Am I The Only Mum Who Doesn't Elf?

So we need to talk about the Elf. You know who I mean. Elf on the Shelf or Behave Yourself Elf - or whichever one has taken up residence in your home.

I'm just going to admit that I am consumed with a sense of inadequacy when I see friends posting pictures on social media of their Elf's elaborate antics. Yes, I feel a bit inferior because I haven't mastered the whole Elf thing.

Then again, even if I had, I'd probably completely forgot to do anything with it after a couple of days anyway, utterly ruining the whole effect and traumatising the kids into the bargain.

After all, I am *that* mum who routinely has to recommend that the kids hunt UNDER the bed for a strategically-dropped coin from the tooth fairy when they wake up to find nothing under the pillow yet again.

And last year, when I went to great lengths to fill our wooden Advent tree with all manner of lovely Christmassy tasks and crafts, I was *that* mum whose kids sent themselves to bed early in disgust one evening cos I'd run out of inspiration and suggested that day's Advent activity could be making Mummy a lovely cuppa on account of Christmas being all about giving, after all.

So I am in awe of all you pro-Elf mummies. But didn't we already have enough on our plates without spending every day in December dreaming up ever more witty and creative activities for stuffed toy Elves to get up to?!

Don't you ever catch yourself mid-staging of some tiny Elvish adventure and wonder what you're doing? And when did this one-up-man-ship for Elf antics start?

When I first read about the Elf phenomenon a few years back, the idea was that you moved the Elf around from shelf to shelf – or room to room, if you were really dedicated – to drive home the idea that the Elf was keeping a close eye on the goings-on in your house in the run-up to Christmas. Since when did that get turned into writing on your hubby's face in eye-liner or elaborately wrapping the toilet in loo roll in the name of this game?!

Some critics say the whole idea of a toy Elf keeping tabs on your kids is a tad creepy, and moan that some parents seem to put more effort into sharing their Elf's antics on Facebook than in enjoying the experience with their kids.

Of course, all of this this is just sour grapes. I can admit that. Yes, I'm basically just jealous cos I'm not as organised or as resourceful as the Elf mums are.

I know I'm probably alone in this and you'll set upon me to defend your Elf antics and decry my bad humour about it all. (And so you should.) But just on the off-chance that anyone else feels like me – decidedly useless due to Elf inadequacy – how about we all have each other's backs and admit that us non-Elfing mums are just a bit crap – and that's ok.

Anyone? Or am I really the only mum left on planet Earth who doesn't Elf?

... On the other hand kids are only young once, I suppose. So who knows, maybe even I can get my Elf act together in time for next year...

In the meantime, for those of you who love some Elf antics at this time of year, don't forget to check out Nada's 24 days of Elf On The Shelf ideas!