Ah, Elf on the Shelf. For some parents, it’s a beloved holiday tradition. They revel in coming up with the best name for their elf, and then placing said elf in increasingly creative positions for their kids to find each morning. For others, it’s … a heck of a lot of work to add on top of an already busy season of cookie baking, present purchasing, and party planning.
So where does HGTV star Erin Napier stand on The Elf on the Shelf? Ahead of the new season of Home Town, I chatted with her and husband Ben about all things Christmas, and you might be surprised by their stance.
“We don’t do it,” says Ben. “We’ve got too much going on. We’ve had several people try to give us Elves on the Shelf, and we’re like, ‘No way.’”
While Erin wholeheartedly agrees, she does admire the effort others put in to the tradition. “I appreciate people that have the stamina to do it,” she adds.
Given the Napier’s well-documented penchant for all things old and with soul, I was less surprised to learn of their opinion on inflatable lawn decorations.
“Not for us,” Ben declares. “We are anti.”
“I’m sorry, because our kids think they’re fun, but it just doesn’t look right with our house,” adds Erin. “I think they look right with a brand-new house, but ours is very, very old.”
That doesn’t mean the Napiers don’t like a little bit of kitsch in their holiday decor, though! Ben is a fan of blow mold Christmas decor, and the couple has held onto an old blow mold Santa that belonged to Erin when she was growing up.
You can tune into season eight (part 2!) of Home Town on Sunday, December 29 on HGTV. Past seasons of Home Town are available to stream now on Max and discovery+ and the new episodes will be available to stream on December 30.
Sarah Zlotnick is the Lifestyle Director at Country Living, where she has run point on travel, rural lifestyles, and all things vintage and antiques since 2021. Previously a lifestyle editor at Washingtonian and Philadelphia magazines, she has been championing small businesses and regional destinations for 15 years. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Georgetown University, a major her younger self would be quite surprised to learn has come so in handy. First and foremost a service journalism enthusiast, she loves an in-depth explainer on an everyday topic or a deep dive into the history of vintage objects. When she’s not editing and writing, you’ll find her needling her husband to pull off the highway so they can explore a new small town or cozying up with a juicy murder mystery.
