2012 Elf on a Shelf Ideas

[scholastica]

I'm glad to help. I had forgotten we had our elf riding Barbie's bike, that was one of my favorites. I love the toilet papering the bathroom this year. I've also seen one a blog that the first day the elf brings cocoa and cookies and a small gift, I'm thinking of doing that this year.

I've also seen pictures of some very naughty elves last year that cracked me up, I'll try to find it again.

 

[Happiest mommy]

scholastica thats so kool!! such fun some of those I haven't done yet thanks for the ideas.

 

[Zookeeperof4]

I just saw that you posted this on two threads and no one's responded.

Elf of the Shelf is a book http://www.elfontheshelf.com/ that gives your child the idea that Santa sends an elf to keep an eye on them. But the elf gets into trouble and makes mischief.

Honestly, we have this elf and he's kinda creepy, but he's pretty awesome at posing. It's a cute idea, but like I said, my 7 year old isn't sure she believes anymore, so I don't know if we'll get to do it this year.

We have Annalee Gallery elves and thought I have heard people say their faces are a little creepy they are less creepy then the Elf on a shelf and also osable so it might be a thought for some people who enjoy doing MISCHEIF

 

[libinatorsmom]

Really Excited I made a Photo Book with Pictures of my daughters elf! And his antics over the past few years! Got it free using my coke reward points YEAH!!!! I know she will love her elf book and something to keep the memories alive as my DD just LOVES her elf!!!!

 

[MSSANDRA]

Well, last year, Buddy the Elf brought us a trip to WDW soooooo..... Our Elf mostly gets into trouble and then will bring our little one a Christmas treat to say he is sorry. It is sooooo fun. He unwraps Christmas presents, drinks hot chocolate late at night (and leave his mess), he turns on the TV on Christmas show while we are out. Last year he slipped into the car when we were leaving to go see Christmas lights and was sitting in the car when we got back in after stopping for a snack!

 

[flakypuff]

It will be Rainbow's 2nd year as well. She has been caught roasting mini marshmallows over a tealight (blown out) using toothpicks (I taped it to her hand and yes, browned the marshmallow too!). She has come back with a skirt and earrings (those gem stickers). She came back with a maribou feather boa (ribbon trim) and snowflake buttons sewn onto her outfit. She's tried on Barbie clothes in front of the mirror. She's been in a canoe with Santa, hidden in the tree, hung on another santa (holding 2 chocolates) and hid in the nativity scene. She also sat at a little vanity of DD's toddler Rapunzel doll. If you look on flickr, there were some cute ideas, including a tuxedoed elf wooing Barbie at a dinner.

Our elf did the following last year:

"Snow Angel" in sugar on kitchen counter
spelled out "ho ho ho" in red and green m&m's
toilet papered the bathroom
hung clean socks on the tree
went for a spin in the Barbie car
played candyland with other dolls/stuffed animals
drew with window markers on family pictures
made snowmen out of marshmallows (decorated them with a sharpie)
hid in the freezer while wearing a barbie scarf
rode in our barbie princess carriage
got tangled up in christmas lights on our entryway table
"ate" christmas cookies
"watched" a holiday movie with popcorn
colored a picture


I know there were more but I'd have to go back and look at the pictures to see.

WOW some are so funny! Thanks for sharing. By the way my youngest was 15 when we started Elf On The Shelf They all LOVE it. Everyone takes part Rosco has eaten the middle of a pie (Thanksgiving) TP the entire stairway and familyroom, Made all kinds of Pictures on the bathroom mirror with shaving cream, tied everyones sneakers together,eaten a bunch of candycanes of the tree, opened a few gifts under the tree and writen in markers on the kitchen floor that is white tile (magic eraser) sat on the sofa with the remote and watched tv while we were gone..

 

[Patience]

I am looking forward to Steve's arrival this year but I think he won't arrive until after school lets out for the Christmas break. Last year, he arrived right after Thanksgiving and that's just too long, for me anyway.

 

[Keegansmommy]

Our elf never made mischief. He just hides in a new spot each night. My five year old has been asking when "Eflie" is going to return now for months!

I do this with my preschool class too and they love it!

 

[danielle79]

Last year was our first year with elf and no I don't remember his name! Ours pretty much just ends up in a new spot every morning for the girls to find. They told elf last year he wasn't allowed in their room, I think the concept of this elf looking at them while they sleep creeps them out! I love all the mischief he gets into at other peoples' houses. I will be borrowing some of these ideas this year.

 

[ehough]

To make it easier on me, I plan out our elf's hijinks in advance. I write it all on a calendar and that way, all I have to do each night is set up the elf- no thinking involved! It's especially helpful this way because I can plan more involved hijinks on weekend nights, less involved hijinks if we are out of town, etc. Anyway, our elf's name is Jingles, and here are his hijinks! He is coming on Black Friday.

Day 1: he's arriving in a parachute (I guess Santa drops him down from his sleigh)- I used a red Solo cup and a garbage bag and the parachute actually works!

Day 2: I'm going to put him in the middle of a roll of toilet paper and roll him down the stairs (we will be at SIL's house, so nothing fancy)

Day 3: makes a naughty/nice list (I'm putting the dog on the naughty list!)

Day 4: Brings the movie "Mickey's Christmas Carol" and watches it at the "drive in" with Barbie in her car

Day 5: plays poker with some of the kids' toys

Day 6: decorate a room like CRAZY (like the scene in Elf? I've already started cutting snowflakes in my spare time!)

Day 7: Turn cars into reindeer and have Jingles riding one (brown pipe cleaners for antlers)

Day 8: Have him hanging from the fan, with red and green streamers dangling from it

Day 9: Bring new ornaments (which the kids really wanted at Kohl's but they think I didn't buy them), with a scavenger hunt leading them to the ornaments

Day 10: Put streamers across the kids' bedroom doors

Day 11: get caught under the mistletoe with Barbie

Day 12: fall asleep in the bed of DD's dollhouse, with an eye mask on

Day 13: green pee/marshmallow poop in the toilet (always a hit)

Day 14: he's going to go "sledding" down that cotton decorative snow stuff

Day 15: does the YMCA with Barbies (that's one that's been going around on Pinterest)

Day 16: find Jingles on the computer and discover that he used the "Elf Yourself" website (they always love that one, too)

Day 17: puts candy canes all over one room

Day 18: decorates the tree with the kids' undies

Day 19: find him cooking up some grub in the kids' play kitchen

Day 20: find him playing the Wii (totally setting up his own Mii, too!)

Day 21: turns into Batman elf (I'll make him a cape and mask out of felt and put him in the Imaginext Batcave)

Day 22: find him in a hot air balloon

Day 23: I'm going to stick him through the center of a bunch of glow bracelets and put him in the bathroom with the light off- disco elf!

Day 24: find him playing a board game with friends

Day 25: find him racing his friends (like this https://www.mommyupgrade.com/tag/elf-on-a-shelf-racing)

Day 26: he's going to paint the kids' noses red while they sleep

Day 27: find him in the fridge and find that he dyed the milk green!

Day 28: builds an elaborate train track

Day 29: puts pictures of himself in all of our frames

Day 30: brings seeds to plant (seeds will be Christmas chocolate chips- the red and green ones)

Day 31: discover that the seeds "grew" into Gingerbread men

Day 32: delivers our traditional xmas pjs and book

That's it!

 

[Suz D]

We are going to be at WDW from December 14th-22nd. I was thinking about taking "Eddy" with us, but don't want to haul a ton of stuff for him to do. I know I can read through the suggestions and do the ones that would be good for traveling, but just thought someone might have been in the same boat in a previous year and could save me a little time.

Anyone taken your Elf on vacation?

 

[jenndisney]

We are going to be at WDW from December 14th-22nd. I was thinking about taking "Eddy" with us, but don't want to haul a ton of stuff for him to do. I know I can read through the suggestions and do the ones that would be good for traveling, but just thought someone might have been in the same boat in a previous year and could save me a little time.

Anyone taken your Elf on vacation?

Instead of taking it with you I would have him email you candid shots of what he is doing at your home. It would take some planning but just have the shots emailed to yourself. It would keep the kids guessing. Or... You could take photos outside showing your elf walking to disney and have him arrive the day or two before you leave.

 

[ehough]

We took Jingles along on our Disney trip/cruise last year. One thing to think about, is are there some new things you'll be bringing anyway, which your elf could bring? For example, one day Jingles brought buckets and shovels. Another day he brought holiday coloring books (from the dollar store) for the plane ride home. I also got the free personalized Disney map from their website, and one night he was found reading the new map in our hotel room.

Other ideas that don't involve much- my kids always love it when the elf decorates the tree or a room with their undies! (Plan that one for the beginning of the trip so you're decorating with clean ones!). Also try to use whatever other toys your kids bring along- one night Jingles just watched TV with the stuffed animals my kids brought. He can hang out in the minibar too- elves like the cold!

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

I didn't have time to read through, but some of my favorite things that our elf has done:

rode on the ceiling fan (scarf over the blade made into a seat) - kids turned it on in the morning and sent her flying

ate pizza and pop in the fridge

TPd the Cmas tree

rode a Mickey Mouse train around the living room

spread Christmas lights all over my kids' bedrooms

fell into a bag of cookies upside down

played dress up in the AG wardrobe

They can't wait for her to get into mischief again.

 

[baseballmickey]

I have a whole board on pinterest for ideas for our elf. I can't even remember if we named hIim last year?! My dd was slightly interested, but earlier this year she asked if Santa was real ... soooooo, maybe her elf will cement that magic is real.

If not ... maybe I'll finally have #2 next year and she can help me with the elf.

I'm sitting here reading and I can't for the life of me remember what DD named the elf!!!!!! That's okay, DW will remember!!

looking forward to this year's visit and doing some more silly things with him! DS is quite the climber now, so our elf will be limited to places he can't reach.

 

[libinatorsmom]

Love the AG dressup - I will have to ad tat to the list! Plus he hasnt done that before!!! Sometimes it hard to come up with NEW things I dont like to repeat everything!!!!

This year I made a Book on Shutterfly - "The Frankie & Libby Diaries" With pictures from his adventures in our house I made up some silly story about Santa picking out a special elf for a little girl etc... I havent gotten it yet but I figured it would be a great way for her to remember forever with this special book... plus she could someday share it with her kids if she has them anyway - I got my code for a free book using my coke reward points so it was only shipping costs for the book and I think she will LOVE it

 

[jmac323]

Jolly will be at our house next week! My oldest has been talking about him for weeks now. This week I'm bringing Christmas dresses from Jolly to the girls with a note telling them that he's watching them and he will be here next week. We have our Xmas photos this weekend, so good timing LOL.