Decapitation. Fire. Toilets. Who knew being a little Elf on the Shelf was such a risky business?!
Every night, millions of us secretly move those cheeky elves into some funny new position for our kids to find the next day. But what do you do when disaster strikes? These 10 mums share their biggest Elf on the Shelf Fails.
When you think about doing the whole Elf on the Shelf thing, you might worry about things like: will I be able to think up enough funny positions to make it to Christmas? Will I even remember to move the damn thing in the first place?
These mums found out that there is much more to worry about. They learnt the hard way that, if you’re not careful, tragedy can strike when you least expect it!
1. Elf on fire
Mum Maureen had a cute plan: she would hide little elf ‘Bert’ in the chandelier. So, into the chandelier he went, and off Maureen went, Christmas shopping with her mum. It seemed a good plan … until she got back and smelt something burning.
“I immediately ran over to the Christmas tree to see if the smell was coming from there,” Maureen tells Mum Central. “Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a horrific scene! Innocent, sweet little Bert was in flames!”
Maureen’s husband had turned on the light, not knowing about Bert’s daredevil hiding place, and he’d got so hot he caught fire. Thinking quickly, to the screams of her three-year-old son, she dunked the flaming elf in the kitchen sink. Luckily, she was able to reassure her son that Santa’s magic would fix him, before heading back to the shops on a secret mission to buy a new one.
2. Mind the light
Mum Heather also had a lighting-related mishap when their elf ‘Jack’ fell on a light bulb and burnt a hole in his chest! Luckily that night Santa sent Jack a new outfit, which he’s worn ever since.
3. Santa’s watching
Tracie’s poor nine-year-old son woke up one morning to the sight of his elf, dead on his bedroom floor, after falling off the small Christmas tree he keeps in his room.
Tracie’s husband had been given the job of putting the elf in the tree. Apparently, he went in their son’s room in the dark and, as he couldn’t see, decided to just throw him at the tree and hope for the best.
“I know someone who’s on the naughty list… and it isn’t my son,” Tracie tells Mum Central.
4. Beware of the dogs
Hot tip: don’t leave your elves where the dogs can get them. Mum Nicole told Facebook group Elf on the Shelf 2018 Antics, after discovering one elf decapitated and the other with serious head injuries.
5. Elf in the… oven?
Don’t be like Louise, who hid her elves in the oven. Then forgot about them. When she went to put the food in, Louise realised she had not only preheated the oven but the poor elves too.
6. Face it
Mum Carol thought it would be a great idea if their elf drew on her kids’ faces while they slept. Unfortunately for her, the pen wouldn’t come off the next day and they had to go to school like that. Naughty little elf.
7. Toilet trouble
Jenni set up her elf ‘Evie’ for this funny pic sitting on the toilet. Moments later though, Evie took a tumble backwards and fell in.
8. Harder than it looks
Samantha had a go at recreating the old ‘elf in a balloon’ trick. Sadly it didn’t end well for the poor little guy.
9. Almost…
Mum Tammy got one step further; she got him in the balloon, but then his head fell off.
10. Possibly the best (or worst) elf fail ever
Most of us know that you can’t touch the elves because it makes them sick and they lose their magic; poor, delicate flowers they are. Not all of us get this bit right though. This was the case for mum Zowie, who was a bit more brutal about it and when her daughter touched their elf, she made it DIE. Headfirst in a bowl of cereal.
Zowie proudly posted the scene to social media, which led to an outcry from parents everywhere, desperately trying to save the elf.
“I blame not reading the book. I don’t have it. But going by this post maybe I should have!” Zowie
Do you have a naughty elf on your shelf? Love to laugh at other elf antics, Make sure you check out our Elf on the Shelf funny photo competition!
