It is that time of the year! Our Elf on the Shelf, Jolly, is here and getting into all sorts of mischief. This morning the little ones found him hiding in our cutlery drawer, Jolly has encouraged us to decorate our Christmas tree and has done what he does best – sat on the shelf watching to see if my kiddos have been naughty or nice!
What is Elf on the Shelf?
Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition is a 2005 rhyming book that explains how Santa’s ‘scout elves’ hide in people’s homes to watch over events. When everyone is in bed, the elf flies back to the North Pole to tell Santa about the good and bad activities that have happened that day. When the family wakes in the morning, the elf has flown back and is hiding in a new place to be found by the family. In the book, the elf’s magic will disappear if he is touched, although you are allowed to talk to him and tell him your Christmas wishes so he can report back to Santa. Elf on the Shelf started in America, with the elves arriving after Thanksgiving (the last Thursday in November). Here in Canada, most people tend to start on 1st December and the beginning of Advent.
As it has grown in popularity, the Elf on the Shelf tradition has taken in all sorts of twists and turns as people adapt it to suit their families. Some elves hide, some elves create mischief and mayhem, others are better behaved! However you choose to adapt this tradition, it will certainly add a sparkle of festive magic.
Click here to get your own Elf on the Shelf.
Here are 14 Quick and Easy Elf on the Shelf ideas to help you get started. These are sure to put a smile on your children’s faces..
- Jolly’s Arrival letter
- Photo booth
- Trapped by Lego men
- Hugging the local reindeer
- Sac races
- Bubble bath
- Enjoying the Elf Insider
- Fishing for Gold fish
- Hiding in the Christmas Stockings
- Looking for Christmas Cookies
- Cruising with Barbie
- Enjoying the Christmas lights in the Christmas Tree
- Perched on top of a mini Christmas Tree
- Trapped by Elsa
If you’ve done Elf on the Shelf previously, then please do share any advice you think would be handy for other parents, and feel free to share pictures of what your elf has got up to. You can see all my previous Elf on the Shelf posts here.
You can also follow Jolly’s Adventures here. Photo’s will be updated daily during the Christmas season so make sure to check back and see what Jolly has been up too!
I love all of these! Elf on the shelf seems so fun. We tried it this year but my 3 year old wasn’t very into it. Hopefully next year!
We had the hardest time this year finding unique places for both our elves! These are some good ones!
Our elf needs to get creative with his few remaining days! Thanks so much for all the inspiration!
Ours likes to hang out in the stockings as well. Maybe because it’s nice and toasty in there?
We don’t do Elf on a Shelf here, but these are some cute ideas. My friends will love these!
These are terrific ideas. I especially like the goldfish and the lego setups. I bet these were a hit with your kids!
I love when the elf gets mischievous. Some people get so creative.
WE don’t have Elf on the Shelf but I really enjoy seeing everyone’s pictures of what their elf is up to. So much fun!
Even though we are empty nesters, I think it would still be fun to do Elf on the Shelf. I can just imagine all the fun we could have with ideas like these! My grandchildren enjoy their Elf, Buddy who returns every year.
This is absolutely a creative idea. I want this on our house
We are an elf-less family and intend to stay that way, but I just had to tell you I love all your graphics on your site!
We haven’t started an Elf on the Shelf tradition yet. But these are some really great and fun ideas!
These are great!!!! Such a great list!I think everyone with an Elf on the Shelf would love this!
These are very cute Elf on the SHelf ideas. I like that you recommend these to busy Moms. Who has time to come up with an elaborate plan for the Elf everyday!
omg so many cute elf ideas!!! I might just have to use a few of these elf ideas this year!
A lot of great ideas! I love the gold fish one. It’s cute and easy!
I swear these Elf’s can get into so much trouble in just a few days. they are just little mischief makers.
These are so great. We did Elf on the Shelf for a few years when kiddo was younger. She is pretty much over it now and I think I am too. LOL But it is still fun to see what others do with theirs.
How cute! I have never had an Elf on the Shelf before, but I always love the ideas that others that come up with for Elf on the Shelf.
Those are really cute ideas! I have never done this with my kids. I never experienced it so I really didn’t know how.
I keep forgetting to move my elf. Oh my goodness, my kids are so upset when ours don’t move. Lol. These are great ideas!
This is absolutely a great ideas, Glad you share this with us
I’ve been wanting to have an Elf on the Shelf, but my son says NO because he said it’s scary. LOL. Maybe I’ll just surprise him. 🙂
These are some creative ideas! I always like seeing what other people do with their Elf on the Shelf.
That Elf on the Shelf is very creepy but my nephew loved it. He doesn’t believe anymore though. LOL! ^yolonda
This reminds me that I need to get my Elf on the Shelf out. I plan on bringing him out 12 days before Christmas. I just run out of ideas before Christmas since I have done it for several years.
These are great!!!! I love this! Sometimes it’s so hard thinking of ideas – such a great list you have here! I think everyone with an Elf on the Shelf could use this!
These are some great ideas. I don’t do elf on the shelf, but I love seeing everyone be so creative. I may start this next year cuz it looks like fun!
Great ideas for a mommy like me that is always having last minute panic moments of where to move our elves!
Such cute ideas! I am always running out of ideas on what to do! So thank you so much for these!
This is great ideas. I love this. Thank you for sharing these wonderful ideas on making elf on the shelf so easy.
These is so cute and unique elf on the shelf.. I love this. Thanks for sharing.
We don’t do Elf on the Shelf, but these are awesome ideas. I will share this with my friends.
Such good ideas! I’ll admit, I bought one for my son a few years ago… and then completely forgot about him and to this day I have NO IDEA where it is. Bad mommy, I know.
Great ideas! I’m so going to try some of them! My youngest daughter loves our elf on the shelf!
I love these ideas! I need to try a few of them. My kids love their elf!
So many cute ideas! I love the bubble bath and the Lego one. Adorable.
I love ELF on the Shelf and have had Thompson our elf, visit us for the past 5 years!! This year he arrived in a hot air balloon!! It was pretty cool!
I can tell you the terror I feel in the middle of the night when I forget to move “Jack” our elf. I just up and find a different spot for him. Hopefully one day I’ll have it more together like you do with it. Very cute ideas here, especially with the Legos.
What a fun array of Elf on the Shelf ideas! I love the fishing one, that is one clever elf!
THANK YOU! When you first decide to do Elf on the Shelf, you’re thinking, “Hey, this will be so much fun!” What no one tells you is how time intensive it can be.
Thanks so much for sharing all these great ideas! We’ve been doing Elf on the Shelf for years, and I’ve started to run out of ideas.
These are all awesome and fun ideas! I always love seeing the crazy and creative ideas people come up with. We do not do this in our home, I worry I would forget to move it each night. :/
This is perfect for me! I haven’t done elf on the shelf because I know I will constantly forget or have a hard time coming up with new ideas!
We do Elf on the Shelf. Last year I went all out and had a list of ideas. This year we are just moving them as we see fit. Probably will try the stockings this week.
LOL great ideas! We are a non-elf family 😉 But I know friends who like to do it!
Who doesn’t love elf on the shelf! I love your ideas! What a rascal that elf is!
Such fun ideas. Love the Barbie car idea. My little girl keeps asking for an Elf on the Shelf. I might cave in and get her one this year.
My parents never did this when I was a kid, and I wish I did it when my kids were little. It looks like so much fun!
This is not something that we grew up with so I became intrigued recently with what it’s all about. Thanks for finally explaining it. I thought ppl were just crazy.. hahaha…
Elf on the Shelf became popular after my children were too old to enjoy it. However, I think we’d be the family who would subject the Elf to all sorts of unsavory things, lol.