Elf on the Shelf Fail

I'll start here by saying that I did NOT willingly purchase Twinkle.

She was a gift from a so-called "friend".

Who is Twinkle you ask? Well, I would call her my worst nightmare - but at this part of the story, she is just our elf.

Or Ava's elf to be exact.

She came to us last year and although remembering to move her around from place to place each night was a bit of a chore - I was game to do it again this year. Mostly because Ava was just SO excited about it.

I wrote a letter to her in pink crayon. Yes, it rhymed.

I tied it to little Twinkle with a pretty red ribbon. And then I placed her in the chandeleir in Ava's room ready to greet her when she awoke.

She didn't see her at first, but when she did, she absolutely squealed with delight. She promptly read the letter and then continued to do so throughout that day and in to the next.

Cutest thing ever right?

Every evening I would move her around - trying to be at least a little creative. Ava would ask each evening "where do you think she'll be hiding tomorrow mama?" So sweet.

One evening, I lay down with Ava as I usually do and realized I had not yet moved Twinkle.

I asked Isabella if she wouldn't mind getting her out of the closet - she did and asked me where she might put her.

I told her to "be creative" aka "I have no idea, you figure it out this time".

She text me from downstairs to let me know she had hidden her in one of the wall sconces in the living room. She thought this was brilliant as Ava had continually told her in the days leading up to this one that eventually, she was sure Twinkle would hide there.

All was good.

The next morning Ava was so excited to find her in this particular hiding spot and repeatedly pointed her out to anyone who came into the house.

That evening, I ran out to the grocery store and Isabella turned on the lights in the living room.

This is precisely when the smoke started.

And the smell.

She quickly realized what had happened but of course, coudn't check right away since as per the Elf on the Shelf book, God forbid, you touch the actual elf.

When she got a moment to check, it wasn't good.

Here is her text to me: 

When I got home, Ava told me there was smoke in the living room. But thankfully, didn't figure out that it was Smokey, I mean Twinkle that had been on fire.

I had a peek at the elf come to find that one of her legs was completely gone, the other badly burned as was her entire elf skirt.

Here is exhibit A. 

Now, we had to think fast.

Do we buy a new elf {the female version, which is nearly impossible to find?

Oh no, I had the brilliant idea that I would just begin to place her in positions where it was necessary to cover her legs. In the shower with a towel wrapped around her. With an apron on in the kitchen. I was full of ideas.

The first being having a nap under a blanket in her doll crib.

Cutest thing ever, right?

And it was, until Ava decided to "fix" her blanket.

I have never seen a child run out of a room so fast.

She yelped, barely able to speak except to tell me that Twinkle was really sick. "She has black stuff all over her - I think she throwed up".

"CALL SANTA!!" she yelled.

She almost instantaneously became terrified of her favourite little elf.

She wanted her OUT.

Later that evening, I told Ava that if she really wanted Twinkle gone she would have to repeat this phrase 5 times:

"Santa please take Twinkle away" "Santa please take Twinkle away" "Santa, please..."

And recite them she did.

And now, Twinkle is gone.

The end.

An almost fire may just be the best Christmas gift I'll get this year.

#RIPTwinkle