Darby and the Elf

Never was it more impact-fully said to me that I march to the beat of my own drummer as when my brother said it to me. That idea was the premise of his toast at my wedding reception. I have heard it several times in my life, sometimes as a compliment, sometimes not so much, but never did it hit home the way it did on my wedding night.  I would like to offer the same compliment to my youngest daughter, Darby.  Sweetheart, you march to the beat of your own drummer.

My children have been asking for a toy called the "Elf on a Shelf".  It had been a few years of asking but frankly, I hadn't got around to purchasing one.  This year, walking past an end cap in a store I made the leap.

For those without children or have been fortunate enough not to have their children introduced to this little tattle-tale, the Elf on the Shelf is a the equivilant of a hall monitor in your house.  The kids are led to believe that every night this little creature flys to the North Pole and reports to the man in red how they little darlings have performed during the day.  The kids then awake to find the elf in a new location the next morning.  The rules include the fact that it doesn't come to life until it's named and that touching the elf robs it of it's magic.

So my eldest and middle clamored to get the Elf on a Shelf and were thrilled when one moved into our home.  They named her Jingles and delighted each morning ehen it was in it's new funny location.  They began to see the error in their ways after a night of fighting with each other, but didn't let on that letting the hall monitor into the house was a mistake.

Darby had a different reaction from the outset.  She saw through the marketing of the little imp.

"Darby, you can't touch her,"  I warned, "or she will lose her magic."

"That doesn't make any sense" she replied.

She was right, sure, but I had spent my thirty dollars, I wanted results.  "You don't want Jingles to fly to the North Pole and tell on you, do you?"

"She can't, she's just a toy, daddy.  She isn't magic at all." she said without an ounce of smugness.

The battle went on for another minute or two but I finally relented.  She won, and realistically I was proud of her for it.  I don't think I would have fallen for the Elf on a Shelf when I was a kid.  I'm glad the elder two went with it, but it doesn't bother me at all that Darby didn't.

So the lesson is this, girls.  There will be times when people are going to tell you things that simply aren't true.  Your mother would tell you that I am the biggest culprit in this.  But here's the catch: sometimes they will tell you these things to make life a little more interesting.  You might be tempted to call them lies, I prefer 'being creative'.  If you get the chance to buy in, it's worth it, if you get the chance to create the story yourself...even better.  Merry Christmas, girls.  I hope Santa brings you everything you want!