100 Creative Ideas for Your Elf on the Shelf
The holidays are a time filled with magic and wonder for kids of all ages, and adding an Elf on the Shelf to your family traditions can make the season even more special. Your elf might be an ambassador for the North Pole, here to make sure that your children make it onto Santa’s “Nice List.” Or he or she might just be a mischievous little elf that goes from spot to spot each night and occasionally plays pranks to delight your children every morning. Your kids will love looking around each day for his new hiding spot or laughing at all of the shenanigans he gets up to. Involve the rest of the family and get creative with it. The most important thing is to have a little fun!If you are a newcomer to the Elf on the Shelf phenomenon, we have plenty of tips to get you started this year.
If you’re well-versed in Elf lore, we have some brand new ideas to keep things fresh and exciting for your children. You don’t just want your elf hanging out on the same old lampshade or kitchen cabinet year after year. We have ideas for all of the different moods your elf might be in over the holiday season so that you can keep things interesting (and also use the elf as a little motivation for good behavior!) Hopefully, the tips below will spark some creativity and give you some great ideas to make your Elf on the Shelf even more special for your children.
Elf 101: Start Here.
Congrats - you're starting a fun new tradition. Here are some tips to introduce him to your family and keep things fun and interesting:.
- An Introduction - Set your Elf on the Shelf where he or she can’t be missed - you’ll want this to be his home base for arrival each year. Put a note in his hands as a greeting message to introduce himself to the family. Either let the kids pick his name or include it in the note.
- Bearing Gifts - Give your kids some incentive to behave during the holidays. Your elf might arrive with an Advent calendar for the season or a small token of festivity, such as candy canes or another favorite holiday treat.
- Santa's Ambassador - The holidays are a busy time, and it’s normal for children to get overly excited about things. If you’re having some trouble with behavior, have your elf leave a note saying that he is reporting all behavior back to the North Pole.
- Elf Activities - Your elf should move around the house each night, changing from spot to spot or creating mischievous scenes for your family to find. Your kids will love finding him each day and seeing what kinds of activities he’s been getting up to.
- Fun Arrival Traditions - Add a celebratory flare to his big arrival. Write “I’m Back!” in candy, mini-marshmallows, popcorn or acorns and place him where he can’t be missed each year on the first of December.
- The Elf Who Fell Off the Shelf - If he falls off his location, get some tongs out of the kitchen drawer and pick him up. Don’t touch him with your hands or he loses magic.
- Grandma Touched Him - Oh no! Get out the tongs and a hair dryer. Air-dry him and put him back. “It’s probably OK since Grandma didn’t know any better.”
- Hacks - If you aren’t feeling all that creative, there are kits you can find online that will send you ideas for each day as well as little accessories to make the scenes come to life.
- Before He Goes - Make sure to pick a spot for his last day with the family that you'll reuse each year. You could send him back to the North Pole with cookies or a letter to Santa to remind him about good behavior.
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The Mischevious Elf: For Elf Who Loves a Prank.
Sometimes elves get up to some high jinks after everybody is in bed sleeping. If your elf is feeling mischievous, we’ve got some ideas for you below:
- Green Toilet Water - Put him near a toilet filled with green water (from food coloring).
- Glitter in the Sink - Sprinkle glitter in a bathroom sink and place him nearby.
- Just Chillin’ - Wrap him in a little scarf and put him in the refrigerator, surrounded by grated cheese. “Wow, he must have been too hot under the heating vent yesterday!”
- Reorganizing Elf - Rearrange stuffed animals on your kid’s shelf and put him next to a favorite one.
- Crash Landing - Crumple up leaves and stick them all over his legs. “Wow, it must have been a rough flight home last night!”
- What a Mess - Spill some milk around him.
- Graffiti Artist - Use a Sharpie pen to make funny faces on fruit that’s sitting out.
- Flour Footprints - Put flour on a surface, dampen his feet and put his footprints in the flour.
- Green Footprints - Use green food dye and make elf footprints on a window or door.
- Toy Fight - Surround him with army or Lego men.
- Nail Polish Bandit - Paint a few of your (or your spouse’s) finger and toenails and leave the open polish and brush next to your elf.
Sweet Tooth: For elves who may have a cavity by now.
There’s nothing elves love more than helping themselves to a little snack after everybody goes to bed:
- Candy Crush - Stuff his head in a candy bag, with his feet hanging out the end.
- Elf Drink - Put a straw inside of a maple syrup bottle and place him next to it.
- Cookies - Give him some cookies to take back to the other elves. Make sure they are gone by morning!
- Monogrammed Mini-Cupcakes - Give him mini-cupcakes to take back to the other elves. Put the name of your child's friend's elf on one of them.
- Chocolate Stash - Place a bunch of crumpled up, miniature chocolate wrappers next to him.
- Lollipop Gifts - Have him bring back lollipops from the North Pole, one for each child.
- Sugar Feet - Get his feet wet and dab them in white or brown sugar. Sprinkle it around him.
- Dog Bone - Put him next to a dog treat with a note that says, “Yuck. Worst cookie ever!”
- Half-Eaten Christmas Cookie - Put one of your Christmas cookies next to him, with a tiny bite taken out of it.
- Dessert Cereal - Stick his head in a box of sweet cereal.
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The Pampered Elf: For Elves Who Just Need a Little Time to Relax.
Your elf might be feeling worn out from some of his nightly shenanigans. Give him a little rest day with some of the following scenes:
- Kickin' Back - Put a cotton ball under his head and lay him down, or sit him in a dollhouse sized armchair.
- Spa Day - Put him in a plastic container or dollhouse-sized bathtub surrounded by mini-marshmallow or cotton balls.
- Commiserating Elf - Your kiddo is sick? That night, put elf on top of a tissue box with some crumpled up tissues around him. Put one in his hand.
- Popcorn and a Movie - Prop him up somewhere with the TV remote and popcorn around his feet.
- Naptime - Cuddle him up somewhere with a washcloth over him.
- Shower Time - Wrap him in toilet paper or tissues, like a towel, and put him near the shower.
- Reading Day - Prop him in front of a favorite book.
The Loving Elf: For Elves Who Want to Show Their Family Some Love.
Your elf probably loves your family and traditions, so have him be a part of the magic with these thoughtful poses:
- Picture Frame - Prop him on top of a family or child's picture. Or photoshop or draw him into a favorite family photo and leave next to the frame.
- Tinkering - Put him next to a doll or toy. Give him a little screwdriver or hairbrush.
- Good Deed Cards - Write a good deed on a piece of paper and put it in his arms. He can also be a chore elf with ideas for jobs around the house for each child.
- Pets - Rest him on top of the family fish tank, hamster cage or food bowl.
- Welcome Note - When a family member comes to visit, write "Hi So-and-So" in chocolate morsels, and place him nearby. (Give the family member a heads-up).
- Clean up a Mess - Leave a small mess out. Have him "clean it up." Put the pieces in a cup.
- Elf Doughnuts - Buy Cheerios, cover them in frosting and place them in a tiny container. Put it in his arms for the kids to find the next morning.
- Pencils - Buy seasonal pencils and place them in his arms on the last day of school before winter break.
The Festive Elf: For Elves that Really Get Into The Spirit of the Holidays
Make your elf an integral part of your traditions by including him in things like stockings or decorations:
- Christmas Tree - Put him on the Christmas tree, next to a big Santa ornament.
- Elfish Clothes - Make construction paper clothes for him. Add glitter if you have the time. Put clothes nearby and dress him up the next night. You can even make him a tiny Santa hat!
- Cotton Ball Snowman - Glue three cotton balls together and use a sharpie to make a snowman face, with him next to it. Also works to use large marshmallows, toothpicks and mini-M&M’s for facial features (stuck on with frosting).
- Elf Stocking Gift - On December 23, hang stockings on the mantle and place him inside of it with his head peeking out, holding a candy cane for each child in your house.
- Rudolph Ride - Buy a festive reindeer figurine for your house and put him on it.
- Gingerbread House - Let your children make gingerbread houses one day, and leave a few scraps to make a little house for your elf.
- Christmas Decorating 101. Tape five or six Christmas bows in a small area, and then place him nearby. Make it look like he “decorated” the house.
- Elf Accessory - Tie curly Christmas ribbon around his neck like a scarf.
- Reindeer Food - Mix up oatmeal and glitter in Ziploc bags and scrawl “Reindeer Food” on the bag. Place it next to him and sprinkle some outside on Christmas Eve.
- Elf Ornament - Wrap him around a candy cane and hook it on the Christmas tree.
The Spiritual Elf: For Elves Who Celebrate Their Faith.
If you’ve been wanting to get your children more interested in the biblical story of Christmas, you can let your elf lend a helping hand:
- Mementos - Place him near a cross, angel or any religious figurine.
- Messages of Faith - Place a prayer or religious phrase in his hands. “Unto us a child is born.”
- Advent Calendar - Stick him in that day’s pocket of the Advent calendar.
- Nativity Scene - On Christmas Eve — his last night at your home — put him next to baby Jesus.
- Shepherd - In your nativity scene, place him next to a sheep with a toothpick in his hand.
- Angel Sprinkles - Put sprinkles in a pile on the counter and lay him down like he made a snow angel.
- Angel Wings - Add a tiny pair of angel wings to his back one night.
- Advent Wreath - Rest him next to Sunday’s Advent wreath candle.
- Cross - Place a tiny cross in his hand.
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Energetic: For the Daring Elf.
If you’re ready to take things up a notch, take your elf on an adventure for the children to find:
- Let's Go Running - Put him inside of a parent’s running shoes.
- Ceiling Fan - Put him on top of a ceiling fan. “Yikes, kids! We better not turn on the fan today!”
- Mountain Climbing Elf - Get out your step ladder and put your elf way up high. You can even tape a little piece of string above him to make it look like he’s climbing.
- Block Tower - Build a big block tower with your kiddo. That night place him on top of it.
- Vroom Vroom - Put him inside a toy car. “Wow, I guess he was tired of flying home.”
- Skiing - Get two small pieces of paper and put them under his feet. Put toothpicks in each arm.
- Let's Go Somewhere - Put him in the cup holder of your car.
- Bungee Jumping Elf - Put tinsel around his feet and gang him upside down like he’s bungee jumping off the tree.
The Sneaky Elf: For elves who like to hide.
Sometimes, finding your elf is part of the fun. So move him to hard-to-find spots to increase the excitement in the morning:
- It’s a Jungle Out There - Hide him in a houseplant.
- Toilet Paper Holder - If you have toilet paper stacked up on a holder, wedge him down in there with his head poking out. This one is especially awesome if your kid is potty training! (You may even leave a note to encourage your little one!)
- Silverware Drawer - Lay him down in the longer section of the silverware drawer. Leave silverware scattered around the kitchen.
- Doll Shoes - Squeeze a pair of doll shoes on his feet. Hide him amongst a few doll friends.
- Taco Elf - Wrap him in a tortilla and put him inside the refrigerator.
- Frozen Elf - Put him in the freezer with a spoon by the ice cream. “Well, he should be fine since he’s used to North Pole weather.”
- Now You See Him, Now You Don’t - On Christmas Eve, his last night, stash him somewhere when the kids leave the room. When they come back, wait for someone to notice that he’s gone. You can even have him leave behind a note telling the children that he’s off to help Santa but that he’ll come back and visit next year.
The Interactive Elf: For Elves Who Like to Leave Messages and Socialize
If you have a particular lesson or message you’d like your children to hear from somebody other than a parent, let your elf be the bearer of the message:
- Last Day of School - Before Christmas break, blow up a balloon, tie it to his hand, secure him well somewhere and write “Yay, last day of school!” on the balloon.
- Note to Santa - Tell the kids to write Santa a letter with what they want for Christmas. Put it next to him, so he can take it back to Santa.
- Pen Pals - Tell the kids to write a letter or draw a picture to a friend’s elf. He can give it to that elf when he sees him at the North Pole tonight. Genius! (Give the other mom a heads-up.)
- Instant Messaging - Write a short message to the family on a small chalkboard or draw a heart with M&M’s. Place him in front of the message.
- Toothpaste Message - Write a message in toothpaste on the bathroom sink and put him nearby.
- Coloring Book - Color a picture and put him next to it with some crayons.
- Message on a Mirror - Use a dry erase marker to write a message on a mirror, such as “3 Days till Christmas!” Prop him up on the mirror.
- Letter FROM Santa - Print an official letter back from Santa and put it in his hands. This is especially helpful if you need to address any naughty behavior in a nice way.
- Hanging with Friends - Surround him with Barbie dolls, Squishmallows, stuffed animals, or action figures around a dollhouse table or just in a circle hanging out.
The Responsible Elf: For Elves Who Like to Reinforce Good Behavior
As one of Santa’s helpers, you’re elf is there to report back any unwanted behaviors. Use this to your advantage and let your elf help remind kids about behavior:
- Kid's Room - Put him in your kid’s room and say something like, “Hmm. I bet he will tell Santa how good you’ve been this year.”
- Vacuum Cleaner - Put him on some type of cleaning tool, and perhaps the kids will get the hint? If not, you can always have him leave a letter.
- Tiny Toy Design - If your child leaves out a mess of tiny toys, arrange them in a design.
- Eat Your Fruit and Veggies - Put him in the fruit bowl or in the fridge next to your veggies.
- Emphasize Bathroom Habits - Put him near a toothbrush.
- Squeaky Clean - Prop open the laundry machine door and put him inside.
- Desk Elf - Homework struggles? Put him in the homework area holding a pencil.
The Forgotten Elf: A Note for Parents If Your Elf “Forgets” to Move One Night
Hey, the holidays are busy for everybody. And if your elf accidentally forgot to move last night, we’ve got you covered with some great reasons:
- Magically Stuck - Pretend like your elf is stuck in place, ask the children to get the tongs to move him so that he can go back to the North Pole tonight.
- Startled Elf - “I think he must have heard something that startled him last night, so he had to keep very still.” You can follow up by saying you went downstairs to get a drink late at night, maybe that’s what startled him.
- Napping - Maybe the elf got so tired that he just fell asleep and forgot to go to the North Pole at all last night!
- Frozen Elf - “Whoops, I guess Elsa put a frozen spell on him. Maybe we can warm him up with a hair dryer.” The next night, you can put out an Elsa doll or note from Elsa apologizing for freezing him.
- The Trickster Elf - Maybe the elf is playing a prank on the family and waiting to see if anybody catches him moving during the day. Distract your children and move the elf while they’re looking away and wait for them to notice.
Our biggest piece of advice? Have fun with this yearly tradition. Elf on the Shelf is meant to be a fun little addition to the magic of Christmas, not a burden for parents. Your children will just enjoy seeing him move from spot to spot each morning, so don’t feel like you need to set up elaborate scenes. Hopefully, your whole family can get into the spirit of the season and make some fun and lasting memories together with your elf.
Contributors: Kelsey Caldwell and Emily Mathias
Kelsey Caldwell? is a realtor and freelance writer from Charlotte, NC. She and her husband are parents to two amazing kids, a puppy, and a rabbit.?
Emily Mathias is a freelance writer living in Charlotte, N.C.
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