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29 Creative Elf on the Shelf Ideas!
Our little elf on the shelf, Ralphie, has been coming for nearly 5 years now and the idea list keeps getting shorter and shorter! If you’re running out of Elf on the Shelf Ideas, you’ve come to the right place!
I usually plan elaborate ideas for our elf, Ralphie – and to make things go smoother I have an arsenal of planning methods. First I think of ideas and use Pinterest for inspiration. I create a board for that year, like 2017 EOTS Ideas. Then I use an idea planner/checklist – like this one – to gather my ideas. I have a column for ideas, materials to gather, materials to purchase, and weekend or weekday idea. Once I have that list filled, I use a calendar – like this one – to plan dates.
I don’t always stick to my calendar; however, I have found that it is a useful tool to be organized and have the ideas neatly placed.
In 2016 I gathered many ideas – used my method of planning – and then made that planning a reality for my Elf on the Shelf ideas I put together.
To make this year even more special I made some Nice and Naughty cards that you can find here –
Joke Cards
Naughty Cards
Day 1- North Pole Breakfast
Our elf, Ralphie always makes his grand entrance with an Elf on the Shelf North Pole Breakfast. This year it included green milk, cookies, brownies, Little Debbie Cakes, an advent calendar, and an Elf on the Shelf Arrival Letter from Santa – you can find the template here.
Day 2- Elf on the Shelf Drummer Boy
Day two Ralphie came as a Little Drummer Boy with drums made from canned food cans.
Day 3- Outhouse
Whoops!! Ralphie was caught with his pants down!
Day 4- Milking a Cow
Day 5- Riding a Horse:
Day 6 – Ralphie Brought a Coloring Book for himself and Hunter
Day 7 Santa Cam
Ralphie brought a Santa Cam to keep an eye on Hunter!
Day 8 – Kid-sized Gingerbread House!
**My son LOVED this Elf on the Shelf idea!! We kept the gingerbread house up all Christmas!
Day 9 – Deer Hunting
Day 10 – Target Practicing
Day 11 – Playing Baseball!
Day 12 – Welcome Comedian Ralphie –
*you can get the joke cards here.
Day 13 – Gone Fishing
Day 14 – Ralphie for President *Make Christmas Great Again*
Look at that hair!
Day 15 – Ralphie in a Rocket!
Day 16 – Elf Clubhouse!
Day 17 – Hunter Banner!
Day 18 – Reading a mini Elf on the Shelf book
Day 19 – Hanging Ralphie’s Clothes
Day 20 – Uhh Ohh… Ralphie melted a snowman! whoops!
Day 21 – Ralphie is becoming very mischievous! He was caught robbing Hunter’s piggy bank!
Day 22 – Hot Cocoa Bar
Day 23 – Ralphie dressed as a cotton-headed ninny muggins… And brought ELF to watch!
SANTA?!?! I KNOW HIM!!!
Day 24 – Ralphie brought his own Bible, but he turned the page to the book of Matthew in the new testament to read the story of Jesus’ birth with Hunter!
Day 25 – Ralphie brought ELF Twister!
Day 26 – Ralphie wants to bank Cookies with Hunter!
Day 27 – Silly elf was caught riding the fish!
Day 28 – Ralphie and Hunter had so much fun baking Jesus a birthday cake!
Day 29 – Every year on Christmas Eve Santa lifts his magic for Hunter and Ralphie to give a final hug until next year!
Ahh, It’s a sad but happy time when our Elf on the Shelf leaves. So many of my friends ask why I put so much effort into this little tradition… My answer is always – “Because I love to see the magic and wonder in my sons eyes every morning when he wakes up and sees what his little elf has done.”
This is a tradition that I hope will one day carry over to his children.
