Elf on The Shelf Ideas

For the past few Christmases, the Dixon household has participated in the tradition of the Elf on The Shelf. For those of you who may not be familiar, Elf on The Shelf is a tradition in which an elf is sent to your home from the North Pole to encourage your kids to behave leading up to Christmas. The idea is that Santa’s helpers watch your kids and report back to the North Pole whether they were naughty or nice.

There are two rules to the tradition. First kids are not allowed to touch the elf, or it will lose its magic. The second rule is that the elf will not speak or move while kids are awake. Arriving on December 1st, the elf will stay and move around the house until Christmas Day. This is where you (as the parent or guardian) come in. To keep the magic alive, you are responsible for moving the elf to new locations for the kids to find the next day. Initially unfamiliar with the tradition, my house has two Elves which means twice the amount of planning on my end.

Nowadays people are very creative with the locations and activities the elves participate in. Enzo watches YouTubers that come up with the most ridiculous ideas and he expects our elves to do the same.

I have compiled a list of 24 ideas for the Elf on The Shelf in your home.

1.     Sink Bubble Bath- Fill your kitchen or bathroom sink with marshmallows to mimic the appearance of bubbles, and leave a note that says, “Please do not disturb our bubble bath.”

2.     Candy Cane Swing- Buy oversized candy canes to hang upside down from the ceiling and sit the elf on the cane.

3.     Hit the Window- Tape the elf on the window facing outward as if he accidentally flew into the window.

4.     Stuck in the Vacuum- Scatter cereal on the floor and place the vacuum to the side of the mess. Put the elf as if it were stuck in the vacuum after trying to clean up (this one was Enzo’s idea).

5.     Scavenger hunt- Buy a 12-pack of candy canes and scatter them around the house. Leave the empty box with the elf and a note that reads, “Can you find all 12 candy canes?”

6.     Toasting Marshmallows- Using the leftover marshmallows from the “bubble bath”, set up a campfire scene with a faux candle and the elf holding a toothpick with the marshmallow as if he were roasting it.

7.     Melted Snowman- In a glass dish, make vanilla Jell-O and place two googly eyes, buttons, a bite size carrot, and two small sticks (or twigs) on top. Leave a note that says, “I brought you back a snowman!”

8.     Wrapped up in Toilet Paper- Wrap the elf in toilet paper and leave a long trail from the bathroom as if he rolled himself up and down the hall (or stairs).

9.     Sprinkle/Flour Angel- Spread out sprinkles or white flour on the kitchen counter and have the elf lay on top. Create a snow angel in the sprinkles/flour.

10.  “It’s Cold in Here”- Wrap the elf in a small towel and put him in the fridge.

11.  Candy Culprit- Open a bag of candy and place the elf halfway inside as if he was stealing/eating the candy from the bag.

12.  Rock climbing using Christmas bows- Stick Christmas bows on a door or window and tape the elf to look like he is climbing up them (I will be putting both my elves up to look like they are competing to get to the top first).

13.  Popcorn Bandit- Fill the microwave with popped popcorn and place the elf inside.

14.  Fishing- Fill a large bowl or sink with Goldfish crackers and have the elf “fish” for them. You will have to create the fishing pole using a pencil with string tied to the end.

15.  Warm & Toasty- Toast a slice of bread and make two holes in the middle, then place the elf’s arms through the holes as if he was putting on a jacket. Leave a note that reads, “It was cold outside, now it’s warm and toasty.”

16.  Tied up by toys- Use dental floss or string to tie around the elf. Then, surround the elf with your child’s favorite toys (so it looks like the toys did it to the elf).

17.  Hershey kiss- Wrap the elf in foil and shape his body to look like a giant Hershey kiss, then surround him with Hershey kiss chocolates to help him "blend in."

18.  Zip-lining- Create a zip line for the elf by tying a string from one item to another.

19.  Mustache Family Photo- Buy stick-on mustaches and place them on each family member’s face in a family photo. Place the elf next to the photo with a mustache on himself as well (I also saw people stick on red cotton balls to mimic rudolph's nose).

20.   Snowball fight- Create marshmallow forts and place the elf and another toy (or if you have two elves) behind each fort. Use smaller marshmallows as snowballs and set up a snowball fight scene.

21.  “Let’s make a Rainbow”- Place skittles in a circle along the edge of a plate and write a note that says, “Want to see a magic trick? Ask mom (or dad) to add warm water. The coloring from the skittles should dissolve into the water creating a rainbow effect.   

22.  Eat your fruits and vegetables- Take an apple or other fruit/vegetable and remove tiny bite size pieces. Your child will think that the elf ate from it.

23.  Elf in Training- Using the leftover marshmallows, take a toothpick and stick a marshmallow on each end. It will look like a small weight. Lay the elf down with the “weight” on top and a note that reads, “Do Not Disturb: Elf in Training.”

24.  Christmas Eve- To make the last night with the elf extra special, sit the elf by your Christmas tree or on the mantle next to the stockings with pieces of blank paper and pencils, and a note that says, “Tell Santa three NICE things about your family (or sibling if you want to be more specific).” Let your child know that the elf will take your letter back to the North Pole when he leaves and it will be the final naughty or nice test.

To find photos and details for my list, and more Elf on The Shelf ideas, head over to my Pinterest Page linked here.

Good luck and have fun with your Elf on The Shelf!

XX,

MD