The naughty elf is back again for more crazy Christmas antics and here are the best ideas we could find.
Remember the first rule of Elf On The Shelf: you don’t talk about it. Just kidding, the actual rule is: you make the rules!
Some parents start after American Thanksgiving, others once they’ve put up their tree. You may choose to start on December 1. It’s completely up to you.
A few nice touches are: name your elf, move it every night, tell the children not to touch the elf (or they will lose their magic) and remind the children that elves leave before Christmas night.
And now that you have completed this crash course, you are more than qualified to begin your Naughty Elf festivities and here are some ideas to give you that extra support:
Elf On The Shelf Of Your Tumble Dryer
Is that a bird? An aeroplane? No, it’s two elves who are up to no good. This simple idea reminds us of the early days of the Elf on the Shelf phenomenon, back in 2005.
Based on a children’s book by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell, the tradition has soared across the internet. The only challenge is keeping it up for up to 30 days! Another rule of Elf on the Shelf: you MUST share their antics online to help other desperate parents on their 25th day of the game who are absolutely dry out of ideas.
Elf On The Grinch (or Grinch on The Elf)
This cameo by the Grinch idea is quite fitting with the background story of this new(ish) tradition.
In the run-up to Christmas, the elves help Santa keep track of nice and naughty behaviour. In other words, elves are polar tattletales who run back to Santa at the North Pole each night to report on the children’s behaviour.
Each morning, the scout elves return to their family and find a new spot where they wait for someone (I wonder who) to find them.
If you ask me, tattletaling is a very Grinchy behaviour. As a parent, I just tolerate it so the children can get their gifts from Santa at Christmas, otherwise, the elves would be pulled to the side for a serious conversation.
Elf On The Floating Cup (or vice-versa, you know what I’m saying)
If magical elves are not enough, the magic of a floating cup can be what you need to lift any Christmas spirit.
This idea seems more complicated than it actually is. It’s really just aluminium foil rolled up into a tube shape attached with a hot glue gun.
You can do it with fruit loops or candy if you fancy!
Elf on the Shelf: a picture book about a family tradition
The book that generated this tradition The Elf on The Shelf: A Christmas Tradition was written by Chanda Bell and her mother Carol Aebersold based on the family’s Scout Elf, Fisbee.
The family could not find a publisher but joined forces with Bell’s twin sister Christa Pitts and decided to invest everything they had in self-publishing the book.
After spending many years on marketing and taking the book to numerous fairs and readings, the book is a cultural phenomenon having sold 13 million copies so far. It’s a lovely tradition that combines Christmas, children’s games and a community spirit amongst parents who are desperate for new ideas each year.
You look like you enjoy Christmas so why not have a look at Must Watch Christmas Movies 2021.
