Our New Holiday Tradition?

I thought it would be fun to start the tradition of The Elf on the Shelf.  

The elf is sent by Santa Claus at Thanksgiving time to watch the behavior of children.  He reports naughty and nice behavior to Santa each night and finds a new place to hide.  How fun it is for children to discover his new hiding place every day.  How fun for children to imagine him returning to the North Pole and communicating with Santa.  Right???

Wrong.

While we were at church on Sunday, Santa left us a package just inside the door.  Rachel and Erin Joy were so excited to open it.  They loved the elf.  They loved listening to the book that came with the elf.  They loved choosing a name for the elf and registering the name online.  Herman Joseph Cuckoo (I wanted Herman, Rachel wanted Joseph, and Erin Joy wanted Cuckoo so our elf has three names) was meant to be a welcomed part of our household.  Or so it seemed.

Until....he left that night to report back to Santa and returned the next day hiding near a lamp.  When Rachel saw him the next morning, she starting screaming and running around the house.  "It's a scary elf!  He's staring at me!  Make him go away! He's going to pop out and eat me!"  She was terrified of cute little Hermy Joe.  Cute little Hermy Joe that just the night before she was so excited about.

Rachel's paranoia got Erin Joy going.  At bed time, not only was Rachel in a panic about going to sleep and having bad dreams about elves, Erin Joy cried and cried because she was scared of the elf.  

Sheesh...this is supposed to be a fun tradition.  I even started it a little early than Thanksgiving because I was so excited.  

What does poor Herman Joseph Cuckoo think?  I wonder what he reported to Santa last night?

He is going to try one more time and hope that my children aren't terrified of him.  He is sitting nicely on a shelf this time.  He is trying very hard to be a friendly elf and not scare my children.

If he continues to scare my children, he will have to return to the North Pole and try again another year I suppose.  Shucks.  So much for our new holiday tradition!

Rachel says that she is scared of his eyes because "they are looking at me all the time, Mom."

What do you think?  Do you think Herman looks scary???

UPDATE:  The girls are no longer scared of Herman.  Phew!  The tradition will live on.