Each December, it is a given that I will forget to move Elfie occasionally. Sometimes I remember and narrowly avoid a major catastrophe by moving him at the last minute.
And then, there are those times (like on the weekends) when the boys are up before me, and they discover (to their disappointment) that our perpetually smiling and red-capped Elfie is still in the same exact spot as yesterday. Tragic but true.
And THIS YEAR we have TWO ELVES! and now we have THREE!!
Yes. I am a certified masochist. Why did I punish myself by adding another elf?
Anyway. Life happens. And with the annual craziness, which typically marks the Holiday season, I will forget to move our Elf On A Shelf a time or two (or more).
So, I am here to help you out of a pickle for those times when you slip up and are in need of a good ‘mommy excuse’ as to why Elfie hasn’t moved nary an inch.
Try some of these “mom-approved” ideas listed below.
15 Ideas on What to Say To The Kids When You Didn’t Move The Elf
*In our house, we use current events and sarcasm pretty heavily. So some of these “excuses” may or may not fly in your home.
- Elfie was too sick to travel back to the North Pole last night. Should I check his temperature?
- Didn’t you know there was a blizzard last night? NO ONE could get out. Not even Elfie.
- Yeah, the Government issued a No-Fly Zone everywhere. (#thanksobama)
- Honey, you totally wore Elfie out!
- Elfie is just lazy, like you 😉 (well, I don’t know how positive this one is… but like I said, sarcasm is BIG in our house!)
- The dog refused to let Elfie out of the house. Don’t you see the dog slobber on his little green booties? (This one is “the dog ate my homework” version)
- Elfie is giving you another chance to make the “Nice List” because he didn’t want to tell Santa how naughty you were last night, so he’s giving you a do-over.
- Elfie stayed up late with me, watching Scandal. Hey, what can I say? Everyone loves Scandal, right?
- Elfie DID move! He liked this spot so much that he came back down to the same spot.
- You know how much you snore, right? So here’s the thing. Elfie and Buddy wanted to really see if you snored too. So they stayed up all night to watch you snore. I know its creepy, but what can I say? Anyway, they’re sleeping in late.
- Elfie forgot to set the alarm clock and overslept. Hey, being an elf is hard work.
- Elfie’s immigration papers never went through. So, technically he is an illegal alien. So, he stayed in the exact same spot so ICE couldn’t see him.
- Elfie went to a party with Olaf (we have a Hide and Hug Olaf doll that’ has joined in on the fun), and they partied HARD last night. So hard that they both forgot about their responsibilities.
- Elfie/Buddy didn’t have enough information about you to report to Santa. You know Elfie and Buddy take their jobs very seriously. So the rule is that if they don’t have information to give Santa, they wait a few more days. Santa’s orders.
- Donner and Blitzen double dared Elfie not to move, and so far, Elfie is WINNING!
Be sure to check back often. I will be updating this post throughout the Christmas season since I will need to come up with a few new excuses!
You can still get in on the fun if you don’t have an Elf. ORDER your Elf on the Shelf today and get it in time to have some holiday fun with this family Christmas tradition!
What are some of the things you say to your kids when you didn’t move the Elf? Leave me a comment below! I would love to hear some new excuses!
If you’re new to the whole Elf on the Shelf idea, then you can read about what this whole crazy phenomenon is all about HERE and the introduction of our Elf- Elfie!
You can get your own Elf on the Shelf from Amazon.
Welcome your elf with this awesome Elf on the shelf Welcome Breakfast idea:
Be sure to check out these:
Elf on the Shelf Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes
Join in on the Elf Fun with so many ideas posted below- Follow our Elfie on his journey and find other Elf on the Shelf ideas in our Elf on the Shelf section on my blog!
Find more great Elf on the Shelf ideas, including:
- 50 Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas (For Busy Moms) & Printable
- Elf On The Shelf Ideas Boys Will LOVE {Ideas for Boys}
- 10 Last Minute Elf On the Shelf Ideas
- Fun, Creative & Appropriate Elf On The Shelf Ideas
- 27 Creative & Best Elf On The Shelf Ideas **most popular one*
And if you’re looking for Adult Elf on the Shelf ideas, I have you covered as well:
Joy says
I said I think Elfie is messing with you! Lol. Or I stayed up to late, so he couldn’t leave.
Amber says
My daughter said oh the elf didn’t move she must be tired like we are mommy!!! Love my girls!!!!
T Worthey says
Oh that’s super cute Amber!
Jeff says
Ours just spent 4 days in the same spot… Its been a rough week. What can i say?! My middle son was worried asking me to take his temperature! I just said “Dont you know thats elfins favorite sleeping spot?!”
Jamie says
Cute article….great ideas!!
Lou Lou Girls says
I’m totally in love with this! What great ideas. Pinned and tweeted. We appreciate you being a part of our party, and I hope to see you on tonight at 7 pm. We love partying with you!
Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls
Dolphinswimmer02 says
I for got to move Callie on the 2nd day this year! Oops!!! We told the kids she was tricking them, because she figured they’d never think to look in the same spot and would probably look everywhere else first. She’s got all kinds of hide-n-seek tricks!
Lilyan Riley says
I tell my children that he probably just couldn’t watch u enough so he is just going to stay there
T Worthey says
Haha, good one!
Katrina says
I tell my boys it’s because they stayed awake too late. By the time they finally fell asleep, it must have been too late for Fred Chippy to fly to the north pole because he would never make it back here in time. Better quit messing around at bed time and get to sleep so he can go tell santa all the great things he sees ya doing.
T Worthey says
Oh, that’s a good one! I love that- thanks for sharing!