Chester the Elf

The Elf on the Shelf backlash got worse this year. Everything from being a waste of time, to the elves being creepy and just another way to lie to our children and manipulate them into behaving. I was slightly embarrassed to admit that we play the Elf on the Shelf game. Except you know what? That's what it is for us. Just a silly little Christmas game. And though especially in the month of December I don't have a lot of time, there is this handy little website called Pinterest that has loads of ideas and pictures that I can copy. (Which I did. Only a very few of the Chester ideas are my own and those are the ones that are incredibly simple.) Lilian adores Chester. And for a little girl who is growing up in a household with a bunch of older teenagers who have long since passed the stage of believing in Santa, it's especially nice for her to have this little bit of Christmas magic and sparkle.

So because she still enjoys looking at the pictures we posted last year of Chester and his crazy antics, here is 24 days worth of this year's Elf on the Shelf.....

Day 1: Chester leaves an M&M message.
Day 2: Making Fruit Loop necklaces on the kitchen counter.
Day 3: Fishing for Goldfish crackers in the toilet with a candy cane fishing rod.
Day 4: Playing pool.
Day 5: Bungee jumping with Lilian's slinky from the upstairs banister into the basement.
Day 6: Modeling the new elf shirt Lilian left for him from the top of the Christmas tree.

Day 7:  Reading the Christmas stories.
Day 8:  Making snowflakes on an especially snowy day.
Day 9:  Play Blokus with Woody, Piglet and Draculaura.
Day 10: Listening to Rebekah's tunes on her iPod.
Day 11: Getting creative with Lilian's stickers.
Day 12: Crazy string mess.

Day 13: Playing Christmas carols on the baby grand.
Day 14: Kissing booth....chocolate kisses, yum!
Day 15: All tied up in the Christmas lights on the alpine trees that were getting prepped for the front porch.
Day 16: Playing hide and seek in the front hallway.
Day 17: Taking selfies with the photo booth app on the laptop.
Day 18: Roasting marshmallows in the flame of the Christmas pine scented candle.

Day 19: Making snowflakes out of Q-tips on another snowy day.
Day 20: Hide and Seek above the stockings in the basement.
Day 21: Wrapping himself up in the gift wrap and hiding with the presents under the tree.
Day 22: Reading scriptures about the birth of Christ on a Sunday morning.
Day 23: Hanging upside down in the kitchen all day.
Day 24: To say goodbye for the season, Chester printed out various pictures we had taken of him throughout the season and hung them up along with all the other Christmas cards that had arrived in the mail from friends and family.

Lilian was sad that Chester had to leave, even if she understood why. She loves that strange little elf. So to heck with the naysayers....I'm sure our elf will be back next year.