"Santa is Ruining Christmas!"

Cries 5 year old Elizabeth! This is a great Lapps family story---I hope I do it justice.

It all began with The Elf on the Shelf. If you've never heard of it, it's a cute little story about this mischievous little elf. The book comes with the elf and you're supposed to move him around the house at night since that is when he comes alive.
After the Lapps family finished their decorating, they read the story. When the kids were asleep, Sandy and Greg decided to start the elf off in Elizabeth's room since she was the youngest and might get the biggest kick out of it. Plus, they've done this last year, so the kids had some experience with that mischievous little guy.

The next morning, Elizabeth came down in a panic to say that she'd awoken to "that elf staring at me." Thus began the panic before bed and sleepless nights. In order to ease Elizabeth's mind, Greg even scolded the elf for going in her room and forbid him to go in there again. They didn't want to completely give up on the elf as Victoria was still getting a kick out of hunting for it each morning.

When the nightmares began, Sandy and Greg knew it was time for the elf to go. Greg sent it back to the North Pole and that was it. Even though Victoria was disappointed, all was calm and bright in the Lapps house again. Until, that is, the talk of santa starts.
Elizabeth made a few remarks to Sandy that she didn't want to see santa. Sandy didn't think too much of it and just told her that was okay, she didn't have to see santa. Sandy said that she knew it was weighing on Elizabeth's mind because she would just randomly say that she didn't want to see santa. Sandy just reassured her that she didn't have to see him.

Last Saturday, Sandy had signed the family up for a gingerbread house making event. They were having a great time---even Mitchell (teenagers can be difficult at this age, but he was a good sport and actually got "in" to it). Anyway, after a little while, Santa arrived---which Sandy didn't know about. Elizabeth immediately leaped into Sandy's lap and started saying, "I don't want to see santa. I don't want to see santa." Sandy reassured her that she didn't have to go up to him. Then he started passing out presents. Sandy said you could tell that Elizabeth's wheels were turning as her eyes never left santa. Finally, she said, "I'm going to get lots of presents for Christmas." Basically convincing herself that she didn't need whatever santa was handing out.

On the way home, Elizabeth said the line that will forever go down in history as a classic for the Lapps family: "Santa is ruining Christmas!" To which Victoria responded, "Elizabeth, what? Do you just hate Christmas?" Elizabeth replied, "No, I just hate all this other stuff!"

The story doesn't end there. A few days later, on December 6th, the Lapps children left their shoes outside their bedroom doors in hopes of getting treats from good 'ol St. Nick. Sandy had purchased door hangers for the kids rooms. Since Elizabeth didn't like elves or santas, she put the snowman on E's door. The next morning, she ran downstairs crying that she woke up to this snowman staring at her.

Sandy and Greg give up. They are sure that they have traumatized Elizabeth and scarred her for life---all over Christmas---and santa that's ruining it! Out of the mouths of babes....

Elizabeth at three.
This summer.
Now.