We'll Give You a Minute to Slow-Clap Over This "Hack" to Avoid Moving Your Elf on the Shelf

A genius "hack" for those seeking to avoid moving their kids' Elf on the Shelf every night, originally shared in 2015, has recently resurfaced, because even with the passage of time, this holiday tradition hasn't gotten any less stressful — and we are so totally here for it. If you, too, are still moving around that damn elf day in and day out*, praying that you won't forget and spoil the magic of Christmas for your kids forever, check this tactic out: create a "cast" for your elf by wrapping a bit of gauze and colored duct tape around the elf's leg, add a few signatures to it from Santa and his reindeer, and inform your adorable cherubs that their elf has to stay put for a few weeks "on doctor's orders" because they took a nasty fall and broke their leg.

Is it a little cruel? Yes. Will we be trying it? You betcha.

*If this is all too much for you and the stress of your family's elf is finally starting to make you crack in ways you never thought possible during the most wonderful time of the year, take a page out of this mom's book and "retire" your elf for good without ruining the magic of the season.