No Elf on the Shelf for us

I have a confession, I'm not ashamed to admit it but I know I'm risking the wrath of mummies everywhere. So here goes, I seriously dislike Elf on the Shelf. There it is.

Ok, so I've never actually read the book but I know it originates from an American book and this elf comes to visit for December and he is Santa's spy reporting on whether the little boy or girl is being naughty or nice. The elf then gets up to mischief each night so the child hunts him down in the morning to see what's he's been up to. Some mums really go to town and have really elaborate set ups each morning. 

I'm not sure what I dislike the most, the fact that he spies on you, the fact children are being bribed into 'good' behaviour, the fact that he's naughty overnight (tell me how is a child expected to be good if the elf isn't), or just the fact that he's vaguely creepy. 

I know you'll tell me it's all just a bit of harmless fun and the kids love finding him each morning and seeing what he's been up to but I just find the whole concept wrong. 

So I've opted out. I want to focus more on the true meaning of Christmas. I want to take out the commercialism and gimmie gimmie gimmie culture. I want Mischief to take the opportunity to share blessings with others and enjoy the love of Christmas. 

With that in mind I've come up with my own take on the elf, our very own Christmas Angel. She arrived on the 1st December with a poem explaining why she was here, a very from scripture and a coin for Mischief's money box. 

Each day she'll hide somewhere new and have the next verse of the nativity so in the end we'll have the whole story to read. Some days she'll have a little gift for Mischief and some days a suggested activity, such as baking cookies for the neighbours or just a fun activity for all the family to enjoy. 

I bought an artists wooden mannequin for our angel, I thought this was perfect as she could then be posed. I asked Mischief what her Angel would look like if she had one (red hair, green dress) and set to work. She's a work in progress and I actually like that her outfit will develop as the month goes on. 

I'm really quite excited by it as I love Christmas and the anticipation and really hope that Mischief loves her too.