s no naughty list.
26 comments