It appears as though we have reached a critical period in the holidays: It's time to bring back the Elf on the Shelf. But don't worry, because this year, he's gone aquatic, as in, the Elf on the Shelf is now a Merry Mermaid. (Or maybe he's a merry merman. Or merperson, who knows, just go with it.)
Someone apparently got the message that after a few years with the Elf on the Shelf, parents had completely run out of ideas of how that little nudnik could be running amok in their homes. Because the new Elf on the Shelf Claus Couture line is here, and it features a selection of costumes/wardrobe pieces that are sure to make coming up with new and exciting scenarios for your elf much easier. There's a princess dress, a rock star outfit, pajamas, a snowman costume... but the best of all is definitely the Merry Mermaid tail. It's only $10 on Amazon, and slides on like a Barbie skirt for your original doll, so you don't have to worry about buying an entirely new elf, and naming that new elf, and introducing him to your kids, and explaining to them why their original elf won't be coming back for the holidays this year.
That means this year your elf can hang off the side of the toilet, lying in wait to be found beneath the sink, or, if you're fortunate enough to live in a warmer climate, he could be hanging out by the pool. You know, all the places you'd find a north pole mer-creature.
In all honesty, the whole Elf thing is pretty darned cute, even if the whole thing can be a bit of a nightmare to plan and prepare for. It is extremely helpful to have this additional accessory to help assist you when you're devising new and unique ways to get your children excited about the Elf on the Shelf. Because, let's face it, we only have a small number of years given to us to experience Christmas with our children as children. The magic of the season for parents is in seeing it through our children's eyes, and for many of us, The Elf on the Shelf is a part of that. It's a spot of extra wonder in an already supernaturally imaginative season, so while we may bluster and complain about how much work this all takes, in the end, it is worth it to see our children's excitement.
In honor of that wonder, I think that since the Elf on the Shelf is now a mermaid as well as a tiny toymaker, like Buddy the Elf, he should have a narwhal friend. I would affix that narwhal to the bathtub spigot, and have your elf dangling from the edge of the narwhal's horn over the tub, in his mermaid tail. Perhaps the elf is not yet confident in his swimming, or maybe he's scared of the dark. Either way, Mr. Narwhal is providing a lending horn to get him out of the precarious situation in which he finds himself.
For particularly brave parents, you could make a small sandbox from kinetic sand (less messy) and seashells, and place the elf upside down in the sand, as though the poor elf had gotten himself stuck. Your children would be forced to rescue the elf.
The morning possibilities are legion. Have him swimming in a bowl of (milk free) cereal. Or, you could have him sitting in Dad's coffee mug, holding a few packages of sugar, balanced on a spoon.
If you have an aquarium, you know you have to have him dangling over the top of the aquarium. The same goes for a fish bowl. If you have an Ariel doll, obviously, the Elf is her new love interest, and he won't make her change her entire being just to be with him. It's a good message.
Or he could just be playing dress-up, which is, in itself, a wonderful thing.
