Do you have children that look forward to the Elf showing up each year?
My children LOVE this tradition.
If you aren’t familiar with it, the Elf comes each Christmas season to hang out and watch to see if your children should be on the “naughty” or “nice” list. He flies to the North Pole at night to report to Santa how your children are doing. He comes back each morning and hides in a different place in your home.
My children have enjoyed this children’s cartoon about the Elf. This would be a fun gift the Elf brings your children.
After my boys go to bed at night, I find a place to hide our Elf. I used to have to set a reminder on my phone so I didn’t forget. Thankfully, I now have helpers named George and Clark, who love to stay up and find creative things for the Elf to do!
I am not a HUGE fan of the Elf, but my kids love it so much I can’t stop. My older boys get excited about finding creative things for the Elf to do, and my younger boys are excited to wake up in the morning and search the house to find our Elf.
If you are new to this tradition, I would recommend you start just ONE WEEK before Christmas and use the SIMPLE ideas listed below.
Our elf now comes on December 1 because I have helpers to hide him.
Here are some ideas for your Elf on the Shelf Tradition!
1. Place him in a large Mason Jar with a note that says, “Show me around!”
2. Choo Choo Train Ride
3. Or a SHOE SHOE Train Ride!
4. Playing card games
5. Leave a love note
6. Just Hangin’ Out
7. Candy Cane Hide-and-Seek
Hide candy canes around the house!
8. Make happy faces on the fruit
9. Countdown-to-Christmas Paper Chain
10. Elf is peeking out of your child’s stocking
Optional: Leave a note to your child about what the Elf has noticed: A Good Thing and Something your child could work on.
11. Put him in your Christmas tree by his favorite ornament
12. Hide him inside cups.
Children have to search the cups to find him. My kids were happy he was in a cup so they could hold the cup and walk around with him. (No touching the Elf)
13. Reading a Christmas story to his friend.
14. 3 cheers for hot chocolate!
Optional: Leave hot chocolate out for your kids!
15. Just Chillin’
Just wrap a scarf around a picture or chair and put the elf inside!
16. Army men are protecting our home and they think the Elf is an INTRUDER!
I just taped that poor Elf to the wall.
17. Zip lining
This takes a little more work, but it’s always a favorite. Tie a string across a room and attach your elf to the string. Zip Line!
These were just some simple and silly ideas for you! Do you have a fun Elf prank? Leave a comment!
Last year we added a “Shepherd on the Search” to our family. My kids call him the “Christian Elf.” (LOL!) I like how the “Shepherd” keeps Jesus at the center of Christmas. The Shepherd goes on ADVENTures – keeping “advent” the center of the Holiday season. Click here for some excellent ideas for how to use the Shepherd!
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