# People don't do Elfie for their kids. They do it to impress friends on Facebook. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 16, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182 "2012-12-16T14:12:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/61 "2012-12-17T21:20:26Z")
> [@Werekoala](#): > > Someone should start posting pictures of them in the creepiest/least appropriate places possible (heck someone probably has) like a graveyard, slaughterhouse, hospital, etc. - start a new Slender Man-style meme. See my post upthread. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/62 "2012-12-18T00:25:55Z")
> [@dwyr](#): > > I wonder if that’s where our [elves](http://tinypic.com/r/359iwba/6) came from. We had several when I was a kid. I still have three of them and put them out every year for fun. Mom has three of them too! Hers are the same body style, but the outfit and head painting are different. I’ll try to post a picture tonight. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/63 "2012-12-18T00:47:14Z")
I can’t believe that I read this whole thread and no one has linked to [The Bloggess](http://thebloggess.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/photo.jpg) yet. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/64 "2012-12-18T00:49:03Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > I hadn’t heard about this Elf on the Shelf until a friend recently started doing it with her 3 year old. The kid doesn’t seem freaked out by it at all, she says the Elf is her friend. Although, she has started lying about the elf. > > When I was there the other day, I told her she should share her toy with another child that was visiting. She said she didn’t have to, so I said, “But doesn’t the Elf want you to share?” Without missing a beat, she says, “No, hers come off the shelf and whisper in my ear a secret, she say she no want me to share. Because Elf is real and she say that.” > > Well, I can’t fault the kid for combating my lie with an even more ridiculous one, so carry on. The Elf told me to burn you in your sleep. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/65 "2012-12-18T06:43:09Z")
I just looked at the HLNtv site, and was interested to note these other stories listed on the same page: > [@](#): > > Cops: Boy, 13, kills after mom called a ‘whore’ > > Meet the most dangerous button on your computer > > Michael Jackson autopsy photo shocks courtroom > > Nancy: Teen pries baby from birth canal, kills him > > Parents let sex offender sleep with child > > 2-year-old Baby Ava found alive! What wondrous times we live in. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/66 "2012-12-18T07:14:00Z")
Elfie watches you masturbate. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/67 "2012-12-18T09:02:14Z")
> [@ENugent](#): > > I can’t believe that I read this whole thread and no one has linked to [The Bloggess](http://thebloggess.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/photo.jpg) yet. I was coming in to post that! And now I’m here I’ll mention that as a parent of a 3 year old I don’t know anyone who’s doing this. Clearly it’s too hot for Elf in Australia. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/68 "2012-12-18T12:13:47Z")
Never heard of this trend. But it surprises me that anyone is surprised that people use a social media site to impress their friends. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/69 "2012-12-18T17:20:46Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > The Elf told me to burn you in your sleep. Funny enough, I told the parents that story and said they ned to watch out for the Elf saying things like, “It puts the lotion on the skin!” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/70 "2012-12-20T02:02:11Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Elfie watches you masturbate. [Yes, yes he does](http://www.hulu.com/watch/436477?playlist_id=1031) (Hulu link to cut Weekend Update segment). ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/71 "2012-12-20T02:28:13Z")
This is the kind of shit that makes me wish that Facebook would have an option to block all child-related posts. I’ve never even seen this Elfie crap, but I can’t stand seeing people’s pictures of their ugly babies, stories of what their stupid babies did that day, etc. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/72 "2012-12-20T02:46:03Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > [Yes, yes he does](http://www.hulu.com/watch/436477?playlist_id=1031) (Hulu link to cut Weekend Update segment). "I’m a friggin’ _snitch_, and I _LOVE it!"_ ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/73 "2012-12-20T02:49:05Z")
I hadn’t heard of this until last night. It sounds like an awful lot of work to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/74 "2012-12-20T03:01:07Z")
> [@](#): > > The Elf on the Shelf®: A Christmas Tradition… I must get an updated dictionary, I don’t see anything in the “Tradition” entry defining it as a creepy marketing scheme. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/75 "2012-12-20T15:36:20Z")
> **[Kitchen God](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kitchen_god)** > > The kitchen deity – also known as the Stove God, named Zao Jun, Zao Shen, Tsao Chun, Zao kimjah, Cokimjah or Zhang Lang – is the most important of a plethora of Chinese domestic gods that protect the hearth and family. The Kitchen God is recognized in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology, and Taoism. Under different names, he is also celebrated in several other Asian religions. > It is believed that on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, just before Chinese New Year, the Kitchen d... Actually, it does remind me of a New Year’s tradition… but, well, not an American one. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/76 "2012-12-20T16:31:35Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > [Kitchen God - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kitchen_god) [Nisse (folklore) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomte) also. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/77 "2012-12-21T00:14:39Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Elfie watches you masturbate. He’s gonna need some thicker glasses. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/78 "2012-12-21T01:14:23Z")
I finally got a picture of one of Mom’s elves…excuse the screen flash. 🙂 [Elf.](http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l244/zj_1997/Photoon12-20-12at757PM_zps5e6ea82e.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/79 "2012-12-21T04:18:01Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > I finally got a picture of one of Mom’s elves…excuse the screen flash. 🙂 > > [Elf.](http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l244/zj_1997/Photoon12-20-12at757PM_zps5e6ea82e.jpg) THAT’S the one that was watching me masturbate! I can tell by that smile… ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182/80 "2012-12-21T05:28:22Z")
But…why is he looking in _my_ direction? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-do-elfie-for-their-kids-they-do-it-to-impress-friends-on-facebook/644182.md?page=5)