Elf on a Shelf - how old is too old???

[KateD]

I've never done this. My boys are 10 and 12 and I'm wondering if they'd enjoy it or if it's too late to start this tradition. What do you think?

 

[nesser1981]

I don't think they will care much if they don't believe in Santa. He reports back to Santa every night. You know.

 

[jessica31876]

I dont think they are to old to enjoy some of the little tricks and stuff still. It looks like something everyone could enjoy

 

[taracotta7]

I don't know. I think they would enjoy it. Of course, once my kids got old enough not to believe in Santa......I told them that they had to pretend to believe with us because that way they would still get a stocking. I would totally do the same about the elf. If you want to have fun and see crazy stuff.......believe in the elf for your sake.

 

[Stacey42]

I think they could enjoy it, depending on what you have planned for him. My kids are pretty much convinced this year that Santa is a myth but they still are looking forward to Elvin. Elvin brings them a new Lego Advent Calendar on Dec 1 and new personal ornaments for the tree on Dec 6 (if they have been good). Around the 15th he has a note from Santa about where they are on the Naughty or Nice list & what they might want to do to improve their standings. If they have been really good he might show up with a small gift certificate from Target or Game Stop on Dec 21. If I am feeling energetic he arranges a scavenger hunt that ends with a promise of going out for breakfast one weekend morning. Plus the usual things he gets into - dying the milk green, scattering their socks & underwear all over their beds (I have no idea why but they find that hilarious), creating his own Mii and playing Mario Kart all night, etc.

They like these things & a belief in Santa isn't entirely necessary. It's a little surprise every morning that makes the month special. But I never played up the 'reports to Santa every night' thing. It made my youngest not like & be afraid of Elvin. He would get terribly upset for accidentally spilling milk out of fear Elvin would tell Santa he was bad & he wouldn't get any presents. So Elvin goes back to the North Pole every night to check in with Santa & make sure all the toy production is going well and to chat with the other elves about the families they are with so he can get ideas of things to do with us. If the boys have been really bad - fighting, name calling - yeah he'll tell Santa about it, but mostly he is with us to help remind the boys to be generous to others & one another every day.

 

[maryinaz]

Personally, my boys would not have enjoyed it at those ages and would have thought themselves too old. But it really depends on your boys' personalities.

 

[KateD]

I think that my boys would still enjoy it - not the Santa part of it, but seeing what mischief the little guy gets into