the elf in the box

So, some of you may heard about this book called the "Elf on the Shelf" by Aebersold and Bell.  It is a cute christmas story about an elf that keeps tabs on whether you are being good or bad and he then reports to Santa every night by flying to the north pole...only to be hiding in a new spot (the idea is that the child gets to find him every morning).  I had heard about the book a year or two ago and decided that it might be a cute tradition for us to take out each year - not to mention the little elf that the book comes with reminds me of the elves that have topped my family tree (and grandmother's when she was still with us) for years -we never did the star thing.

the elf in the box...

The other day while doing some shopping grammy generously decided to buy us the book and elf set for Isabelle this year... and from the beginning there was skepticism.  When we talked about it in the store and asked Isabelle if she thought this was a good idea she promptly said ..."ummm, I don't think so"... (I snorted from laughing so hard that everyone in the store must have been looking at me...).  Thinking that with a little more explanation and talking about it she might change her mind... we persevered and brought the book/elf home.  And well, the elf (that Isabelle has named Larry) is still in the box.  We have all tried to convince her that it might be fun and that the Elf will never mysteriously end up in her room and that even if she is a little "naughty" that it is ok... sometimes it is hard for our body to not act a certain way...and that Santa (and mommy & daddy) will always understand.  But nope...the elf will remain in the box until she is ready.

I suppose I can't blame her...  a little toy elf that watches her all day...wakes up in the middle of the night...flies to the north pole....reports to santa...and then comes back every morning... sounds sort of scary to me too.

maybe next year....