Time to get my elves out!!

[Guest Guest]

One of the most enduring holiday traditions we have is our "hiding elves".

I have three old felt & plastic elves that I used as ornaments. When my kids were small, I read something somewhere about hiding them for daily before-Christmas fun.

The kids search for them each day, but never touch them, themselves. (If elves are touched, it *freezes* them for 24 hours.)

Late Christmas Eve, the elves move to the tree for Christmas Day, and there they stay till the tree comes down.

One might turn up over the bathroom mirror, another riding a toy, the last one hiding in a cupboard. As they get older, the hiding places get more sophisticated, and sometimes the kids take a turn hiding them (the teens).

When our "baby" was still tiny & the older kids seemed not to care as much, I tried to stop it for a year. But they raised such a protest that I *had* to start again! LOL

I use tape and "sticky tack" to help them stay in the odd places. And sometimes it's a chore, but most of the time I'm having as much fun as the kids.

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*TEENAGERS*... God's way of helping parents clear the nest.

[This message has been edited by Cat (edited December 01, 2002).]

[Guest Guest]

What a cute idea Cat. We used to hide their stockings and use notes to send them on a treasure hunt to find them. One child at a time looked while the others waited. They loved it and it gave DH and I a little time to wake up, get some coffee in us and join in on the fun.

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[Goose Liver]

Cat I love your elves already. Maybe I'll find some this year and start a tradition with my teens. They have a great sense of humor and will come up some very odd spots I'm sure.

tee hee

thanks

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[Guest Guest]

What a cute traditon I think I'll have to go get some of my own, I know my kids would have a blast with this!

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[Lois]

Aren't holiday traditions wonderful. I'm ashamed to say that when my children were smaller I put or tree up the day after Thanksgiving and did so every year even after they left home. Since moving here to New Jersey My heart isnt in it anymore... Maybe I'm being selfish, but I just cant do it anymore, I just dont have the heart to share the traditions I had with my own children and grandchildren for all these years.

I'm trying hard to establish new traditions here with the little munchkin.Today we dug out the sea shells from the shore and the little guy and I are deciding which ones to use to make ornaments for the tree. I'm also going to make a tomato cage christmas tree that is solely decorated with the gifts from the sea that we have been so lucky to collect.

Maybe the holiday spirit will come upon me soon, but it is so hard when I am so far away from my own children too.

[This message has been edited by twilap (edited December 06, 2002).]