Elf on the Shelf ideas: 100 ideas for every night of December
One hundred ideas for the elf, sorted by type and effort, with a night-by-night plan for December 2026, the props worth keeping in one box and the official rules in three lines.
The elf needs a new spot for 24 mornings in December 2026, from Tuesday 1 to Thursday 24 December, and six of those mornings fall on a weekend. Below are 100 Elf on the Shelf ideas sorted by type and a night-by-night plan that keeps the bigger set-ups for weekends. The props for most of them come from the kitchen drawer or our Kids and Elf collection.
How Elf on the Shelf works: the three rules
The tradition comes from The Elf on the Shelf, a 2005 picture book by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell. A Scout Elf watches the family by day, flies to the North Pole each night to report to Santa, and lands in a new spot before the children wake. Three rules from the book and the official Elf on the Shelf site shape every set-up:
- Don’t touch the elf, or it may lose its magic.
- The elf watches and listens, so children can tell it their news and their wishes for Santa.
- The elf goes back to the North Pole on Christmas Eve to help Santa prepare for next Christmas.
Touched it by accident? The official site suggests a letter of apology to Santa or a pinch of cinnamon next to the elf, never on it. Singing a Christmas song together near the elf also helps. There is no fixed arrival date: the official site says most elves arrive during Scout Elf Return Week, from 24 November to 1 December. This plan starts on 1 December, the morning of the first advent calendar door.
A 24-night Elf on the Shelf plan for December 2026
Numbers refer to the ideas further down. School mornings get set-ups of five minutes or less with nothing to sweep before the school run; messier scenes go on the weekends of 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 and 20 December.
| Morning | Idea (number in the list) | Set-up time, approx. |
|---|---|---|
| Tue 1 Dec | Welcome letter (1) | 5 min |
| Wed 2 Dec | Tissue-box bed (8) | 1 min |
| Thu 3 Dec | Shiny shoes (12) | 2 min |
| Fri 4 Dec | Film night (79) | 5 min |
| Sat 5 Dec | Snowball fight (80) | 15 min |
| Sun 6 Dec | Snowflake station (45) | 5 min |
| Mon 7 Dec | Shoe train (74) | 2 min |
| Tue 8 Dec | Mirror message (13) | 1 min |
| Wed 9 Dec | Marshmallow weights (14) | 1 min |
| Thu 10 Dec | Lunch box joke (76) | 2 min |
| Fri 11 Dec | Pants tree (21) | 5 min |
| Sat 12 Dec | Frozen elf (81) | 5 min, plus a night in the freezer |
| Sun 13 Dec | Cards for the neighbours (39) | 5 min |
| Mon 14 Dec | Toilet roll snowman (9) | 2 min |
| Tue 15 Dec | Garland swing (11) | 1 min |
| Wed 16 Dec | Magic eggs, day one (58) | 2 min |
| Thu 17 Dec | Magic eggs, day two (58) | 1 min |
| Fri 18 Dec | Croc-infested waters (23) | 3 min |
| Sat 19 Dec | Fairy-light den (83) | 15 min |
| Sun 20 Dec | Elf bake-off (84) | 10 min |
| Mon 21 Dec | Kindness challenge (36) | 2 min |
| Tue 22 Dec | Zip wire (31) | 5 min |
| Wed 23 Dec | Story time (70) | 3 min |
| Thu 24 Dec | Christmas Eve box (93), goodbye letter that night (94) | 10 min |
Swap any row for a two-minute idea after a late night. Taping the plan inside a cupboard door saves deciding at 11pm.
100 Elf on the Shelf ideas, sorted by type
Numbers run on from group to group, so you can tick ideas off.
Arrival ideas (1 to 6)
- Welcome letter: a short note from the elf asking the children to choose its name and listing the three rules.
- Balloon landing: the elf rides in a paper cup tied under a bunch of balloons on the banister.
- North Pole post: the elf peeps out of a cardboard box marked “Special delivery” with hand-drawn stamps.
- Snowy footprints: tiny flour footprints from the fireplace or front door to the elf.
- Returning elf: a plate of doughnuts and a note reading “Doughnut worry, I’m back”.
- Advent start: the elf on top of the advent calendar, holding the first door shut until breakfast.
Two-minute ideas (7 to 20)
- Flour snow angel: a spoonful of flour on the worktop and the elf lying in it, arms out.
- Tissue-box bed: the elf asleep in a tissue box, with a sock for a duvet.
- Toilet roll snowman: three rolls stacked, a face in felt tip, the elf on top; a pen pushed through the rolls holds the stack.
- Tree hide: the elf tucked among the baubles, deep in the branches for older children, at the front for toddlers.
- Garland swing: the elf sitting on a garland or a string of fairy lights as if mid-swing.
- Shiny shoes: school shoes wrapped in kitchen foil, with a note saying the elf has polished them.
- Mirror message: “Good morning” or a smiley face on the bathroom mirror in toothpaste or dry-wipe pen.
- Marshmallow weights: two marshmallows on a paper straw as a barbell, the elf mid-lift.
- Biscuit raid: the elf half inside the biscuit tin, with a few crumbs around it.
- Sleep countdown: the sleeps left to Christmas written on the toilet roll.
- Stocking peep: the elf hanging out of a stocking on the mantelpiece.
- Chilling out: the elf on a fridge shelf with a sign reading “Just chilling”.
- Elfie: a selfie of the elf set as the lock screen on a parent’s phone.
- Bookworm: the elf reading a Christmas book by torchlight under a cushion.
For more set-ups in this style, our list of easy Elf on the Shelf ideas sorts them by the time they take.
Funny ideas (21 to 34)
- Pants tree: underpants and socks hung on the Christmas tree as baubles.
- Toilet roll storm: the banister wrapped in toilet roll, with the elf holding the end.
- Croc-infested waters: Crocs floating in the bath, a “Beware of the crocs” sign and the elf safe on the edge.
- Nose rejection area: a half-grated carrot next to the grater, with a note: “Choosing a nose for the snowman”.
- Fruit bowl faces: faces drawn on bananas, satsumas and eggs in felt tip.
- Googly eyes: self-adhesive googly eyes on family photos, the fruit and the kettle.
- Photo moustaches: moustaches drawn on the glass of family photos with a dry-wipe pen, never on the print.
- Frozen peas: peas spelling “Oops I pea’d” on the kitchen table.
- Reindeer droppings: a trail of chocolate raisins behind a toy reindeer, the elf holding a dustpan.
- Stilts: the elf’s legs pushed into two wrapping paper tubes, with a pair of shoes at the bottom.
- Zip wire: string tied from the banister to a chair, with the elf hanging from a candy cane.
- Elf in jail: the elf under an upturned glass jar with a sign saying “Caught being naughty”.
- Strictly judge: the elf holding paper score paddles in front of two dolls mid-dance.
- Sticky-note attack: a bedroom door covered in sticky notes, each with a cracker joke.
Our funny Elf on the Shelf ideas sort the jokes by age, from slapstick for toddlers to puns for older children.
Kind and helpful elf ideas (35 to 44)
- Breakfast is served: the table laid with bowls, spoons and a jug of milk.
- Kindness challenge: one kind thing to do today, such as helping a sibling or phoning a grandparent.
- Toy donation box: the elf on an empty box, asking the children to pick toys for a charity shop.
- Food bank bag: a shopping bag and a note asking the children to pick tins for a food bank.
- Cards for the neighbours: card, pens and the names of two neighbours who live alone.
- Bird feeder kit: a pine cone, string and a fat-and-seed mix for the garden birds.
- Thank-you card: a card to tape to the wheelie bin for the bin collectors.
- Tidy-up mission: the elf buried in the toy box with a sign reading “Help, I can’t find the floor”.
- Compliment jar: slips of paper for everyone to write something nice about each other.
- Letter to Santa kit: writing paper, an envelope and a pen laid out with the elf.
Crafts and activities for the morning (45 to 54)
- Snowflake station: paper, child-safe scissors and one finished snowflake by the elf.
- Colouring morning: printed Christmas colouring pages and a pot of pencils.
- Salt dough: a bowl of dough, cutters and a request for new tree decorations.
- Window art: window pens and a half-drawn snow scene on the glass.
- Paper chains: strips of coloured paper and a glue stick, the elf holding the first few links.
- Card factory: blank cards and stickers to make Christmas cards for teachers.
- Pasta garland: string and dried pasta tubes to thread and paint.
- Elf report card: a form for the children to fill in about the elf’s behaviour.
- Treasure hunt: a clue in the elf’s hands, and three or four more leading to a treat.
- Spot the elf: a riddle the children solve to find where the elf is hiding.
Food and kitchen ideas (55 to 64)
- Sprinkle angel: a snow angel made in hundreds and thousands on a plate.
- Toastie: the elf wrapped in a slice of bread, with a note: “I was cold, now I’m toasty”.
- Green milk: a drop of green food colouring in the milk, the elf next to the bottle.
- Magic eggs: day one, eggs in egg cups and sprinkles to scatter over them; day two, chocolate eggs in their place.
- Campfire: the elf toasting a marshmallow on a cocktail stick over an LED tea light, never a real flame.
- Gone fishing: a candy cane rod dangling into a bowl of sweets.
- Christmas tree farm: tree-shaped jelly sweets in rows with a “Pick your own” sign.
- Hot chocolate bar: mugs, hot chocolate and marshmallows ready for after school.
- Gingerbread workshop: plain gingerbread men and icing pens, one already decorated.
- Breakfast message: a word spelled in letter-shaped cereal on the table.
Toy and LEGO scenes (65 to 72)
- Card game: the elf and three teddies playing cards for chocolate coins.
- Sleepover: a row of toys tucked into socks as sleeping bags.
- Road trip: the elf at the wheel of a toy car or train, with teddies as passengers.
- Rescue mission: action figures freeing the elf, tied up in ribbon on a high shelf.
- Igloo: the elf inside an igloo built from white LEGO bricks.
- Story time: the elf reading a Christmas book to a circle of soft toys.
- Sack race: toys standing in paper bags at a ribbon start line.
- Board game: the elf halfway up a snakes and ladders board, dice in hand.
School-morning ideas (73 to 78)
- Bag stickers: a few Christmas stickers on the school bag, if the school allows them.
- Shoe train: everyone’s shoes lined up nose to tail, the elf in the front one with an “All aboard” sign.
- Christmas Jumper Day: the elf in a tiny jumper next to a note reminding everyone to wear theirs.
- Lunch box joke: the elf by the lunch boxes, a cracker joke folded into each.
- Spelling help: this week’s spellings written on sticky notes around the elf.
- Nativity good luck: a good-luck card on the day of the school nativity or carol concert.
Weekend set pieces (79 to 86)
- Film night: the elf on the sofa with popcorn, a blanket and a note choosing tonight’s Christmas film.
- Snowball fight: two teams of toys behind cushion walls, with cotton wool snowballs everywhere.
- Frozen elf: the elf sealed in a freezer bag and frozen into a tub of water overnight, for the children to free with warm water.
- Gingerbread house: an unbuilt kit on the table, with the elf as site manager.
- Fairy-light den: a blanket den lit with fairy lights, the elf inside with a torch and a book.
- Elf bake-off: the ingredients for mince pies or biscuits set out, the elf in a napkin apron.
- Obstacle course: cushions and plastic cups laid out, the elf holding a stopwatch.
- Photo booth: paper hats, moustaches on sticks and a frame for family photos.
Classroom and office elf ideas (87 to 92)
- Sticky-note bandit: a kind message on every desk.
- Reading elf: the elf with a book, a bookmark and a recommendation for the class.
- Marshmallow maths: silly sums on the whiteboard, with marshmallows to count.
- Pencil trail: a line of pencils from the door to the elf in the stock cupboard.
- Tea point: the elf in the mug cupboard, tea bags spelling out the date of the Christmas party.
- Secret Santa guard: the elf sitting on the Secret Santa box with a “No peeking” sign.
Goodbye ideas for Christmas Eve (93 to 100)
- Christmas Eve box: pyjamas, a film and hot chocolate, delivered by the elf in one of our Christmas Eve boxes.
- Goodbye letter: a thank-you note that names one kind thing each child did in December.
- Packed and ready: the elf with a tiny bag and a sign reading “Flight to the North Pole: tonight”.
- Reindeer food: a small bag of reindeer food for the children to scatter on the lawn at bedtime.
- Santa’s tray: a plate set for a mince pie, a carrot and a drink, waiting to be filled.
- Family photo: the elf holding a photo of the family and a note: “See you next year”.
- Last gift: a small present such as a book, left in the elf’s favourite spot.
- Empty spot: on Christmas morning the elf has gone, leaving a dusting of flour snow and a tiny note.
Elf on the Shelf props worth keeping in one box
Most of the 100 ideas draw on the same small stock of props. Put it in a shoebox in November and the nightly job takes minutes:
- Kitchen: flour, sprinkles, marshmallows, food colouring, kitchen foil.
- Stationery: sticky notes, a dry-wipe pen, felt tips, string, sticky tape.
- Craft: cotton wool, googly eyes, coloured paper, a glue stick.
- Elf-sized extras: a doll’s outfit, a tiny bag, LED tea lights, printed notes.
Miniature props, outfits and ready-made kits are in our Elf on the Shelf accessories, and the wider Kids and Elf range adds Christmas Eve boxes and gingerbread house kits.
Elves Behavin' Badly
Girl elf with hat, red plush body and long legs, vinyl face, 30 cm
The Elf on the Shelf
Elf on the Shelf box set, girl Scout Elf with blue eyes and storybook
The Elf on the Shelf
Elf Pets Arctic Fox plush with storybook and adoption certificate
How to keep the elf going for 24 nights
- Set a phone alarm for 9pm labelled “Elf”: it saves the 7am panic.
- Keep messy ideas (flour, water, toilet roll) for Friday and Saturday nights.
- With under-3s in the house, keep googly eyes, mini marshmallows and other small items out of reach, as they are a choking risk.
- With a dog in the house, keep chocolate and raisins off the floor: both are toxic to dogs.
- Never put the elf near the hob, inside the washing machine or tumble dryer, or next to a real candle or a hot bulb.
- Photograph each set-up: next year the album shows what you have done.
- Forgot to move it? The elf can stay put with a note saying it liked the view, or move while the children are at school.
Give older children a job: a child who has worked out who moves the elf can become its assistant for younger siblings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Elf on the Shelf idea?
The ideas children talk about for days are the ones they take part in: freeing a frozen elf with warm water, magic eggs that turn into chocolate overnight, or a treasure hunt that ends at the elf. On a school night, the best idea is any set-up that takes two minutes, such as the elf asleep in a tissue box.
What are the three rules of Elf on the Shelf?
Nobody touches the elf, because a touch can drain its magic; the elf watches and listens, then reports to Santa every night; and it flies back to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. If the first rule gets broken, the official remedies are a sorry letter to Santa, cinnamon sprinkled beside the elf or a Christmas song sung together.
When should the Elf on the Shelf arrive?
There is no fixed date. The official site says most elves arrive during Scout Elf Return Week, from 24 November to 1 December. A 1 December start matches the first advent calendar door, which in 2026 means placing the elf on the night of Monday 30 November. Some families start a few days earlier so the elf can deliver the advent calendar itself.
Does the elf leave on Christmas Eve morning or night?
Usually at night. The official rule only says Christmas Eve, so the elf can spend the morning of 24 December in its last spot and leave once the children are asleep. Christmas morning then shows an empty spot and a goodbye note.
How do I make a homemade Elf on the Shelf?
A wooden peg doll makes a simple body: paint a face, glue on a red felt tunic and a pointed felt hat, and twist a pipe cleaner round it for arms that bend. A child’s red sock stuffed with cotton wool and tied at the neck also works. A homemade elf can follow the same rules as a shop-bought one.
What can I do instead of Elf on the Shelf?
A family activity calendar gives the same daily surprise without a toy watching anyone: write one small activity per day, such as a film, a walk to see the lights or a card for a neighbour, and seal each slip in a numbered envelope. A reverse advent calendar, where you add one item a day to a box for the food bank, is another option.
What are some easy return ideas for an Elf on the Shelf?
A returning elf can arrive with a pun, such as a plate of doughnuts and a note reading “Doughnut worry, I’m back”. It can also turn up in a cardboard box postmarked from the North Pole, or with a postcard telling the children what it did all year. All three take under five minutes.
What Elf on the Shelf ideas suit young children?
For under-5s, keep the elf in sight at their eye level and choose gentle scenes: reading to the teddies, asleep in a tissue box, swinging on the garland. Skip small parts within reach, such as googly eyes or mini marshmallows, and anything that might upset a nervous child, like the elf in jail.
