Updated December 2024
If you’re a millennial {like me} or older and the lore of Elf On A Shelf feels like it came out of nowhere that’s because, well, it basically did.
In 2005 Carol Aebersold and her daughter published the now infamous story about a Christmas elf sent by Santa to keep track of which children belong on the naughty and nice lists. There are rules that must be followed when visited by a scout elf, such as not touching or moving the elf.
Your scout elf typically arrives anywhere from the day after Thanksgiving until December 1, although this isn’t laid out specifically in the book. And like the elf’s return date, families often take liberties with many of the other “rules” around how the elf is handled.
For example, at my house the elf moves around somewhere new every morning, often getting up to some silly but harmless hijincks. Other families just move the elf from place to place every day and let their kids look for him, while some families really go all out with the production value of the elf’s shenanigans.
Much like Santa Claus himself, whether you use the elf’s return as a way to get your kids to clean up their toys or help with the dishes {no judgement here} varies from family to family. However, one thing we all have in common: when those last few days before Christmas finally creep up on you, we are all struggling to think of one or two or three last places for our elf to hide out before it heads back to the North Pole until next year.
So without further adieu, here are some ideas for your 5 am panic rush to move your elf before your kids wake up:
- Write something fun like “I’m back!” on a letter board and leave a little gift to get the month started.
- Hang from ornaments on the tree.
- Replace Christmas stockings on the mantle with each kid’s undies.
- “Do you want to build a snowman?” The elf brings mini powdered donuts and M&M’s to “build” a snowman.
- “Sunday is for sundaes” The elf brings supplies for a sundae bar {ice cream, chocolate topping, mini marshmallows, etc.}
- Soaking in a {mini marshmallow} hot tub.
- Shoe parade – line up a bunch of shoes parade style around the house – the more shoes, the longer the line, the better! Throw a couple of dolls or actions figures in a few of the shoes to really make it feel like a parade.
- Throw a roll of toilet paper down the stairs and he’s inside the tube!
- TP the Christmas tree!
- The elf reading a bedtime story to child’s other toys/stuffies/dolls, etc.
- Build a structure for the elf to be in/on/around out of Magnatiles or Legos. Bonus – if you have both things this can be two separate days!
- Deliver a gingerbread house for the kids to build together.
- Hide in the dryer with some of your child’s other dolls/toys.
- Bring movie popcorn and hot cocoa supplies so the kids can have a movie and cocoa party that night.
- Write something cheeky on the bathroom mirror with toothpaste.
- Hide in the nativity scene.
- Blow up a bunch of red and green balloons and fill your child’s room with them.
- Leave a small “stocking stuffer” sized gift or book as a gift
- Build a structure with the child’s play couch {like a nugget} or couch cushions and pillows for a fort.
- Go for a ride on your child’s toy dinosaur or horse.
- Play board games with your child’s other dolls/toys.
- Stick googly eyes on your family photos.
- Hang from a chandelier or ceiling fan.
- Sneak into the kids’ rooms and took selfies with them while they were sleeping, then texted them to Mom or Dad.
- Typically the Elf on the Shelf goes back to the North Pole on Christmas Eve, and he leaves a little note and a small gift behind.
What is your Elf on the Shelf up to this month? Share your ideas with us!
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