Elves have invaded the Keech home.

Last year we did elves and then we did them again this year.

What are these elves you ask?

Well I guess it started with the book Elf On the Shelf.

Then this year they came out with a TV Show.

The book explains that the elf comes to each kids house to watch over them and report back to Santa every night if they are naughty or nice.

It also goes on to say that the elfs have magic and can fly but if a kid touches them they will lose their magic.

Now I thought that $30 was too high for a book and a little stuffed animal.  So what did I do?  Bought my own.

This year I bought a bunch from oriental trader.  Who would of guessed?  Anyway, after reading the reviews of the book many peopl have mixed feeling about this tradition.

A couple of the negative reviews:  taken from Amazon

"Yes my children loved this, but I thought it was creepy. This sounds like a wonderful idea until you get sick of moving the stupid elf everynight. One night you'll lie awake in bed and remember, damn it, I forgot to move the elf. Then wait until the kids tell their other friends about "their elf" and their friends don't have an elf, and then they call your kid a liar. Year after year until you can't take it anymore and you can't move the thing another 30 days another year and you finally tell them that you are the elf on the shelf and then your kids cry. I'm not making this up. "

"OK, I think kids have enough pressure from the world without having a fake elf sitting around watching them. I totally disagree with this concept. If you want children to enjoy life, stop with the judging threats and just teach them to be happy and to expect to make mistakes from time to time. That's how we learn what's important in life and what is not....(a "not" exmple would be like not planting fake elves around the house to tattle on kids being kids...) "

IMO  ... these people have issues.  but thats me.

My elves come the day after we put the tree up. 
I use them as a fun way to get the kids to behave, what parent doesn't tell their kids around this time of year "I'll tell Santa if you don't _____" 

Hubby was kinda put off by the don't touch them thing.  Sean holds him to it and when they were sitting on the couch eating popcorn and needed to be moved Sean made him put on gloves to move them back to the tree. 

Sean also cries if Caitlyn picks on up and walks around with them.

But otherwise they are fun, sometimes naughty elves.

First day three elves showed up hanging from the tree.  Two boys and a girl.  They named them Jingle, Glitter and Elfie.

Next day they were sitting on the couch eating popcorn and watching TV.

They have been found in the bathroom holding toothbrushes and toothpaste.

The kids love finding what they did the night before.

One night we went out to dinner and the boys were less than good behaved.  That night the 2 boy elves brough back coal for them (momma was prepared with gummy coal packages) 

We also have Santa ornaments with each kids name on it and a he is holding a sign that can say Naughty or Nice.

Caitlyn spilled powered lemonade on the counter one day and the next morning her elf was making snow agles in the powder.  :)

One night the elves had fun putting toliet paper all over the christmas tree.

And finally last night they have a great game of cards.

I need to take pictures so you can see all that the elves are up to!

I have fun finding new and exciting things for the elves to do.  Most ideas I have been getting from Pinterest.com

Elves get a big thumbs up from the Keech House!