Meet our special house guest - recollections in the making ;)

[Christmas_mama]

We have a very special guest staying with us until Christmas this year! We stumbled upon each other in Marks and Spencer when doing some Christmas shopping. He told me he is a very, very long way from home and here on a very important job from a very important person! So he's staying with us for the season :santa-smiley:

Introducing our special guest:

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k199/tasha-cat-mad/Santaself2.jpg

This is Santa's Secret Elf - He is here on a very important job from father Christmas! That job is watching my girls to see if they are being naughty or nice, and reporting back to Father Christmas to help decide which list they go on! It's all very exciting and my girls love him! Since he's been staying, they have been extra nice and I think they'll definately get on that nice list and get lots of presents this year :xmaswink:

My little ones took him to toddler group yesterday and my eldest showed him around and made him feel very at home:

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k199/tasha-cat-mad/santaself1.jpg

Today she has taken him to nursery to meet the nursery aunties and so that he can watch and make sure she is being nice at nursery as well as at home :elf3:

He says he loves it here, but he feels a little home sick being so far from the North Poll and he misses Father Christmas, the reindeer and all of his family and elf friends, so to make him feel more at home we're going to have to decorate our house all Christmassy and put up a Christmas tree - so he doesn't feel like he's so far away from home :home:

[Papa_Christmas]

Too cute CM:elf3:

[ornamentmaven]

Very sweet! :santa:

[Christmas_mama]

Too cute CM:elf3:

Thank you :) I'm looking forward to hearing about what he has got up to at nursery with my daughter today :elf3:

[Mr. Christmas]

So cute we have something like that around here called Elf on a Shelf..

[JollyElfDC]

A little off topic, but I miss Marks and Spencer. I used to shop there when I was living in Canada. I think they closed all the Canadian Marks and Spencers stores.:sad elf: I don't remember them having toys at the Canadian stores. I think they only carried clothes and food.

Anyway I'm sure your girls will make the nice list.:elf3:

[MinnesotaMike]

We have The Elf on the Shelf. My son named him Barnacle, and he doesn't come until the day we set up the tree.

[MinnesotaMike]

Barnacle appears in a different place every morning, and the boys have to find where he is. Also, they are not allowed to touch him or his "magic" won't work anymore.

[MinnesotaMike]

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p20/mlindamood/Elf-on-the-Shelf-Book-Plush-Set.jpg

[Christmas_mama]

I've heard of this elf on the shelf... He's pretty expensive though isn't he? I was intending on setting the elf up overnight so he'll be found doing / having done different things like riding my husband's model trains, baking cookies, setting up the Christmas tree, making snowflakes etc :)

[ChantelleJoy]

I've heard of this elf on the shelf... He's pretty expensive though isn't he? I was intending on setting the elf up overnight so he'll be found doing / having done different things like riding my husband's model trains, baking cookies, setting up the Christmas tree, making snowflakes etc :)

HAHA! That's a great idea! How much fun would that be, every morning! :)
(Be sure to take pictures & share!)

[ornamentmaven]

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p20/mlindamood/Elf-on-the-Shelf-Book-Plush-Set.jpg

Mike, I have several elves similar to his one. But I've only used them as decorations. My Mom had one when I was little - back in the 1960's, but he was also a decoration only!

[MinnesotaMike]

I've heard of this elf on the shelf... He's pretty expensive though isn't he? I was intending on setting the elf up overnight so he'll be found doing / having done different things like riding my husband's model trains, baking cookies, setting up the Christmas tree, making snowflakes etc :)

Yeah...that's the idea. I put him in a different place every night. The idea is that he goes back and reports to Santa, then returns to the house, and it's up to the children to find where he landed. Not expensive. It comes with a book that tells his story, and you can go online and register your elf. It's pretty cool. Then, "Santa" will send us emails every so often. Sounds like you are doing the same thing essentially. :elf3:

[*Snowflake*]

so cute:elf1: I saw that elf in Marks and Spencer shop along with other decorations, they're so beautiful but very expensive.

[SilverBells]

That's so cute Christmas_mama :xmascandycane:

[Fezziwig]

Ah, the Elf on the shelf, lol. Last year, almost to the day, I told a story about "Emanual" -- my Girlfriend's little Brother's Elf. I'll retell it:

==========
I am not really sure which thread this post should reside but "Decorations" seemed like an appropriate topic.

Not to bore everyone with the details, my girlfriends sister is getting Married at the end of the month and her their little brother, Tommy, was in need of a new suit to wear. Tommy looks up to me and my girlfriends mother asked me if I would take him to look for one last night. So we both set out into the night on a quest for a little man suit.

Anyways, I used most of the time driving to fill his little 6 year old brain with propaganda about the New York Jets (the American football team) as he comes from a strictly New York Giants football family (Cross town rivals-- my girlfriend included )

While we are driving to the store I start asking him what he wants from Santa this year and he runs a couple things off that I have saved to memory. But then goes on to tell me that he doesn't know if Santa is going to be coming or not? And "Emanual" is always watching him.

Instantly, given this day and age, I fear this is something not so innocent (I need to stop watching those predator shows on MSNBC!!) and think he is talking about Emanuel their landscaper whom I recommended for the job.

So I asked, "The guy that takes care of mommy's flowers?" and he says, 'No the elf that is in the living room" At this point I am just full on confused. It turns out that "Emanuel" is what is called "The Elf on the Shelf" -- a toy or decoration for children -- who is something like a Spy for Santa.

He comes with a story and the kids name him (apparently after the Landscaper) then at night he returns to the north pole to report on the child or children's activities to Santa. Each morning during the Christmas season the Elf is 'miraculously' at another part of the house checking up the children to see if they are naughty or nice.

Tommy is down right frightened of him! Looking at it, this doll does have a stranger expression which seems kinda creepy and beings that he travels all around the house a night may be something of little kids nightmares.

Long story short, I told Tommy that he has nothing to be afraid of and "Emanual" used to come to my house when I was a kid too. Then I said I will talk to Santa tonight and tell him that "Emanuel" should be more friendly.

Coincidentally, on the way home I bought a butterfinger candy bar that "Emanual" will 'bring' back from the north pole tomorrow morning as a show of good faith.


==========

Thankfully he is not frightened of the elf anymore.

[ornamentmaven]

Cute story Fezziwig

[CATZILLA]

Absolutely Adorable :snowman:

[mizanci1]

Congratulations on a very nice