When the Elf on the Shelf started becoming popular, I was among those people who thought the whole thing was a little bit creepy.
Not the idea itself, which I find fun and cute, but the actual Elf doll. On the spectrum of cute-to-creepy, that Elf leans way too close to the latter.
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He is to cute Christmas elves what Pennywise is to clowns.
Which is why I really want Doll in the Hall to take off.
If we’re going to scar our children for life with a creepy, moving toy, we may as well do it on purpose, right?
From what I can tell, Doll in the Hall was started by Natasha Hudarovich in a viral Facebook post .
Now, I’m sure that parents have been playing these pranks on their kids — and spouses — for a long time.
But Natasha is the first I’ve seen to give it a name a connect it to the Elf on the Shelf craze:
“Instead of an Elf on the Shelf in December, I’m doing a Doll in the Hall in October. Basically you take a creepy Annabel porcelain doll that your kids already believe is haunted and keep secretly moving it around the house. For an extra festive touch I put the doll right in bed with one of the kids whenever they throw it in the trash. I it’s Day 3 and they want to move. #dollinthehall”
No name-brand toy purchase required for this. If you don’t have a creepy doll in the attic, the nearest thrift store is guaranteed to have one.
Really, the older and creepier the doll, the better.
While it’s definitely not at the scale of that darn Elf yet, people are giving it a try again this year.
Of course, you know your kids best and if they’re the type to never sleep again after a small scare, then maybe the Doll isn’t for them.
If so, then your spouse or co-workers are fair game.
