Elf on the Shelf: An EPIC BATTLE between Jingles and Coco!
I have written before that I was not a huge fan of the Elf on the Shelf concept, but I have to admit that I am now a convert.
My Godmother sent our kids an Elf on the Shelf for Christmas this year and told us to open it early. The kids have loved it and wake each morning wanting to search him out. Even the 2-year-old remembers. (I’m still not for the Elf messing up my house and me having to clean it.) Plus, even my Scrooge McDuck husband has gotten the spirit and enjoys finding creative places for our Elf to be found.
But even more than our own personal fun with the Elf, I have been immensely enjoying my friends Sue and Pete Fritt’s elves! (Sue was in my original playgroup that I met through Piedmont Hospital. She now lives in Newnan with her husband and two kids.)
Each night this week, Sue’s Facebook friends have been treated to an EPIC BATTLE between Coco and Jingles. (Sue’s husband Pete is the mastermind behind the elf retaliation.)
Jingles is only allowed to visit their house a week before Christmas because he creates so much havoc (and because Sue and Pete run out of ideas of bad things for Jingles to do.) At first I thought Jingles was a bad elf but after re-reading Sue’s note and thinking about the photos I think Coco may actually be the bad elf. See what you think.
Here’s what’s happened so far in the Elf on the Shelf Battle Royale according to Sue’s Facebook postings and photos:
(Photos by Sue Fritts)
“We think there may be a battle between our two elves. Found one this morning tied up with red licorice, laying on top of Santas on the mantel!”
“Tomorrow a.m. the kids will find Jingles the elf has captured Coco the elf in a pixie stick ‘jail’!”
(They were afraid the Pixie Stick jail would collapse before the kids woke up but I believe it survived a night of Coco trying to escape.)
“. . . and the elf retaliation continues . . . . . .”
Late last night Sue sent me the update on their battle. She wrote: “Seems the elves had a truce tonight. No one torturing each other. But Jingles was hanging upside down from the ceiling fan.”
I’m not convinced that wasn’t torture. I think Coco looks awfully guilty up on that tree. Look at that smile.
What are you doing with your Elf on the Shelf? Are you being as creative as Sue and Pete? Are you still anti-Elf on the Shelf? Are you a recent convert like me?
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! I hope the kids have fun and the parents don’t work too hard! Merry Christmas everyone and hey don’t forget to fan me on Facebook! Here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/AJC-Momania/210922088338
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62 comments Add your comment
Julia
December 25th, 2009
11:26 am
This lil guy just cracks me up… Merry Christmas…..
Toris Mom
December 25th, 2009
11:37 am
The elf battle is hysterical! We may have to try that when our daughter gets a little older.
My daughter moved the elf one day and put it in her school backpack. In keeping with the illusion, I did not say anything except – don’t get in trouble on school! But, the next morning, John the Elf was sitting in the rocking chair with a note for Tori – “Please do not move me again. Elves lose their magic when they are touched by children. Santa almost did not let me come back. Love, John the Elf” My daughter hid the note, but John the Elf was never moved by her hands again!.
dee
December 25th, 2009
1:46 pm
LOVE IT!! My kids have a magical elf rather than the Elf on a Shelf and each year she comes and suprises them with fun things and a bit of havoc in our house! they love it! they are older now so it adds additional fun for Christmas! Thank you for sharing the pictures!! Fun fun fun and Merry Christmas!
Jason
December 25th, 2009
2:26 pm
My f’in first grade teacher “took” my elf at school and never returned it. She’s probably home alone today (xmas) with her cats and my elf.
removed it
December 26th, 2009
5:11 am
Jason if your in first grade using words like f’in then your parents need to teach you better.
OK Holidays sales look out!
Katie
December 26th, 2009
9:36 am
My mom got us an elf on the shelf this year, complete with his box and book and we love it! It has been so much fun too see my daughter get up each morning and rush around the house to find him, and its been alot of fun for my husband and I to find new and fun places to hide him each night!
I am a little curious about the elf making messes and being touched by children? The book strictly forbodes being touched and doesn’t say a word about making messes. Whats that all about?
Santa took our elf, Frostie, back with him to the North Pole when he visited Christmas eve, but we’re all missing him already and can’t WAIT for his return at Thanksgiving next year! What a simple little thing that brings just so much joy!
JATL
December 26th, 2009
5:40 pm
@FCM -LOVE the whole message of having the memory and heart of a child at Christmas. That’s what kept me going this year -thinking of things from my kid’s point of view. We had a really nice time! We don’t do Elf on the Shelf, but if people want to -that’s great! Why are so many of you so ugly about it? No one is making you do it.
JJ
December 26th, 2009
6:19 pm
Well this just sealed it…..my new years resolution is to stay away from this blog……
Farewell my friends…….i’ve enjoyed the last several years, but I’m outta here!!!!!!
nurse&mother
December 26th, 2009
10:49 pm
Bye JJ come back sometime.
Patrick
December 28th, 2009
8:07 am
An elf named Coco…where were Hardrock and Joe?
1sus
December 29th, 2009
10:42 am
@Katie . . . . . . yes, our children do not touch either elf as they will lose their magic. The Elf on a Shelf does not make messes. The new elf that arrived was either an elf in training or just not a very good elf (so we thought the 1st year) who tried to do nice things (like make breakfast for the children) but in the process made a mess. This year, the two elves interacted for the first time with the fun antics.
Krissy sMITH
January 3rd, 2010
9:52 am
Hi There! I was just reading through the comments and felt complelled to write in. I am a mother of five, a christain who loves God with all her heart and soul, and home to Jingle’s The Elf. When our first child was one in 1998 we had an elf come to our house to play hide and go seek every night, he did not make messes, he just observed and reported back to santa with his magic bell. When my son went into kindergarden in 2002 I asked if the teachers would like to bring him in the classroom and many did, so I wrote a little strory to go along with it and it was embraced and used by many teachers and families. I would print out copies and hand them out to families and school districts. Before I go any further in no way is this post a self promotion for my story… it is a glimpse into my thoughts on this tradition and prehaps a new way of looking at it. In 2008 I decided to take my story that was written and turn it into a product for other families to enjoy, for six years prior I had passed out hundreds of copies of the story and saw the joy that it brought. It was at my first signing that I learned of “Elf on The Shelf”, I dashed home to google this and discovered that indeed there was a product out there similar to Jingles. That is fine, in fact after much research this tradtion seemed to have originated over in Germany in the early 1900’s. What is hurtful to me however is the diggs I recieve for being the “copycat” item when in fact I was wriiten three years prior to the above. That is neither here nor there though, the point of this post is… Yes, I 100% feel the true meaning of christmas is the birth of Christ however. . . I personally am okay with letting my children believe in Santa and having that experience as well. For those of you who do not take part in that, I 100% respect and honor your feelings on this as well. This is just what works for me. Christmas has always been a magical time for my children, in fact Santa in our house comes to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We make a birthday cake for Jesus and try to give more than we receive. I do believe ” magic” is every where around us. If we truly take a moment and look at this world we live in and observe, wether we agree on how the world was made, we can agree what a magical and amazing place it is… The tides of the ocean, trees happen to produce oxygen that we need to surrive and we just happen to put out the Carbon Dioxide the trees need…..I am in awe when I think of the splendors of this world. So for me I have tried to combine the two togeather, also I made sure I wrote about the importance of giving in Jingles and there is family fun section full of ideas on how to give. I think it is wonderful that families are spending time together and bonding…these memories you are creating now will be remebered forever! I think we can all honor and respect others family traditions knowing that although something may not work for our family, it seems to be enjoyed by others! That is what I want to insitll in my children compassion and understanding! May 2010 be filled with miracles for you all!