25 Days of Elf on the Shelf Ideas: A Family Christmas Tradition

Knee hugging shelf elves have been a family tradition since at least the 1950s when miniature figurine elves sat atop shelves to keep children honest. This tradition became more mainstream in 2005 with the publication of, The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition by Carol Aebersold and Chandra Bell.

This charming tale describes a small house elf who arrives the day after Thanksgiving to “watch” over the household children each day. When the children go to sleep, the Elf on the Shelf gives the naughty or nice report back to Santa. The next day the elf reappears in a new area of the house, often having moved items around to show that he came to life that previous night and that Christmas magic exists. The house elf stays with the family through December 24th when he heads back to the North Pole to be with Santa until next year.

Many parents have begun this tradition in their homes, often starting when their child reaches age three. The excitement children get over naming, talking to and seeing their own house elf “move” is heart-warming and memorable.

Now you can get creative with how you move your elf each night. Here are 25 ideas to help you get started with your own Elf on the Shelf Christmas family tradition.

Day 1

Hanging around after Thanksgiving.

Day 2

A marshmallow bath.

Day 3

Carriage ride date with Barbie.

Day 4

Remembering the family rules.

Day 5

In the tree.

Day 6

Sitting with your kids crafts.

Day 7

Fun with kids crafts.

Day 8

Add food coloring to your milk for a fun surprise.

Day 9

Slurping down syrup.

Day 10

Dry erase marker doodles on the kids' pictures.

Day 11

Toilet paper on the Christmas Tree.

Day 12

Goldfishin',

Day 13

With the Christmas cards.

Day 14

In the stockings.

Day 15

Leaving a note from Santa.

Day 16

In the car.

Day 17

On the refrigerator door.

Day 18

Keeping an eye in the bathroom.

Day 19

Use flour for snow.

Day 20

Rudolph says hi.

Day 21

Place him around special household items.

Day 22

Reading T'was the Night Before Christmas.

Day 23

A sink hot tub.

Day 24

Spelled gumdrops out of miniature cookies.

Day 25

A tea party with Santa.

And there you have 25 ideas for your Elf on the Shelf Christmas family tradition. If you’ve already begun this tradition, what are the most memorable elf “moves” you’ve done in your own home?

Erin Bettis