Jesus, Santa, and the Elf on the Shelf

Jesus, Santa, and the Elf on the Shelf:

'via Blog this'   I just found this blogger on Pinterest and her post from 2011. Her topic and solution to the "Elf on the Shelf" is very helpful. I've been wanting to address the problem I see with the elf as a 'spy' for Santa, watching if the kids are naughty or nice, if they will get presents, etc. Not the message I want to send to my grandkids, or any kids for that matter. 

Instead of the 'spy' for Santa, the elf is there to remind the children how to be kind and so forth. Here's an excerpt from the blog:


 I don’t think the concept of Santa is evil, but I don’t want Santa to become the sole focus of the Christmas season for the kidlets … and I feel like it is very easy to slip into that.   Yes, I want them to have fun and enjoy the “magic” of Santa but I also feel very torn (convicted, maybe?) about having Santa and the whole “good list vs. naughty list“  and “what do you want for Christmas” enter into my kidlets’ world.  I am still questioning whether or not it was a good idea to bring in the ol’ guy.

But, for now, we now have Jesus, Santa, and an Elf named “Twinkle” in our house.

The letter is where I went off-script, so to speak, from the Elf on a Shelf book.  Our Elf isn’t here just to report who has been naughty or nice.  We’re not threatening the kidlets with the whole “naughty kids don’t get presents” thing.  No,  Twinkle is here — as a tangible way –  to help the kidlets remember (or learn, in Mr. Boy’s case) a few basic principals:
(directly quoted from Santa’s letter)

So, the little Elf in your box is here to help you kids (and your Mommy and Daddy) remember these important parts about Christmas: Jesus, God’s love and our job of joyfully sharing that love with others through our gifts, kind words and loving actions (the things we do for one another).

My Elf is going to hang out at your house, watching everything that happens … as a reminder for you to:

Love each other
Speak nicely to one another
Help each other
Help your friends and neighbors too
Give to people who don’t have all the stuff you have
Remember that God loves you kiddos so, so, so much.