Northampton father urges parents to get involved with Elf on the Shelf, after starting YouTube mini series

A Northampton father has urged other parents to make an effort with Elf on the Shelf at Christmas time, after starting his own YouTube mini series.

Ben Stripp, a 45-year-old father of eight, made his first video last December when he was self-isolating with Coronavirus in the summer house at the bottom of his garden.

The video, titled ‘I had a nightmare’, has been watched at least once a week all throughout the year by his two youngest daughters ever since – which inspired him to create frequent videos this year.

Ben said: Six-year-old Rosie and seven-year-old River-Mae love the episodes so much and I love making the videos.

“I have five brothers who always message me to say they enjoyed the latest instalment, and family members are always waiting for the next episode.”

Ben has been making YouTube videos for six years and is on the road to 2,000 subscribers, but his Elf on the Shelf series differs from his usual content.

His partner Emma often questions what he is pondering over when he sat in silence, and it is usually working out the next elf storyline and how he can make it happen on video.

“Whoever invented Elf on the Shelf is a genius but has a lot to answer for,” said Ben. “The first thing the children want to know when they wake up is where the elves are and what they have been up to.

“They aren’t bothered about their advent calendars anymore. Instead, we now have six elves.”

Ben’s partner Emma and 14-year-old daughter Georgia now take control of the elves each evening, while Ben works on the next episode in his mini series.

He said: “It’s important to keep the belief up about what the elves have been up to at nighttime for as long as possible.”

Even his older children Morgan, Callum, Oliver and Phoebe, who are all aged between 15 and 21, find his videos entertaining and encourage him to continue.

Ben believes taking the time to do Elf on the Shelf in the run up to Christmas makes a “massive difference”, and even teachers in classrooms are on board with it.

“For the sake of 24 nights, it is worth the effort you put in,” he said. “Even if you remember in the early hours of the morning and try to make an excuse, you’ll soon realise you should have done it.

“It’s important to take time out to do something simple and it’s easy to find inspiration online.”

Ben believes it must be difficult for the children of parents who do not do Elf on the Shelf to hear from their friends at school – particularly as he has noticed it is “the first thing his children think about in the morning and they anticipate it all November”.

Ben, who lives in Standens Barn, plans to make this YouTube series a yearly ordeal on his channel – not only for his own enjoyment, but mainly for the sake of his youngest daughters Rosie and River-Mae.

You can check out Ben’s channel and Elf on the Shelf mini series here.