As part of the Elf on the Shelf tradition, parents move an Elf on the Shelf also called a “Scout Elf” around the house each day to watch over their children before Santa arrives. These elves observe children’s actions in the weeks before Christmas and report what they discover to Santa so that he can compile his naughty and nice lists. The children’s book written in 2005 by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell served as the inspiration for the Elf on a Shelf character.
To assist Santa in maintaining his naughty/nice list, the Scout Elves are said to travel from the North Pole to Earth during Scout Elf Return Week, which typically takes place from November 24 to December 1. The elf arrives at a specific location and observes the children in the house. The elf goes back to the North Pole every night to inform the big guy of his findings. On Christmas Day, the elf departs with Santa to return to the North Pole, where they are not seen again until the following year.
Simple rules apply! The family should read the book together before giving the elf a name when it first arrives. To get you started, here is a list of names for the Elf on the Shelf. Once the elf is in place, the kids mustn’t touch him because doing so will cause him to lose his magic. The young ones can converse with the elf or give him a letter to deliver to Santa. But most importantly, they need to behave properly.
When they return each night, some elves are busier than others, getting into mischief or complicated situations. Some people are more reserved and simply move from one location to another every day. Simply put, it depends on who they are! Santa advises against touching the elf, but parents can step in if the dog grabs the elf out of his hiding place, for example. Just let Santa know what transpired in a letter.
Sharing pictures of the hilarious mischief Scout Elves have been up to in the house is another important aspect of the Elf on the Shelf tradition, especially in the social media age. In addition, because you have to be extremely creative, it gives families more brilliant Elf ideas. While the first week of December will be simple, maintaining it throughout the entire month can be difficult. So check out these simple Elf on the Shelf ideas that you and your children will adore this Christmas from Instagram and Pinterest.
Place all of the spare change in a cash register, add a note from Elf saying, “Treat yourself to a pizza lunch,” and have the recipient go out and buy a pizza with the coins. Alternatively, you could put chocolate coins in a small purse or a similar toy.
To create a space-Elf, cover Elf in tin foil. To make it appear as though he is floating through space, hang him from a lampshade. When you’re pressed for time, this one is nice and straightforward. Additionally, you could include extraterrestrial ornaments like moons, stars, and planets.
Collect dolls or toy figures for a makeshift rollercoaster ride—a great hiding place. Just make sure they are securely fastened.
Knowing is knowing! This ingenious concept imitates the fun of the popular television program The Masked Singer. With a variety of small masks, parents can extend the use of this concept for several days. Simply make decorative masks with themes that will amuse children by raiding the ids’ collection of art and craft paper and cards.
Brilliant! The elf informs the children of the tasks that Santa would like them to complete, this is an original way to keep the kids on their toes. This a fantastic way to guarantee that all kids this year make the good list.
When you give the elf a roll of clingfilm, nothing in the house is safe. This might be the perfect way to get kids to put things away out of the elf’s reach. You can reuse the clingfilm several times over the countdown days by keeping it attached to the roll and using it to cover various objects to reduce waste.
Make your elf appear to be floating away by recreating the scene from ‘Up’ with some leftover party balloons and colorful twine. Try the old-fashioned static trick of rubbing the balloon on a woolly jumper to easily stick the balloons to the wall.
If your children enjoy the movie Frozen, they will enjoy discovering that Elsa has frozen their elf when they awaken. Parents will also appreciate this simple, mess-free idea. Yes, it might take some time for your elf to defrost and finish drying, but if you just toss him in the sink while the kids are at school, by the time they get home, he’ll be good as new and can return to his spot on the shelf guarding your family.
Consider bringing some of the fun to you in the form of an igloo if you reside somewhere where there isn’t a lot of snow. No, it’s not cold outside, and there isn’t any snow, but you could explain to your children that their Elf on the Shelf misses the snow and thought cotton balls would be a great (and warmer!) substitute. We’ll let you know upfront that you’ll have to put some effort into this. If you’re short on time or not the craftiest, you might want to skip this one because you’ll need to make a base for the igloo and glue the cotton balls to it.
Your young child will spend every day in a magical wonderland trying to figure out what their elf is up to, regardless of what you do with your Elf on the Shelf. Your kids will enjoy Elf on the Shelf as yet another way to spice up the holiday season, and they’ll remember it all year long.