The Official 2012 Elf Capades Thread

[mdurette]

Hello All:
Let's get this started this year! My DD is already asking for Eve - but there is no way I can handle a month of mischief!

Here are the old threads:
2008: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1961457
2009: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2321254&highlight=elf+2009
2010: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2603404&highlight=2010+elf
2011: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2833833&highlight=elfcapades

 

[mdurette]

I'll start off with something new that I did last year and I must say - it was a favorite in our house.

When placing the presents under the tree on Christmas Eve I was annoyed at myself for all the "filler" gifts I purchased. Book, pair of PJs, DVD, stuffed animal etc.

DD simply had too much to unwrap and I was sure it would take away from her "big" gift.

Sooooo.....Eve took her presents and left a note.

"Merry Christmas! Thank you so much for spending time with me again this year. I had so much fun playing hide and seek with you that I took some of your presents and hid them around the house!!!! Don't go looking for them - you will find them on your own during your day to day activities"

I put all the wrapped gifts where they would belong:
PJs in her PJ draw
Book on the bookselve
DVD where we keep movies
etc.

In all there were about 8 things and DD was able to find them over the next week or so and it spread the magic out a bit.

 

[ehough]

Here's my elf's FB page in case anyone wants to see past ideas:

https://www.facebook.com/JinglesMcGillicuddy?ref=hl

So far the big hit this year was last night- I decorated our playroom like crazy (like Buddy the Elf does in "Elf", how he totally decorates the department store in one night? That was my vision). It took a little extra work so it's definitely something to do on a weekend or whatever, but it was fun for both me and the kids! I bought everything at the dollar store.

Also so far this year he has: arrived in a functional parachute, been stuck in the fireplace doors, went to the drive in with Barbie, and hung out in the dark bathroom covered in glow bracelets.

 

[KristiKat]

Love reading all the creative ideas. I've thought about getting one for my DD but she is 6 and I think she is beginning not to believe so afraid to spend the money and it go to waste.

 

[Pesky]

I found some great ideas on Flickr last year with an "elf on the shelf" search. Last year, Rainbow was found roasting mini marshmallows with a toothpick over a tea light (blown out, of course), trying to mix up chocolate chip cookies (half-way in the mixing bowl, dumping in chocolate chips), watching TV, reading with other animals, trying on Barbie clothes in front of the bathroom mirror, admiring herself at Rapunzel's vanity, hanging on Santa (I have a few santa figures around), hiding in the tree. She's been here for a few days and so far has hidden in the wine rack, the mantle, a stocking, sat on DD's fake horse and is currently in our tree. She also shows up with accessories -- earrings, snowflake buttons sewed to her collar and hat and a maribou feather stole (piece of maribou feather ribbon).

This year, I grabbed some gel window clings that she will put on our window one night and figured I would hang some paper snowflakes in the bathroom too. Might even have her and some other dolls and stuffed animals playing uno! She might show up with treats and gifts (she has brought a book -- The Spirit of Christmas). I've made her personality kind of like DD -- so she's generally sweet and very girly. I need to get some more gem stickers so she shows up with earrings again!

 

[100AcreWood]

This morning Yelf was found in the kids' bathroom. He "borrowed" my lipstick and wrote "YELF WAS HERE!" on the mirror.

I'm going to Barnes and Noble today to get a book of the Christmas story. Yelf is going to be somewhere tomorrow reading that book and holding the baby Jesus from the manger scene. Trying to incorporate a reminder about how Christmas started.

 

[100AcreWood]

Love reading all the creative ideas. I've thought about getting one for my DD but she is 6 and I think she is beginning not to believe so afraid to spend the money and it go to waste.

It's so much fun. Some people do it with their teens and they enjoy seeing where the elf is every morning.

 

[LCoulter]

This sounds like so much fun! I have been looking for our elf for a couple of days now, hopefully, I will get lucky and find one at Hobby Lobby today at lunchtime.

I don't have an elf yet but I thought of a few ideas for our elf. Getting trapped under the glass cake dish and write "Help Me" on the inside glass. Dangle a dog bone from on top of the dog crate down in front of dog (better do that one shortly before we get up in the morning so as not to drive the dog too nuts).

There are some really creative ideas for the elf. DD5.5 is going to get such a kick out of this.

 

[HLAuburn]

This sounds like so much fun! I have been looking for our elf for a couple of days now, hopefully, I will get lucky and find one at Hobby Lobby today at lunchtime.

I don't have an elf yet but I thought of a few ideas for our elf. Getting trapped under the glass cake dish and write "Help Me" on the inside glass. Dangle a dog bone from on top of the dog crate down in front of dog (better do that one shortly before we get up in the morning so as not to drive the dog too nuts).

There are some really creative ideas for the elf. DD5.5 is going to get such a kick out of this.

I love the cake dome idea! I added it to my list Thanks!

We bought our elf at Target last weekend. I have to be honest - the little skinny ones creep me out a little, so we went with the Elf on the Shelf "plush" version, which is much cuter, in my opinion!

Looking forward to our elf adventures this year! The kids have no idea "Jasper" is coming to visit. I found a good introduction letter from Santa last night and I personalized it a little. So the elf will be here waiting on us when we get back from Disney next week

 

[LCoulter]

I love the cake dome idea! I added it to my list Thanks!

We bought our elf at Target last weekend. I have to be honest - the little skinny ones creep me out a little, so we went with the Elf on the Shelf "plush" version, which is much cuter, in my opinion!

Looking forward to our elf adventures this year! The kids have no idea "Jasper" is coming to visit. I found a good introduction letter from Santa last night and I personalized it a little. So the elf will be here waiting on us when we get back from Disney next week

I was trying to decide if I should name the elf or let DD name him/her after she meets it. Since your kids don't know he's coming, I assume you named him? What do others do about a name?

 

[HLAuburn]

I was trying to decide if I should name the elf or let DD name him/her after she meets it. Since your kids don't know he's coming, I assume you named him? What do others do about a name?

Yes, I named him...I didn't want to take the risk of him being named after a My Little Pony or a character on SpongeBob! A lot of the elf "introduction" letters from Santa I saw said the kids were to give the elf a name, but I just thought it was better for us this way to avoid a fight over what he/she should be called.

It's completely up to you!

 

[Lizzybean]

I love the cake dome idea! I added it to my list Thanks!

We bought our elf at Target last weekend. I have to be honest - the little skinny ones creep me out a little, so we went with the Elf on the Shelf "plush" version, which is much cuter, in my opinion!

Looking forward to our elf adventures this year! The kids have no idea "Jasper" is coming to visit. I found a good introduction letter from Santa last night and I personalized it a little. So the elf will be here waiting on us when we get back from Disney next week

I'm going to get in on the Elf action this year for the 1st time! Where did you find the Santa letter? I think that's such a great idea!

 

[mdurette]

I was trying to decide if I should name the elf or let DD name him/her after she meets it. Since your kids don't know he's coming, I assume you named him? What do others do about a name?

ours from Elfmagic came with her own name - Eve.

Also one thing Eve did last year was paint mom and dad fingernails green while they were sleeping.

 

[HLAuburn]

I'm going to get in on the Elf action this year for the 1st time! Where did you find the Santa letter? I think that's such a great idea!

I found a few online and just cut and pasted what I wanted ours to say. Here's my version:

From: Mr. Santa Claus
Santa’s Toy Factory
The North Pole

Dear (kids names here),
It is with great pleasure that I write you this letter to introduce to you to my Magic Elf Jasper! He has been carefully chosen to watch over your family this Christmas season. Jasper will remain with you from now until Christmas Eve when I will collect him as I make my deliveries.
Jasper has been assigned a very special task and that is to make sure that there are ONLY good little girls living here in this house. Any mischief or acts of naughtiness will be recorded in his journal and he will be sure to share them with me.
Jasper will explore your house from top to bottom as he makes sure that everyone in the family is behaving themselves. I probably should warn you that this Magic Elf is also very mischievous and might get into some trouble himself!
I hope you and Jasper will have a wonderful time together! Just one rule – DO NOT touch your Elf or he will lose his Christmas magic and will have to return to the North Pole early.

Sincerely,
Santa

I did it in a cute font and printed it on some cute Xmas paper. I decided Jasper is going to be ziplining (on fishing line) from the Christmas tree across the room with the note somehow attached to him - so my girls will find him when we get home from Disney next week!

ours from Elfmagic came with her own name - Eve.

Also one thing Eve did last year was paint mom and dad fingernails green while they were sleeping.

Eve is a cute name! I like that. Great idea about the nails, too...I added it to the list

 

[Lamping3]

Our elf, Pickles, has been here since Sunday morning. He brought us breakfast of Mini chocolate and powdered doughnuts decorated like snowmen and reindeer. Monday he acted like Santa with DD's my little ponies as reindeer. Tuesday he took a ride on DD's 4 ft giraffe. This morning he was caught playing roulette (old see and say) with Barbie and Ken ala Toy Story 3.

I got most of my ideas off pinterest. I am so excited about what all I have planned. I plan on him bringing all the things I would normally just buy...ie Christmas jammies and little Christmas knick nacks.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Love reading all the creative ideas. I've thought about getting one for my DD but she is 6 and I think she is beginning not to believe so afraid to spend the money and it go to waste.

Wonderful fun and memories are never wasted. I really don't think my 6 year old believes, he doubted last year when "Buddy" arrived but he is not quite sure enough that he is not real to take any chances. He is TOOOO funny. Our elf basically does stuff to drive him a little nuts and then will do something funny or leave a treat just to throw him off. This morning Buddy was dressed in the clothes DS had laid out to wear to school today. He has taken his DS and was playing it up out of reach of him, crawled in his bed when he crawled into mine during the middle of the night. Right now he is ridding DS's scooter through our living room! Tomorrow will be treat day and he is bringing a christmas doughnut so all will be forgiven.

 

[LCoulter]

Yes, I named him...I didn't want to take the risk of him being named after a My Little Pony or a character on SpongeBob! A lot of the elf "introduction" letters from Santa I saw said the kids were to give the elf a name, but I just thought it was better for us this way to avoid a fight over what he/she should be called.

It's completely up to you!

I am leaning toward naming the elf...Alisa is what I picked out and am just waiting to see what DH thinks. I agree that I don't want her to have a strange name and DD picks some strange ones for her dolls and animals.

I finally found an elf yesterday, after checking 8 different stores, including Lobby Hobby and not finding any elves. I was about to give up when I remembered a gift shop just across the way at the mall and there she was, not exactly what I was looking for but she is cute. She is not really posable like the official elf but is more of a fabric stuffed rag doll. She is weighted in her bottom so she sits nicely with her long legs dangling, she has two brown braids, a bulky red and grey sweater with a heart, a grey skirt, and a red and grey elf hat.

I am planning an introduction for Saturday morning with a letter from Santa which I found on-line but edited it. I am going to sit her on top of DD5.5 ceiling fan, dangling the letter from a ribbon.

DH is getting in on it too. Last night he bought a necklace that looks like a string on tree lights but the lights are tiny and there is a battery that makes it light. Alisa will make an appearance with that at some point.

 

[skw444]

Normally our elf makes his appearance on the 1st of December, however, this year my DD heard at school that the elf will come to your house if you leave crackers and water out for it. So, our elf officially appeared Monday evening after eating crackers and drinking the water. This year we have a girl elf that they named Elfina. The first night, she hung each family's underwear in place of the stockings that were hung. Last night, she drew faces on a picture of my girls with a dry erase marker. Tonight, she will be wrapping the toilet in wrapping paper. I love reading all these ideas!

 

[moenjoejr]

Growing up, my sisters and I each had our own "elf" that watched over us and reported back to Santa. They would write us letters and leave us a gift on Christmas Morning. Ours were Snowflake, Crystal and Jingle and Jangle (my one sister needed 2!).

When I had my oldest son, we got the Elf on the Shelf right around the time the twins were born. His name is Sugarplum. My mom kept saying, each of you had your own elf, your boys need their own too. So, off I go to buy two more elf on the shelf's. That's right...we have three!!! They love that they each have their own (the other two are Gingerbread and Kandy Kane), but it does get difficult each night to do this for not one, but three elves!

 

[Pesky]

DD named her elf -- Rainbow is not something we would've chosen but it works! DS swears he is going to name his elf (MIL is planning on getting him one next year) Toosa. I don't really care about a weird name. That's part of the fun.

She was watching TV this morning with a bowl of popcorn and a drink. When DD and I got back from dropping off DS this morning, the popcorn was gone. "MOM!!! Rainbow ate the popcorn while we were gone!"

Didn't have the heart to point out the dog was the more likely culprit.