11 Excuses To Use If You're Caught Moving The Elf

If you've done Elf on the Shelf before you'll know just how nerve wracking it can be each time the elf has to get up to new shenanigans, and not just because you need to constantly come up with new elf ideas.... but because of the very real fear that you'll get caught in the act!

Most parents are seasoned pros at being stealthy with the elf and know to wait until the kids are in bed, however we all know kids can be kids and sometimes they aren't as asleep as we think they are. Then there's the countless trips to the bathroom, requests for glasses of water, wanting to be tucked in again etc etc. You know what I mean. 

Then some kids will also secretly spy to catch the elf in the act out of general curiosity.... so you see our nights in December can be risky when there's an elf in the house. But what do you do if you're caught red handed with the elf? Don't panic! Keep these 11 excuses in your back pocket to get you out of trouble and keep the magic alive.

Lots of households have the rule that the elf can't be touched by anyone or they'll lose their magic, however in some houses parents can touch the elf, or parents/kids can touch the elf whilst using something special like a pair of tongs or gloves... the rules in your house will determine whether some of these excuses are relevant or not. 

If you're not usually allowed to touch the elf without them losing their magic then you may have to sprinkle them with cinnamon, put them in the freezer or give them a night off from moving to restore their magic after you've been caught touching them. But hopefully these excuses will be enough to get you off the hook.

WHAT TO SAY IF YOUR KIDS CATCH YOU MOVING THE ELF

The elf fell over and needed help getting up

If they just caught a fleeting glimpse then you can usually get away with saying the elf fell over and you were just helping them get up. This also works well if you have pets, because you're just picking them up so the cat/dog doesn't accidentally hurt them.

The elf asked me to help them get up higher

Explain that while they didn't hear it, the elf was secretly asking you to help them get up higher because they were afraid they might slip. Obviously this one only works if you're moving them somewhere higher than they were before.

The elf was telling me a secret

You needed to get really close to the elf because they were trying to tell you a secret without the kids hearing. They didn't want to spoil the magic by talking loud enough for the kids to hear.

The elf looked sick so I was taking their temperature to see if they were ok

Obviously you probably won't be caught on the fly with a thermometer in your hand {unless you're setting up a hospital scene} so you can explain you can feel their temperature on their head just like you do when the kids are sick.

Santa told me the elf wasn't feeling 100% and needed some help to move tonight

Tell them Santa asked you to help the elf move because they weren't feeling 100% after visiting the North Pole. Santa may have given you a phone call, text you, emailed you, or the elf came back with a note {whatever works best at the time}.

The elf was in the way so I was just moving it out of the way

This one works well if you're caught moving it from high traffic areas like walkways, the kitchen bench or bathrooms.

Oh no I forgot to wear my... gloves/tongs etc

If your family members are allowed to move the elf using gloves, tongs or mittens just pretend you forgot them. The elf may need to have a night off moving once you're caught, but afterwards remember to cover your hands incase they catch you again.

The elf asked me for a hug

The elf was feeling sad and lonely because the kids were asleep so it asked for a quick hug.

The elf needed help carrying all their things

The elf came back from the North Pole with some goodies, but was super tired from the trip so needed some help carrying them to just the right spot. Lucky you were there to lend a hand! This one is perfect when setting up scenes with props.

The elf asked me to touch them to check if you were watching

The elf was trying to check if the kids were really asleep before they left for the North Pole so they asked you to touch them to test if the kids were watching or not. The kids better go back to sleep quickly so the elf can leave and come back for real!

Tell them the truth

Obviously this one is a last resort option, but if your child is older and already starting to question the elf, it might be a good time to let them in on the secret. If they have younger siblings they can help take on elf duties to keep the magic alive for their brothers or sisters.