Official 2011 Elf Capades thread :o) Post your ideas here:

[Kanga+2Roos]

They arrived this morning....they were hiding in each boy's stocking underneath a new stuffed angry bird that was peaking out (courtesy of a Black Friday special)! So, the elfs had a busy day getting shown around the house so they could see everything that happened the last 12 months. DS6 couldn't be separated from his elf--everytime I saw him he had Elfie sitting right next to whatever he was doing so he could show him. Too cute! Tonight we finished off our first day taking the elfs out with the family to look at Christmas lights.

Now the crew is in bed & it's time to get the elfs busy. I'm thinking of staging DS9's with a bunch of GI Joe guys since that's what he did all day & then I'll have DS6's play his DS game since he was getting tutored all day! I wonder if I can figure out the settings enough to add the elf's name into one of the saved files...

All in all a great start! I'm going to start out slow & get more technical as we go along...don't want to set that threshold too high yet!

 

[minniebeth]

I LOVE all the ideas on this thread! Our elves are going to have to work overtime this year...here's the scoop why: DD9 is in 4th grade and we are holding our breath trying to eek out the last of the days of truly believing if you know what I mean. The spirit of Santa is ALWAYS alive and well in our home but lots of children in school want to completely dispell this belief.

So...our elves always make a grand and magical entrance each holiday season. This year's entrance: in front of DD, while I was in another room but could still hear what was going on, DH somehow found the box I had tucked away safe and sound in a corner covered by many others, opened the box, opened the bag.....and was like oh, here's your elves DD, what do you do with these?????
So shocked at his cluelessness (sorry, honey, he's such a sweetie, but sometimes oh so clueless on these things....he KNOWS the elves come and play each year!) I just couldn't stop laughing with a painful, "oh my goodness, I can't believe this is happening". DD was like....oh...ok...I get it.

I told her after I composed myself that they must have sneaked into the Christmas boxes for her to find them as she helped decorate that she was so excited for. Hmmm....don't know how much I convinced her, but now I'm going to work double extra hard at making a fun elf season! DH will helping too, lol
Thank you for sharing your awesome ideas!

 

[Kanga+2Roos]

Ugh--so sorry Minniebeth for the extra stunts you have to pull off due to DH! Sometimes you wonder what's going thru their heads! I feel your pain! Hopefully we can all come up with some awesome ideas..I have a 4th grader too & keep wondering how much longer we can keep the magic alive.

So, last night was a sucess. Totally hilarious having me try to set up a bunch of GI Joe guys in the dark (ds6 has his bed in a perfect spot to look out into the living room) but looked pretty cool by the time I was done. I never could figure out how to add an Elfie file to the game on the DS but everything worked out & was staged perfectly. DS6 proudly announced that he whispered to Elfie that it was okay for him to play his DS while he slept!

Now, onto tonights scheming....to be continued!

 

[DCbride]

We decorated the tree last night and DD4 found our newest tradition on her book. She could not wait to read the book but isn't quite sure about the elf. We might stick with hiding her each morning for this year. (She loves the disney characters in the park but screamed when she saw Ronald McDonald for the first time in the fall )

I really wish I bought one of the plush ones. But our store didn't have it. We got the traditional one, which I must admit isn't all that cute...all they had left were the blue-eyed brown hair and no skirts. (I made one very quickly last night)

 

[dizneechic]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet... on Friday night on CBS they had an Elf on the Shelf special. The episode is live online now so you (or the kids) can watch it in full.
http://www.cbs.com/shows/holiday_central/video/2170254081/elf-on-the-shelf-an-elf-s-story
Minniebeth, this may be great for your dd. The Elf arrives for them in the mail and shows them in stores etc vs magically appearing (they are alive at Santas workshop before being packaged up). The elder child in the story also is at the point of not believing anymore and it's the elfs mission to make him believe again.
As the mom of a 4th grader who tells me he still believes (although I question) I wanted to preview it before letting my kids watch because I wanted to make sure the special was in line with what we did with our elf. Needless to say its been watched several times here already, all 3 of mine love it.

 

[budafam]

I need to find myself an elf! These are great ideas... I know my kids would love it. Thanks!

 

[100AcreWood]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet... on Friday night on CBS they had an Elf on the Shelf special. The episode is live online now so you (or the kids) can watch it in full.
http://www.cbs.com/shows/holiday_central/video/2170254081/elf-on-the-shelf-an-elf-s-story
Minniebeth, this may be great for your dd. The Elf arrives for them in the mail and shows them in stores etc vs magically appearing (they are alive at Santas workshop before being packaged up). The elder child in the story also is at the point of not believing anymore and it's the elfs mission to make him believe again.
As the mom of a 4th grader who tells me he still believes (although I question) I wanted to preview it before letting my kids watch because I wanted to make sure the special was in line with what we did with our elf. Needless to say its been watched several times here already, all 3 of mine love it.

Oh man! I hate we missed this. It's only showing the hoops and yo full episode on the link you gave. I wonder if they will replay it sometime on CBS?

Our elf, named Yelf showed up holding on to the xbox kinect bar this morning.

 

[dizneechic]

Oh man! I hate we missed this. It's only showing the hoops and yo full episode on the link you gave. I wonder if they will replay it sometime on CBS?

Our elf, named Yelf showed up holding on to the xbox kinect bar this morning.

GAH! It was there last night. Maybe if you check the holiday central page every so often it will come back up:
http://www.cbs.com/shows/holiday_central/

 

[QVCshopper]

We watched the elf show last night with the link above. Thanks! It was cute, and the kids liked it more than the Jingle show from Hallmark.

Anyway, our elf wrapped up toilet paper and tissues last night with cute toy bows. The kids thought they were getting gifts, it was fun. Not sure what he's doing tonight. I had a calendar done starting Dec 1 of his elfcapades, but they remembered he came last year after thanksgiving, so I need more ideas!

 

[Axelrodb1]

Hey Everyone! We have never had an elf, my son is 6 and I think he would love it! Any ideas how to introduce the idea, and start this whole thing off? I am pretty creative and with help from this thread can come up with funny things for the elf to do at night, but how to I get it all started? Aside from finding an elf somewhere of course!

 

[budafam]

I just went to the thrift store and found a stuffed elf for 50 cents I also got a reindeer that I may introduce a few days into it all (the reindeer might have to keep an eye on the elf since he's being so naughty but I'm sure the two of them will be doing many sassy things together). I'm so excited for this!!!

I'm going to set the elf out on the kitchen table with a note from Santa for December 1st morning. Thanks for all the great ideas!

 

[BabyZsMom]

I CANNOT WAIT TO GET ZACHARY HIS FIRST ELF!

I've secretly told my Mother that I would like an elf to give Zachary next year (He's due to be here 2/14/12)

Can't wait to see what all you guys are doing!

 

[Becc1]

This is our first year with our elf Kringle and we are just having so much fun with him! My MIL bought him and wanted to see the kids reaction to him so we started about a week before Thanksgiving while she was visiting. My 7 yr old was having some doubts about Kringle so the first night we had a bit of fun with him. Needless to say he is a believer now

Kringle toilet papered DS's side of the room!

Brought the kids a game from the North Pole and played a game with Minnie

Got a sugar high from too much candy and was swinging from the ceiling fan cord

Brought some ornaments from the NP and decorated the basement tree

Doing a little math work

Ready for a game of catch with my DS16

Hitching a ride from some ponies

I got alot of ideas from these boards and can't wait to do more!

 

[kldmom2000]

Our elves, Charlie and Holly, should be coming back tomorrow... both of my girls are absolutely dying to have them back! I'm just trying to figure out how they're going to make their re-appearance this time

 

[dizneechic]

Our elves, Charlie and Holly, should be coming back tomorrow... both of my girls are absolutely dying to have them back! I'm just trying to figure out how they're going to make their re-appearance this time

Ours come back tomorrow (or Dec 1st) as well. Typically Percy (our elf) shows up on the top of our xmas tree with the book left out underneath. The kids have been so anxious for him to come back, each morning they have run down and looked at the tree and been like "awwww". I liked the pp's idea of the stockings too...

 

[Kanga+2Roos]

Wow, Becc1, I'm impressed--very cool ideas! You've had a busy elf in the first week! And BabyZsMom--you are definitely a planner! Too cute planning for your first elf already! Just watch & learn...you won't regret starting the Elf tradition!

As far as how to introduce the elf for the FIRST time--I didn't pick up the book, Santa just sent a letter letting us know we were chosen for a very special "elf-in-training" program & not every house is lucky enough to be picked for it. Anyways, the letter said we would be getting two elf brothers & Santa had them identified by a number (which were each of the boys birthdates reversed) & they were given the responsibility of naming the elf for Santa. A few days after the letter the elfs appeared & the rest is history!

Sunday night my crew got wild at bedtime & wouldn't go to sleep so I gave them the warning that the elfs wouldn't be able to leave their stockings to play if mine wouldn't go to bed. Well, they didn't listen & were pretty upset that the elfs didn't do anything that night, they couldn't believe that the elfs listened to me--lets just say last night was much easier getting them off to bed! This morning they found the elfs playing with their Pokemon cards & they each had a new pack of cards for them. Big hit!

I have to say I love the ideas of wrapping up TP & tissues one morning...that'll be a kodak moment! I am definitely doing the idea of wrapping up the remotes one night too since DH & the boys are constantly fighting over them. I think tonight we're going to use the idea from someone else to draw smiley faces on all the bottles/jars in the fridge. Now I have to track down my sharpies! Keep the ideas coming!

 

[tinkerpea]

Hi all I'm from the uk & until I came on did boards I never knew that there was actual elves you could get with the intentions of doing all this stuff! For the last 3 yrs I have had the elf ( a different one each yr) come by and keep watch on my 3 boys! Our elf always left a few treats but his main purpose was actually to make sure the boys was extra good in the run up to Xmas, we have a reward chart but before we started that we used to have the elf mark off on the door of the advent calendar with a sticker or a cross, for bad days & good days on each child's calendar, they would always get a warning when messing up that the elf is watching( our elf has never shown himself as I didn't know about the whole elf toy thing) and so it really helped with my autistic son getting his good day goals ......the more stickers they got the more Xmas presents Santa sent them! Now that my boys are older 6,6,& 9 I'm worried the 9 yr old like other posters is going to soon stop believing so I'm so pleased I've found this thread as I'm going to start the mischief this yr as well as the treats! I do love all things like this & so because we have done things different I'm going to pinch a PP idea of them being sent a elf in training that way I can intruduce him & the boys will know why other familys and children at their school do not have one many parent around here dont do half the things I do, and even hubby at first thought I was mad till u showed him this thread so we start our of with our normal elf that does not show himself( I'm going out to buy our elf tomorrow!) with him giving the children the home made calendar..... We went everywhere tonight looking for some calendars knowing everywhere was sold out so that it would be more of a surprise when they wake up & find the elf has made one due to us trying to buy one too late! They all went to bed gutted at not having one anyways sorry for long post I get carried away xx

 

[QVCshopper]

I came up with a new one. Our elf is going to have a mishap down the stairs and get an Ace bandage wrapped around him. Then, he might leave new bandaids in cute designs... we're running low on bandaids since the kids think every little invisible scrape needs one.

Tonight, though, is easy--advent calendars. Oh, and he brought them really nice Mr. Sketch smelly markers and colored a little, too. Those have been a huge hit! I had the same type when I was little; the only thing is that my kids keep smelling them and accidentally coloring their noses.

 

[100AcreWood]

This morning our elf was found in the kitchen pantry next to a bag of candy cane flavor hershey kisses. You know those elves and their love of peppermint! Anyway, he was surrounded by wrappers. My oldest found him and said gee, maybe we better write Santa a note and tell him you've been the bad one.

 

[Charitycase20]

I went out today at lunchtime a bought our elf. He's kind creepy looking but we'll see how it works! I've even threatened to cancel our January WDW trip if G & Z can't be good. I swear, those kids are driving me batty!!