The Elf on The Shelf~ No thanks!

We had a very interesting evening at the Lampkin house. When Sara Kennedy came home from dance Mon. afternoon I informed her that we had a special delivery from the North Pole. She was so excited, but reluctantly agreed to wait to open it until Will came home. Before dinner we all sat on the couch and opened the package. It was the book, The Elf on the Shelf. Will read the book (it's a great book!) For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it's a very popular Christmas, children's book. The book comes with an elf and tells you that you're supposed to put the elf on a shelf (or anywhere) and at night he flies to the North Pole to tell Santa if you behaved that day. Before morning he flies back to your house and moves to another spot. Each day until Christmas Eve, he moves around your house, so he can watch you to see if you're naughty or nice. On Christmas Eve, he flies back to the North Pole until the following year. Very exciting, right? Not here. When we put the elf on the mantle, SK was a little reluctant to go into the den. She hung very close to us all night. She asked all sorts of questions like how does he fly?, will he come in my room?. etc. All in all- we thought she would like him. Well, at 12:45 a.m. she came TEARING into our room in a panic. Crying telling us she didn't won't the elf here. "How can we get him to leave?" I told her we could say a prayer to God and ask him to tell Santa we didn't want the elf at our house. She was still very frantic and upest. She has never slept with us, except one time when she had the stomach virus. I tried to put her back in her bed- that was not happening. She said, "Mommy, can I please sleep with you- just this one time?" Of course, I let her. This morning when she woke up we had to check all over the house to make sure he wasn't hiding (SK's idea). So, today Santa wrote her a letter and left it at the door telling her if she doesn't want the elf here- he can stay at the North Pole to help make toys. Poor child- I think she's been traumatized. I have a feeling if she never sees another elf- it will be too soon! Christmas through the eyes of a child! Maybe he does look a little creepy! P.S. I'm sure all children won't hate the elf. It really is a great book- we might try to invite him back in a year or two.