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Weed 'em & Reap

Urban Farming. Healthy Living.

The Goat in the Garage: A practical alternative to the Elf on the Shelf

Published: December 9, 2013 | Last Updated: October 7, 2019 19 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links from which I will earn a commission.

The Goat in the Garage: A practical alternative to the Elf on the Shelf

By now you’ve probably heard of the popular Christmas tradition, known as the Elf on the Shelf.

If you don’t know what the Elf on the Shelf is, let me sum it up for you. The Elf on the Shelf is an adorable, (albeit overpriced) little toy that sits on your shelf during the month of December. His job is to watch your kids behavior during the day, report back to Santa at night, and make snow angels on your living room floor with the entire contents of your pantry. Isn’t that just so adorable?

Even though we chose not to participate in the Elf on the Shelf tradition (my kids say it’s creepy), I totally get the appeal. Really, I do. The popular Christmas song, “Santa Claus is coming to Town” just isn’t cutting it anymore. Every year, less and less naughty kids are getting coal in their stockings. It’s a travesty.

I once heard about a kid that put gum right in his sister’s hair, and he STILL got a bike from Santa.

True story, you guys.

I’m tellin’ ya’, kids have it easy these days. The Elf on the Shelf can be a great tool to threaten those little monsters of yours, but in my opinion, if you REALLY want to scare your kids into good behavior, I’ve got a better idea. It’s cheap, it’s sustainable, and it doesn’t involve any nightly parental effort of destroying your house — ahem, I mean elf effort. Bahaha, who am I kidding. You parents staying up late during the month of December to stage “mischievous elf shenanigans” are cray cray, yo!

The Goat in the Garage: A practical alternative to the Elf on the Shelf

Step 1: Buy a goat. Really, it can be any goat. The meaner and uglier, the better. The only one we could find was this little adorable Nubian. My local craigslist was fresh out of ugly goats.

elf on shelf alternative

Why do you have to be so adorable, you adorable goat you? I want to nuzzle my face into those big floppy ears, I do.

Step 2: Put the goat in your garage for the entire month of December. You’ll need to buy some hay for your goat and you’ll need to give it some water, but other than that, your goat will be fine ALL MONTH LONG in your garage. Trust me, it’s cool. Goats love garages. Be sure to leave a bag of fresh trash for your goat to sift through. (Don’t skip this last part!)

elf on the shelf alternative

 elf on shelf alternative

Step 3: How exactly does the Goat in the Garage work? Simple! Every day that your kids are naughty (trust me, it’ll probably be every day), just make them clean up that lovely mess in the garage. Instead of waking up to mischievous pranks pulled by that busy Elf on the Shelf, simply open the door to your garage. Surprise! A mess you didn’t have to make, and one that your kids get to clean up!

elf on shelf alternative

Oh, you think your garage was bad before, eh? Just you wait ‘enry ‘iggins.

Step 4: (Optional: Only use for really naughty children) Got some extra-naughty children this year? No worries. The Goat in the Garage is adaptable to all levels of child naughtiness. Simply purchase a goat in milk. A goat in milk will need to be milked every single day. Not only will your children get to clean up the lovely goat mess everyday, they’ll also get to milk a goat, make cheese, soap, ice cream, yogurt and other delicious goat goodies for your family. Nothing says “Merry Christmas” like farm-fresh, homemade goat’s cheese, made by your reformed children. You can sit back, relax, and enjoy all the wonderful goodies, while your kids do all the work.

elf on shelf alternative

This year, don’t let your kids have it easy with that elf on the shelf charade. Trust me, the Goat in the Garage is exactly what you need to have perfectly well-behaved children each year.

elf on the shelf alternative

The Goat in the Garage: A practical alternative to the Elf on the Shelf

ABOUT DANELLE

DaNelle started to take an interest in a healthier lifestyle after suffering from two debilitating chronic diseases. On a mission to create a farm of her own, DaNelle forced, or rather 'lovingly persuaded' her husband to purchase a ranch home on an acre of land and transform it into their very own urban farm. DaNelle blogs at Weed 'em & Reap where she writes about the sustainable backyard farming, traditional food, & natural remedies.

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Comments

  1. yae says

    November 21, 2015 at 8:24 pm

    Cute! However, warning: you can’t get just one goat, or you will have a very very upset goat — you need two — seriously.

    Reply
  2. Judith Driscoll says

    February 12, 2014 at 3:33 pm

    I was just thinking about my goats (who actually DO live in my garage) in a similar way. But, instead of imparting wisdom to naughty kids, they are teaching ME a big lesson–about relinquishing control and rolling with the punches. Example: Don’t sweat it when the goats gleefully rip apart the box holding lengths of vinyl siding that I paid over a hundred bucks (actually…dollars) for. Just be smart (next time) and call someone to get the box outta there.

    I’ve lived through a traumatic brain injury, a melanoma diagnosis, and have thought at various points, “Wow, they are the best teachers, ever!” (Well, maybe said in a not-so-perky way at the time–you can imagine that phrase minus the exclamation point, perhaps.)

    I was looking to provide some structure to my blog, which has become a little stream of consciousness, and hit upon “Goats in the Garage” as a metaphor for life’s traumatic events. Googling those words brought me here.

    Weed ’em and Reap is a clever name for a wonderful site. Your approach to nutrition and goat care are true inspiration. Ditto on your writing skills .

    Thanks for sharing your genius!

    Reply
  3. Karen Wood says

    December 15, 2013 at 6:25 pm

    How totally cute!!. I’m so glad I got around to reading this this morning 🙂

    Reply
  4. Heather W says

    December 11, 2013 at 6:06 pm

    Great idea but I don’t have a garage. maybe goat in the laundry room? ha ha

    Reply
  5. Mary McG says

    December 11, 2013 at 5:01 am

    Makes me wish that I could get one! 🙂

    Reply
  6. James Button says

    December 10, 2013 at 4:36 pm

    Check out this!

    https://www.facebook.com/TheGoatShortFilm

    Reply
  7. Dawn Morley says

    December 10, 2013 at 2:11 pm

    Goats are totally AWESOME (we have around 40 of them :). I love LOVE LOVE this idea!!! Except I don’t have a garage!

    Reply
  8. brenda k says

    December 10, 2013 at 1:18 pm

    Hilarious!!

    Reply
  9. Rachel says

    December 10, 2013 at 12:25 pm

    I love it! I’m considering getting a goat for just this purpose (best excuse for a goat ever)!

    Reply
  10. Kristie says

    December 10, 2013 at 9:22 am

    Haha! Love it!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 5 Things You Might Not Know About the Elf on the Shelf | Flint's Best Mix says:
    December 24, 2013 at 9:41 pm

    […] shock. It was certainly a surprise to us. Apparently, your little red spy elf can be replaced by a goat in the garage. We aren’t sure if kids respond better to farm animals than googly-eyed elves, but you […]

    Reply
  2. 5 Things You Might Not Know About the Elf on the Shelf | 99.9 KTDY says:
    December 24, 2013 at 7:22 pm

    […] shock. It was certainly a surprise to us. Apparently, your little red spy elf can be replaced by a goat in the garage. We aren’t sure if kids respond better to farm animals than googly-eyed elves, but you […]

    Reply
  3. 5 Things You Might Not Know About the Elf on the Shelf | Today's Hottest Jamz says:
    December 17, 2013 at 4:29 pm

    […] shock. It was certainly a surprise to us. Apparently, your little red spy elf can be replaced by a goat in the garage. We aren’t sure if kids respond better to farm animals than googly-eyed elves, but you […]

    Reply
  4. 5 Things You Might Not Know About the Elf on the Shelf - Classic Country 1280 KSLI says:
    December 17, 2013 at 1:39 am

    […] shock. It was certainly a surprise to us. Apparently, your little red spy elf can be replaced by a goat in the garage. We aren’t sure if kids respond better to farm animals than googly-eyed elves, but you […]

    Reply
  5. 5 Things You Might Not Know About the Elf on the Shelf | Southern Minnesota's Best Rock says:
    December 16, 2013 at 10:28 pm

    […] shock. It was certainly a surprise to us. Apparently, your little red spy elf can be replaced by a goat in the garage. We aren’t sure if kids respond better to farm animals than googly-eyed elves, but you […]

    Reply
  6. 5 Things You Might Not Know About the Elf on the Shelf - NewsTalk 1490 WOMI-AM says:
    December 16, 2013 at 9:36 pm

    […] shock. It was certainly a surprise to us. Apparently, your little red spy elf can be replaced by a goat in the garage. We aren’t sure if kids respond better to farm animals than googly-eyed elves, but you […]

    Reply
  7. 5 Things You Might Not Know About the Elf on the Shelf | KRFO Radio 1390 says:
    December 16, 2013 at 6:21 pm

    […] shock. It was certainly a surprise to us. Apparently, your little red spy elf can be replaced by a goat in the garage. We aren’t sure if kids respond better to farm animals than googly-eyed elves, but you […]

    Reply
  8. 5 Things You Might Not Know About the Elf on the Shelf says:
    December 16, 2013 at 5:56 pm

    […] shock. It was certainly a surprise to us. Apparently, your little red spy elf can be replaced by a goat in the garage. We aren’t sure if kids respond better to farm animals than googly-eyed elves, but you […]

    Reply
  9. 5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the Elf on the Shelf | Q 103 - Albany's Rock Station says:
    December 16, 2013 at 5:49 pm

    […] shock. It was certainly a surprise to us. Apparently, your little red spy elf can be replaced by a goat in the garage. We aren’t sure if kids respond better to farm animals than googly-eyed elves, but you […]

    Reply

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I'm DaNelle. I'm a city girl who convinced her husband to buy goats. Because, goats. Growing my own food has been an amazing experience, and this is the place I share it all with you! READ MORE…

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