Elf on the Shelf Printables and Ideas

 

I don’t know about you but there are many evenings  that Logan and I look at each other and say, “what were we thinking bringing Elf of the Shelf into our home?!?”  LOL.  But we continue to do it year after year because our girls begin to anticipate his arrival on Nov. 1st, as soon as Halloween is behind them.  He brings them so much joy and seeing their little eyes light up like a Christmas tree  is totally worth it in the end.  Halie doesn’t really buy it anymore but also isn’t ready to let all her childish whims go, and I want to hold on to these magical moments in their lives forever and ever.  Call me crazy but it makes me sad, and almost teary,  to think that childish magic will be gone in such a short time.  So each year Buddy promptly arrives on December 1st, special delivery from the North Pole and is accompanied by a letter from Santa (which you can download and edit HERE).    From that day forth he creates fun and chaos around the house.  We choose not to follow the rule of no touching, instead the girls take him along and play with him.  Over the years he has become their little buddy,  his name is also Buddy.  They have both taken him for show and tell in their younger years, and he has flown to Mexico and Cuba with us over the past few years.  He reads and crafts with us.  He also makes many, many, messes and when Logan and I have had enough of him, we send him to the North Pole to " report to Santa” while we give our creative brains a little break.  Hahaha.

 

Here are some fun and super simple things for him to do:

 

1.      Have him eat a bunch of your Xmas baking or treats and leave crumbs all over the place.

 

 

2.       Build a wall using wooden blocks, or cardboard ones like these and have him drive a car into it.

 

 

 

3.       Have him write an invitation for your kids to cook, do a science experiment or a craft project by having him lay out all the supplies and a note out for your kids.

 

4.       Go fishing in your toilet.

 

5.       Decorate your Xmas tree with dirty laundry or with toilet paper. 

 

6.        Have your elf write down a Christmas countdown using your lipstick on a mirror, with chocolate chips or on a toilet paper roll.

 

 

 

     7.  Take a marshmallow bath.

 

     8.       Bring your kids treats or a little gift (smackers lipstick, Pokémon cards, a book, etc.).

     9.  Make a swing for your elf using an empty toilet paper roll, string and hang him off  of a

          light fixture.

 

 

 

10.   Make a toilet paper snowman. 

 

11.  Have him watch a favorite Christmas movie on your tablet while eating popcorn.

 

 

On Christmas Eve the girls spend the evening taking turns holding Buddy and saying their goodbyes.  Budd  always writes them a  letter them for taking such good care of him and wishing them a happy New Year.  Download and edit our version HERE. 

Please share your own ideas because we have 24 days of creativity to come up with this year and we can always use some help in that department.