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Elf on the Shelf Ideas
Twenty-five elf setups built from candy, toilet paper and toys you likely already have in the house.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
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Two of these sources, Madison Mom and New Orleans Mom, each list 40 ideas, and Madison Mom recommends planning all 25 days at once so no night feels overwhelming. Her list of props to keep on hand is short: a Sharpie, marshmallows, chocolate chips, Hershey Kisses, Skittles, M&M's, toilet paper and string. This list pulls 25 setups from all four sources that use those kinds of household things. It assumes you already have an elf and leaves out anything that needs a bought kit, elaborate crafts or a big cleanup. Lori Pickens suggests saving longer setups for weekends.
Why these items are on the list
- Spell a message in candy. Madison Mom spells DID YOU MISS ME? in M&M's, Hershey Kisses or Skittles.
- Make a Skittles rainbow. Ring a plate's edge with Skittles, pour warm water in the middle; Madison Mom's favorite.
- Roast marshmallows for s'mores. Marshmallows on a fork by an unlit candle, with graham crackers and Hershey bars left out.
- Take a marshmallow bubble bath. Fill a bowl or sink with marshmallows; Lori Pickens uses a crockpot instead.
- Make a sprinkle snow angel. New Orleans Mom suggests sprinkles, sugar or chocolate chips; Madison Mom does it in a pan.
- TP the Christmas tree. Toilet paper around the tree appears on Madison Mom and Thrifty and Chic.
- Stack a toilet paper snowman. Three stacked rolls with paper eyes and nose, noted by Madison Mom and New Orleans Mom.
- Zip line across the room. Tie a string from a light to the wall; Thrifty and Chic uses a candy cane.
- Hide candy canes to find. Leave the elf in the empty box with a note saying how many to find.
- Play tic tac toe. Madison Mom draws X's and O's on marshmallows with a Sharpie.
- Set up a board game. Candyland with Barbies, action figures or other toys, suggested by Madison Mom and New Orleans Mom.
- Make a Hot Wheels snowman. New Orleans Mom arranges the cars as a snowman, Christmas tree or present.
- Draw faces on the eggs. Madison Mom uses a Sharpie; New Orleans Mom colors the fridge eggs with markers.
- Pour a glass of elf milk. Label the carton ELF MILK and tint the glass with green food coloring.
- Scatter Band-Aids on the counter. New Orleans Mom spreads a box over the bathroom counter, some stuck to the elf.
- Hang underwear on the tree. New Orleans Mom adds an I see London, I see France sign.
- Spell words with Scrabble tiles. Thrifty and Chic has the elf steal the Scrabble game and make words.
- Sit by the butter dish. New Orleans Mom's sign reads You BUTTER watch out, you BUTTER not cry.
- Drum on canned goods. New Orleans Mom uses a row of cans with crayons as drumsticks.
- Build a shoe train. Line up the family's shoes with an All aboard the shoe shoe train sign.
- Ask for a drawing for Santa. Leave crayons and paper with a note saying Santa loves their pictures.
- Help wrap presents. Thrifty and Chic shows the elf trying to help wrap, and wrapping small presents.
- Take a selfie on a device. Thrifty and Chic turns it on in the morning so the kids see the selfie.
- Camp in a graham cracker tent. Thrifty and Chic pairs the graham cracker tent with roasting marshmallows.
- Arrive on a paper airplane. Lori Pickens lists it among arrival ideas, alongside arriving in a gift box.
The source posts are long photo galleries you scroll through at midnight. Here you can tick off each idea once the elf has done it, so nothing repeats, and share the list with whoever else is hiding the elf that night.
When to use it
Plan it before the elf arrives, whether that is the Friday after Thanksgiving or December 1st.