Help! I'm Seeing Elves!

We "adopted" an elf for Christmas this year.  Her name is Tipsy, and she has a drinking problem.

(Eric got a beer advent case, and this may have contributed greatly toward our decision to introduce an elf to our home.)

But when she's not busy pounding them back, she's filling Madeline's life with magic and candy canes.  

I have mixed feelings about the whole Elf on the Shelf tradition.  I mean, it's kinda creepy that this elf watches you all day and then flies back to Santa to narc you out every night.  It's Santa, not the Gestapo for goodness sake.  Plus, I'd rather her be a good human because it's the right thing to do, and not because she's worried Santa won't bring her presents...which he is, obviously.  

On the other hand, I love cheesy stuff like this. I nerd out thinking of all the fun we can have with this elf.  

Best of all, Madelne's reaction to Tipsy has been priceless.  She believes.  Oh, she believes so hard.  

On the first day of our advent calendar, Madeline recieved a telegram from Santa stating that our request for an elf had been approved.  Later that afternoon, Tipsy appeared under our tree.  

Madeline was very quiet as we read the note Tipsy wrote to her.  Then she carefully held Tipsy in her lap while we read the book.  When we got to the part about how it's against the rules to touch an Elf on the Shelf, Maddie quickly passed her to me.  I told her it was okay because it was her first day with us.   I let her give Tipsy a kiss before we placed her on the shelf, and she hasn't touched her since.  

On the first night, Maddie had a hard time falling asleep.  

"Do you think she's come to life yet?"  she whispered across her bedroom as I fed Vivi a bottle.  

We downplay the part about Tipsy flying back to the North Pole to tell on her.  Although Tipsy did bring her a candy cane for good behavior one morning.  I'm not saying we haven't fallen back on the whole, "Remember, Tipsy is watching..." bit a few times.  When your kid refuses to eat her dinner three nights in a row, you'll try anything.  

Mostly, we focus on the idea that Tipsy helps us get in the holiday spirit!  

Here's what Tipsy's gotten herself into so far...

She threw herself a welcome parade with the instrument ornaments from our tree.

She perched on Giselle the Gazelle to get a better view of our house.

She took a ride on our penguin slide.  

She read Rudolph a Christmas book about reindeer.  

She played dress up with Anna and Elsa, and came away with a new skirt!

She took the princess Little People on a joy ride in the Little People school bus, but she was driving too fast for me to get a picture...

And she's educating the toys on Elf culture.

Oh that Tipsy Elf...