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The Holiday season is truly magical. However, remembering to move that little scout elf every single night for a month, can feel like a full-time job. That is where our list of DIY elf on the shelf ideas can surely come in handy and inspire you this Christmas.
Quick Introducing to The Elf on the Shelf Tradition
What is Elf on the Shelf Exactly?
If you are looking for how to do elf on a shelf, this post can come in handy. For first-timer curious parents, the Elf on the Shelf is a fun Holiday tradition where a scout elf “adopts” a family.
His role is to look after the kids for Santa for the entire month of December. Every night, the elf flies back to the North Pole to report who has been naughty or nice and then hides in a new spot for the children to find the next morning.
The Golden Rule for Using the Christmas Elf
No touching! If the kids touch the Elf, all of his magic goes away, and it won’t be able to fly back to report to Santa. That means you parents will have the responsibility of finding this little guy (or girl) Elf a new hangout spot every morning for the children to find him. Don’t worry, if you get stumped-there are plenty of DIY Elf on The Shelf ideas right here on this post!
Before we get into all the DIY Elf on the Shelf Ideas, if you currently don’t have an Elf of your own and want to get in on the fun, you can find it to purchase here.
Getting Started with DIY Elf on the Shelf Ideas
Adopt your December Scout Elf
When you receive your new elf addition, you’ll want to give him or her a name! (yes, they have girl elves too!) Now your elf is ready for spy duty and can start their job reporting to Santa each night and make his official arrival in your home.
DIY Elf on the Shelf Ideas & Inspiration
Creative Printable & Props for DIY Elf on the Shelf Ideas
Kids love to see what the elf on the shelf is up to and let’s face it, sometimes they’re up to a bit of harmless trouble. These funny and mischievously silly setups are guaranteed to bring out the morning giggles. Here’s for those 24 consecutive days of Elf on the Shelf antics.
The Ultimate Grand Arrival: Free Printable Shipping Label
The first day of December sets the tone for the entire month. Instead of just sitting elf on the counter, make that elf arrival an official event with a free printable North Pole shipping label.
Using a realistic shipping label makes it look like the elf was officially dispatched by Santa Claus himself and sent as an overnight delivery.
How to Get Your Free Printable North Pole Shipping Label
DIY Elf on the Shelf Ideas: Printable Postage Delivery
To get your free printable shipping label, you’ll just need to click the free printable button at the bottom of this post and download your freebie!
Once you have your digital download, then simply print the file. It’s super simple. To learn more, you can read our helpful “what are printables?” guide.
DIY Package Instructions
Download and print the Elf on the Shelf printable
Prepare a package: You can look for a cardboard box lying around your house or pick up a bubble mailer if you don’t have anything on hand to use.
Disclaimer: We used a Priority Mail envelope we already had lying around the house for this staging idea. Don’t go to the post office to grab a free priority envelope just for this craft-they are technically only for actual paid shipping. Use a plain brown box, a regular envelope, or an old Amazon mailer instead!
Attach the Label: Cut out the shipping label and tape it securely to the top of the box or envelope.
Add Any details: Use a pen or black marker to put your child’s name on the package. You can also lightly dust the box or package with faux snow or glitter or an authentic touch.
The setup: Place your elf inside the box or envelope with their head peeking out. You could also leave the package sealed on the doorstep for your kids to find in the morning.
Make a DIY Elf on the Shelf Mask Prop
Catching the North Pole Sniffles! A Sick Day
Sometimes your Elf flies back from the North Pole with a major case of the winter shivers. If your holiday visitor starts coughing or sneezing, it’s time to mask up! Putting a DIY mask on your Elf is a hilarious way to show them doing their part to keep their germs to themselves so the rest of the family stays healthy for Christmas.
The Setup: Prop your masked Elf next to a hand sanitizer, a box of tissues, or leave a sick note. The note can say something like “Achoo! I brought back some North Pole germs, so i’m wearing my mask to keep you safe and healthy! I’ll be resting right here for 24 hours to recharge my magic.”
Here’s how to make the DIY Elf mask using supplies you probably already have on hand at home. All the elf mask is, is a dryer sheet and elastic cord (the kind you see stretched around gifts).
Supplies Needed to Make the Tiny Face Mask
Used Dryer Sheet
Scissors
Pen
The Quick Instructions for a Face Mask Prop
From the outside edge of your dryer sheet cut out a half circle.
Hold it up to your Elf to make sure you’re happy with the size.
Using a ink pen, poke two holes in the corners. Stay clear from the edge as it will tear easy.
Wrap your cord around his head to get a fitting. Allow yourself some extra cord because you will need to make a knot and will need a little wiggle room to stretch over his face. You may have to play with it little to find the perfect size.
Slide your mask on the cord through the holes. Tie your knots.
Cut off the excess cord.
Tip: Carefully bring the mask forward and up over his eyes before you stretch the back part up on his head. This will eliminate any tearing when you’re stretching to fit.
When adjusting the mask, if the pointy sides pop out just smooth them back down on his face.
More Creative DIY Elf on the Shelf Ideas & Scenarios
Festive DIY Elf on the Shelf Ideas Using Props at Home
The Elf on the Shelf Arrives Hungry
Elves get hungry too, especially arriving from that long trip from up North! He’s definitely worked up an Elf-etite!
Whose Getting Coal? Naughty Elf on the Shelf Idea
Your kids will not believe their eyes when they catch Elf on the Shelf white-handed…filling stockings with coal!! He must have been keeping eyes all year to go to these measures!
Burnt Toast Breakfast Elf Idea
Get the kids to find Your Elf making breakfast. How about Burnt toast (or bagels in this case?!!!) Be careful little Elfie doesn’t start any fires when cooking your kids’ breakfast! He’s a terrible cook. I guess he thinks if coffee can be black, then so can a piece of bread. Check that everything has cooled before staging your elf.
If you don’t like burning toast, you could have him make another odd kind of Breakfast using Christmas baking supplies. For example, bagels or pancakes with red and green icing and snowflake sprinkles.
Caught in the Shredder Oops Elf on the Shelf
It’s the first couple of days back. The Elf is already going to need a first aid kit. That could be your next idea. That way, you don’t have to move him due to a hurt leg! Elf on the shelf got his foot stuck in the shredder & trying to pull it back out.
Chick-fil-a Billboard Elf
My kids love Chick-fil-a! Here is the Elf with a Chick-fil-a billboard sign. You could bring home dinner and pose the elf next to the takeout bags. Tell them the Elf brought everyone dinner on his way to your house from the North Pole or that it’s a reward for the good behavior he’s been seeing lately! I used a letterboard, mini ladder, and a cute little toy farm cow. Also, to make it look like a billboard, I placed two wooden salt and pepper shakers underneath to raise it up.
Shark Bite
Back to needing that first aid, oh golly, hope this wasn’t the same leg in the shredder or that Elf is in deep water! (pun intended LOL). This DIY elf on the shelf idea would be so cute if left with a little note by the sink. You could put something like this,
Hello family…I’m back,
Went upstairs to wash up & unpack,
Didn’t know I would become a midnight snack,
& now I’m bleeding from a shark attack!
To create this one, I filled up the sink with a little bit of water. Using a bath toy boat and double-sided tape, I taped a long strip on the back of the boat so it stuck to the sink keeping it from flipping with the elf in it.
I added more tape on his foot, so the shark would remain on the leg, instead of going every which way. The red blood is just red food coloring. I couldn’t capture the full effect with a photo. It was cool seeing the fake blood fritter and mix with the water! You’ll want to add the food coloring right before the kids walk into the room. Just make sure they don’t see you.
Elf Hanging Christmas Lights
This fun DIY Elf on the Shelf Idea has Elf putting up Christmas lights. Let the kids find him hanging lights somewhere in your home! This is so easy to do with string lights. To make him stay in this position. I again, used that good ol’ double-sided tape.
Taco Night “Besties” Elf & Snowman Idea
Super easy DIY Elf on the Shelf idea for family taco night! Elf on the shelf and his snowman creation are “besties”. Re-create this with tortillas, a sauce packet, and a single piece of shredded cheese for the nose. Taco-bout good friends! You could incorporate any fun sayings that you find on the Taco Bell sauce packets.
Phone Booth-Important Phone Call with Santa
At some point, during the month of December, Elf needs to make a call to Santa to “check in”. He lets Santa know any behavior updates! This clever Idea lets your kids know Elf on the shelf does keep in contact in Santa. Santa is just one phone call away! I used a Lantern for the phone booth, a toy phone and printed a small “phone booth” sign.
Elf on the Shelf Shoveling Snow
This one is Elf on shelf shoveling snow in his snow boots. He came prepared for the season! For this cute Idea, I put newborn size boots on the elf that my son once wore (oh, how I miss those days), a toy plastic shovel and a rolled up a spider web into a ball from my Halloween decorations. You could sprinkle faux snow or use flour for a messy scene. Kids love when the Elves make messes.
In order to keep him upright that I used that double-sided tape! I taped his hands to the handle and also put two pieces on the boots and pushed the shovel up against the boots so it would stick and he rested in this position.
Christian Elf on the Shelf Idea-Baby Jesus on Board
What better way to kick off advent then with Elf on the Shelf arriving as a taxi driver transporting Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus to the stable because there’s no room at the Inn. This is great to get children curious about the Christmas story! You could even include scripture readings with this one. Have your nativity shelter handy and the rest of the manger scene characters to have the kids help “make room for Jesus” this Christmas.
Naughty Hot Sauce Elf Scene
Show Elf’s naughty side with him sneaking some Xtra Hot Sauce in the pancake syrup when the kids wake to find him at breakfast!
Funny Elf on the Shelf Eyebrow Wax
Your kiddos haven’t seen their elf in a year! Why not change up his look a little bit? Here, barbie is giving him an eyebrow wax! I achieved this one with double-sided tape as you can tell. A strip of it the Barbie is holding and I cut out eyebrows with the double-sided tape as well and stole beard hair from my husband’s trimmings (HAHA!) and attached it to the tape. I made the eyebrows extra thick by adding some super glue.
You’ll want to wear gloves for this, if you go with the super glue method. After it dried, I trimmed off the excess. You could even give him a cute mustache instead, too.
I have to show you some close ups, I just have to!
I mean, he really needs them brows waxed. If you can’t cut an eyebrow worth a hoot, you can always trace a picture on google and cut it down.
Pun Intended “Deck the Halls” Elf Display
A little cough won’t ruin Elf’s Christmas spirit! Here that little Elf is “Decking the Halls” with Halls cough drops! If your child is sick, this might just cheer them up.
He has quite a sense of humor. Pair this with the DIY Elf mask above, too.
Hot Cocoa Overnight Overload
Elves have over-night watch duty and do not stay in one spot, How do they stay awake? Hot Cocoa! What happens if you drink too much hot cocoa? Elf On The Shelf knows to ask google after he had one too many cups.
To achieve this one, your best bet is to keep the computer from turning off. You will need to adjust the computer’s sleep settings. Switch the screen turn-off time to never (just for one night).
Elf Dinosaur Comedy
Do your kids love Dinosaurs? You should definitely incorporate that! Here is how to have Elf wearing dino feet claw slippers (these are newborn size slippers) and adding his snarky Dinosaur Christmas charm!
Final Thoughts
I hope these DIY Elf on the Shelf Ideas keep your kids on their toes! There’s no telling what that Elf will do next.
Try these great Elf on the Shelf Ideas today! Don’t leave without your free printable Elf on the Shelf shipping label! The perfect way to make it look like an Elf on the Shelf package came-as an overnight delivery-straight to your house to kick off the Christmas Magic!
Click the button below to download our free printable!
Please note: All of our downloadable printables and designs are copyright of DIYCoupleBlog. They are free and intended solely for your personal use (at home or in your classroom) Alteration, redistribution, or commercial resale of these files are strictly prohibited. Thank you for respecting the time and effort put into creating these resources!
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