Do your elves leave a goodbye gift?

[jinglemom]

Other than the lego advent calendar our elves usually only leave food gifts while they are here, with maybe an occassional Christmas movie. Our elves always leave a little gift before they go home though. So far our elves have left their small fiber optic light up tree, a replica of Santa's magic watch, and a photo snowglobe with their picture that lights up and continuously snows. This year all I can think of is another picture in a candy cane frame that I have and I definitely want to leave that picture of Santa by our fireplace with a suprised look on his face from that link I had previously posted. I was wondering what kinds of gifts your elves have left?
:elf:

 

[ChristmasPir8]

last year they showed up w/ a pict of them w/ santa that I took at the mall. I don't think I have left a leaving gift but would like something for the boys to have during the year.... will have to think of that one.

 

[luludou]

No, they don't leave goodbye gifts. They do bring things during the month of December though. But remember my kids are 19 & 17 so it's not the same.

 

[LadyEvenstar]

My elves have previously left a small present like a Webkinz when they leave - primarily because my one daughter became so upset when they had to leave that it helped to ease the blow.

Now that she no longer believes in Santa or the elves (in the literal way) I probably won't bother with that. My younger daughter has just never really gotten into the elves that much and is totally fine with them leaving on the sleigh with Santa on Christmas Eve.

 

[JeniferDwn]

Last year, my daughter was so upset over her elf leaving that I had ordered a tiny elf that looked exactly like her. They are the elf-magic elves, and the big one is 10 or 12 inches and the little one is 6 inches. The story was that Hannah had to go back to the North Pole, but Lexi was still a baby elf and couldn't do magic yet. Lexi is stayng with us until she is old enough to be a magic elf. On Christmas morning Mackenzie was so upset over Hannah leaving that she sat and cried. She wouldn't even look at her presents. Luckily I had thought this might happen so i had the elves sitting to one side. If she didn't cry, I'd have slid them out of sight, but since she cried, we "spotted" them sitting in the chair. The little elf really helped. You could use any kind of small ornament or tiny elf or some kind of stuffed animal like posted above and make up some kind of story.

 

[ChristmasPir8]

Dawn that's a good idea. DS2 (9 now) is the one who gets into the elves ao much that I have a pict of him on Christmas eve crying that his elf was going back. Maybe this year I will have someting for him to keep during the year. He won't believe much longer so I need to enjoy it while I can.

 

[jinglemom]

JeniferDawn, Good ideas. My youngest are at that inbetween stage where they think it is me but not completely sure. They get a little down when the elves have to leave, but I'm glad they have never gotten too upset. One year I want to try and make mini versions of the elves out of clay and add them to our Lighted Christmas village.
A couple years ago, Santa left a grow an elf figure that you put in water and it expands. I had forgotten my son had put him in a drinking cup and left him on the kitchen counter. When I was cleaning the kitchen, I accidently dumped him down the drain and turned on the disposal.....Thankfully he handled it well and Santa left a replacement the next year. I'm sure glad he didn't think he was real.

 

[JeniferDwn]

Mackenzie got upset a few days before Christmas and I called all over SC to find the little elf. I found one over an hour away and my brother picked it up for me. She was literally hysterical on Christmas morning. The elves stayed until the Saturday before school started. I know they were supposed to go back on Christmas Eve, but I wasn't going to let that ruin her Chrsitmas. The Saturday before school started back, she had a meltdown and cried for probably 2 hours off and on. I've let them visit at least once each month through August. They haven't visited since then and I'm letting them come just for Halloween day and then not again until Thanksgiving. I want it to be fun again, not just ordinary. NExt year I hope to be able to cut down on the amount of visits. She is 8 1/2 and all her friends tell her it's make believe and that Santa isn't real, it's your paretns etc. So far, I've talked her out of believeing them and since she's always heard my entire family say they believe, I think she still does 100%. My mom told us she never wanted to hear us say we didn't beleive or we wouldn't get anything that year. I've never said it and as far as I know, my two brothers haven't ever said it.
Clay elves would be really cute!

 

[Minta]

When our elves arrive they bring with them a new Christmas DVD or 2 for the family along with snacks for the kids. During their time here, they will leave a treat or another new christmas dvd or cd here or there. Thet head back to the north pole on the night of the 23rd to make sure Santa got their wish list and got the correct gifts packsed up in his sleigh. They do leave gifts - so when the kids wake up Christmas morning they will find new PJs that they will waer that night and maybe a joint game or puzzle they kids can do on Christmas Eve.