The holiday season is one of the best times of the year to be a nanny. Since I don’t have kids myself (unless you count my two dogs, who often act like children), it’s a joy to be able to witness the excitement of the season through a child’s eyes. It’s easy as an adult to get swept up in the stress of buying gifts and planning parties but spending time with kids allows me to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the holidays.
Yesterday I watched 4-year-old Lilah for the first time while her parents spent the afternoon Christmas shopping. Despite only just meeting me, Lilah quickly warmed up and enjoyed playing tour guide as she showed me the hiding spots of her “Elf y Girl.” I’ve only recently heard of “Elf on a Shelf” but I love the concept of it. As I understand it, the elf hides in a different spot every night and the child searches the house each morning. On the day that I visited, the elf chose to perch on top of a 4-foot-tall toy giraffe.
Showing off the Christmas tree ornaments is another favorite activity of the kids that I babysit. Everyone has a favorite ornament, whether it’s sentimental or simply pretty. Some kids love their handmade candy cane reindeers, others love the extra glittery snowflakes but there’s always a story behind the favorite and I love to hear about it.
–Abby
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What’s your (or your child’s) favorite ornament? Do you have an “Elf on the Shelf” at your house?
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Tags: christmas, Christmas tree, Christmas with kids, Elf on a Shelf, holiday
The kids all got new ones with their names that my mom got at a Christmas shop in michigan. Jethro is CRAZY about his “hoo-hoo!” (Choo-choo)
My dd’s favorite ornament is the one we have for our daughter that we lost. I was finally able to handle it emotionally last year and buy one for her. I’ve already ordered one for her this year too.
No Elf on the Shelf here! I had never even heard about him/her until last Christmas!
I love my Baby’s 1st Christmas bulb, and my sons aren’t as much in to the ones they made yet, as they are in to the Hallmark ones that play music or make noise!
A mickey mouse ornament.
The Elf on the Shelf is new to us this year, but it is a lot of fun hiding it in different places.
The ornaments that were passed down from my parents.
the handmade ornaments that my kids made when they were little
A moose ornament we got in Maine a few years ago.
We have an Elf on the Shelf at school and the kids loved naming it. It was a big hit.
She likes a red one that she has declared pretty as a princess! No elf on the shelf at our house