I got an Elf on the Shelf tattoo – my daughter thinks the elves inked me overnight

FORGET Elf on the Shelf — one mum decided to go for an elf on herself.

Gemma Ginis got the tattoo to surprise her daughter, who is a huge fan of the annual game.

The mum of five’s new inking shows Buddy the Elf sat on a shelf with a Christmas tree and books.

Gemma, 40, said: “We’ve been doing Elf on the Shelf for a few years now and my daughter Bella is an avid believer.

“She is ten years old and this year I wanted to do something big.

“We have so many memories from Elf on the Shelf and my daughter really believes they are real. I don’t want to tell her.

“I pretended the elves did the tattoo overnight and that my side hurts.

“My daughter absolutely loved it, although her face just fell, shock horror, but trying not to laugh.

“She said, ‘Oh my God, they’ve tattooed you’.

“The elves did a tattoo on her face earlier this month . . . it was a fake one though.”

Tattoo parlour owner Gemma, from Street, Somerset, has previously covered her car, kitchen and lounge in wrapping paper as part of the daily antics by her elf.

She said: “Bella totally believes in the elves, you’re not allowed to touch them unless with kitchen tongs.

“If you do touch them we have to fix them with Christmas songs and magic glitter.”

The Elf on the Shelf is based on a 2005 US kids’ picture book where elves report on kids’ behaviour to Santa but can also get up to tricks.

Gemma posted a picture of her tattoo on a Facebook group and got 4,500 likes in less than an hour.

She wrote: “Yes it’s real, I love it.”