This post is all about Elf on the Shelf ideas to recreate for the festive season.
Your Elf on the Shelf has arrived and is ready to cause mayhem this Christmas! Whether you’re looking for funny, ridiculous, quick, easy or interactive Elf on the Shelf ideas, you’ll find them in these 50 hiding places!
But first, let’s briefly go over what Elf on the Shelf is and the rules!
What is Elf on the Shelf?
Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas tradition centered around Scout Elves who help Santa know which children have been naughty and nice. From Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, the elves visit children in their homes, report to Santa every day then finally return to the North Pole until the next holiday season!
This tradition comes from the storybook “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition” which arrives with the Elf.
Elf on the Shelf: A Quick Rules Guide
- Give your Elf a name – If it’s your first year of having an Elf, get your little one(s) to name them!
- Don’t touch your Elf – If the little one(s) touch the elf, then it’ll lose its magic and won’t be able to report to Santa, meaning no presents for anyone! If the elf is touched, the children can either write a note to Santa apologizing for touching the Elf, sprinkle cinnamon on it or sing a Christmas carol to restore its magic!
- Your elf can’t talk, but they can listen – Scout elves are great listeners so the little one(s) can share their secrets and wishes with them as much as they like.
- The elf only moves when children are asleep – Each night from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, the elf moves to a new location in the home after reporting to Santa.
- The elf returns to the North Pole on Christmas Eve – This is so they can help Santa to prepare for next year.
Adopt your own Elf on the Shelf
If it’s your first year of having an Elf, make sure to adopt your own Elf on the Shelf before Thanksgiving so it can arrive in its keepsake box in time!
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The Elf on the Shelf
Now that you know the Elf on the Shelf rules and have adopted your Elf, here are 50 funny and ridiculous Elf on the Shelf ideas to recreate!
Elf on the Shelf Arrival Ideas
1. Hot air balloon delivery
Have your elf arrive elegantly on a red hot air balloon sent directly from the North Pole!
2. Arrival letter
For a quick, last minute elf on the shelf arrival idea, have your elf hold a special delivery arrival letter!
3. Delivery presents
This is an exciting elf on the shelf arrival idea for the kids as they also get early presents too!
Deliver your elf in a green parcel with a delivery letter and small presents for the kids! The presents can be as simple as an advent calendar, a pair of Christmas PJs or a Christmas book!
4. Arrive with peace and love
Have your elf arrive with style by dressing him up in a peace and love sweater and glasses!
5. Elfazon delivery arrival
This is a simple yet fun elf on the shelf arrival idea to get the kids excited for Christmas!
Grab a delivery box and paint an “Elfazon” logo on the side. Attach the delivery details and have your elf poking outside of the box, ready to cause some trouble!
6. Arrive on the Christmas tree
This is a simple elf on the shelf arrival idea where you place your elves on the Christmas tree with paper airplanes announcing their arrival!
7. Elf on the reindeer
The elves took a long journey to arrive and brought some gifts! Place your elves on a reindeer (whether a balloon, or plushie) and put some presents on the table for the kids to wake up to!
The presents can be an advent calendar, Christmas PJs, Santa chocolate or Christmassy mugs!
8. Elves arrival package from The Grinch
The elves have arrived but The Grinch stuck them in! Recreate this elf on the shelf arrival idea by putting the elves in plastic bags and having The Grinch placed behind them.
Funny Elf on the Shelf Ideas
9. Hairdresser Elf
Give the kid’s doll a makeover with this elf on the shelf idea by handing your elf a pair of scissors and chopping some of the doll’s hair!
10. For forks sake
Trap your elf on the kitchen cupboard handle and stick forks all over it. This punny elf on the shelf idea will make everyone laugh!
11. Sledding Elf
The elf wants to have some fun and sled down the rails! First, attach 5 candy canes with a hot glue gun to make a sled. Then glue some ribbon as a sled handle.
Next, place your elf on the sled, tape the sled down to the railing and you’ve got a sledding elf!
12. Butt brush
The elves need a good scrub! Since they forgot theirs at the North Pole, have them use your toothbrush instead!
Place your elf on top of a candle and a toothbrush on his butt!
13. Spa treatment
Give your elf a spa treatment by wrapping him in a towel and sitting him down on a mini chair. Place a bowl of soapy water (using marshmallow) to lather his feet and some paper cucumbers on his eyes!
14. Pooing Elves
The elves are feeling naughty! Line up 3 elves inside toilet paper, bending them over. Then place chocolate buttons on the toilet paper and you’ve got some naughty pooing elves!
15. Cereal hoops
This is a funny elf on the shelf idea for the more grown up kids! Line up some boxes of cereal hoops and have your elves facing them while bending down. Add some cereal hoops on their butt and you’ve got elves with cereal hoop bum holes!
16. Sleeping elves
The elves ate what they thought were candy but were hit with tiredness from sleeping pills instead!
Place your elves on the counter sleeping, with one elf sleeping on a melatonin container. Then sprinkle some melatonin gummies around the elves.
Don’t forget the “we thought these were candy zzz zzz zz” sign!
17. Stuck in ice
This is such a funny and creative elf on the shelf idea you could do in the bathroom!
Place a layer of plastic wrap across the bathroom sink and stick one elf through the middle. Add flour and some marshmallows around the elf and around the bathroom sink to make it look like ice and snow! Then place another elf on the tap reaching out to save the elf stuck in ice!
Don’t forget to add the “Danger thin ice” sign!
18. Elf on the refrigerator
This is a funny, quick and easy elf on the shelf idea that will get laughs!
Have your elf attached to the water dispenser on your refrigerator to make it look like he’s peeing every time someone gets a glass of water!
19. Elf on the railroad tracks
The kid’s toys have tied the elf on the railroad tracks!
Place your elf on top of the tracks of your kid’s train set and trap it with some ribbon. Line up your kid’s toys as if they’re watching the elf to make it look like they’re the culprits!
20. Elf ornament
Have your elf become an ornament for the day but wrapping him in floss and hanging him on the Christmas tree!
21. Pead
The elves have “pead!” Have your elves sitting with some peas underneath them! Don’t forget to use the peas to write “oops I pea’d”
22. Tipping elf
This is a funny elf on the shelf idea strictly for the adults in the house! Grab some dolls and place them around the stair spindles as if they’re on a stripper pole. Then have your elf sitting with some money in his hand to tip them!
23. Elf peeing lemonade
The elf is being naughty again!
Have your elf facing the wall with his hands down in front of him. Line up some cups in front of him and pour some Fanta lemon, mustard soda or any yellow colored drink into a few cups to make it look like he peed in them.
Don’t forget the Lemonade sign!
24. Unwell elves
The elves are sick! Wrap them up in a felt sleeping bag with some medicine on the side!
25. Elves playing Uno
Elves love family game night just as much as we do! Have them sit around, playing uno in PJs!
26. Elves in a taco
Simply wrap your elf in a taco with a little joke on top saying “How do tacos say grace? Lettuce pray”
27. No Grinches allowed
The elves aren’t a fan of the Grinch. So have them vandalising a picture of The Grinch with some ketchup.
28. Sneaky elf
Have your elf sneakily steal cookies by stacking some cans and placing him on top, reading into the cookie box or jar!
29. National Cocoa Day stand
Celebrating National Cocoa Day on December 13th? Create a little cocoa stand with some chocolate props and your elf standing in a Christmassy outfit!
30. Elf on skis
Have your elf become a professional skier for the day by putting them on skis. Use two lollipop sticks to attach the legs and use toothpick and marshmallow for the ski poles.
Add some flour on the table so that the elf is skiing in the snow!
31. Bow climbing Elf
Give your elf a workout by making him climb on bows! Stick some Christmas bows on the wall, tie your elf up with string and attach his feet and legs to on the bows to make him climb.
32. Lion King Scene
Recreate the iconic Lion King scene by having a big elf hold a little elf on a large Christmas present. Then gather all the kids’ animal toys to watch the elves!
33. Decorating Elf
Having an extra pair of hands to help decorate the Christmas tree is always a plus! Have your elf decorating your Christmas tree by standing them on top of Christmas wrapping paper roll so they can reach!
34. Hostage elf
The milk has gone bad and it’s kept the elf hostage! Draw an angry face on the milk carton and have it hold a toy gun then and tie up the elf in ribbon!
35. Humpty Dumpty
Everyone knows the story of Humpty Dumpty and the elf is here to give the Christmas addition! Have the elf hold the Humpty Dumpty story with one egg dressed up and placed on a wooden blocks and a cracked egg at the bottom.
Make sure to put this on tinfoil to avoid mess on the counter!
36. Dog walking elf
Wanna take the kids’ toy dogs out for a walk? Your elf can do that!
Have your elf sitting on a stand, holding green and silver pipe cleaners as a leash for the kids’ toy dogs. Then create a sign all about your elf walking the dogs!
Quick and Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas
37. Elf in a snowman
Grab 3 toilet paper rolls, draw snowman buttons on two and a snowman face on the third one. Then stack the first two on top of each other and place your elf inside. Raise the elf’s hands and place the snowman head on top, making it look as if he’s lifting it off.
Don’t forget to add a plushie watching the elf reveal himself! You can use a reindeer, another elf, Santa or an angel!
38. Elf in the refrigerator
The elf is cold inside the refrigerator! Wrap him in a towel to keep him warm!
39. Cooking Elf
Maybe the kids fancy eggs in the morning? Get your elf to chef them up some (Haribo) eggs in a pan! Don’t forget the spatula!
40. Toasty elves
The elves are cold! Wrap when in toast so they are warm and “toasty!”
41. Elf in the ball pit
Geranimo! The elf has jumped into a ball pit!
If you’ve got pompoms in the house, then this elf on the shelf idea will take you no more than 5 minutes. Add pompoms into a small container or bucket, place the elf inside and you’re done!
Don’t forget to write a little sign saying “BALL PIT, elves only!”
Interactive Elf on the Shelf Ideas
42. Elves grating chocolate coins
You’ve heard of grating cheese but have you heard of grating money?
The only time grating money should ever be a thing is when the elves are magically turning them into chocolate coins!
Have one elf pretending to grate a dollar bill while the other collects the “grated” chocolate coins for the kids to eat!
43. Elf in a claw machine
The Grinch has stuck the elf in the claw machine! This is a fun and interactive elf on the shelf idea to get the kids winning the elf and some candy!
44. Hidden treat
Have your elf host a hidden treat challenge by sitting on a red cup amongst tons of others faced down. Place a treat (whether a candy, brownie etc) under one of the cups and have the kids guess which cup it’s underneath!
45. Coke and Mentos experiment
Have your elves host the coke and mentos experiment by making them hold packers and Mentos and leaning them on bottles of Coke.
Have the kids put the Mentos inside the Coke bottle and watch it explode!
This is a very messy elf on the shelf idea, so ideally, you’d want to do this on the front porch or in the backyard.
46. Coloring Elves
Have the elves host a cute coloring session to get the kids coloring some books and writing letters to Santa!
47. Skittles magic trick
Have your elf host a magic trick using Skittles! Make a Skittles circle on a small plate and have the kids pour hot water.
Watch the Skittles bleed and create a cool pattern!
48. Festive Tic Tac Toe
The elves want to play! Have them host a North Pole tic tac toe game using Christmas bows!
49. Elf pooseum
The elf has collected samples of poop for his pooseum! Put some elf poo, grinch poo, Santa poo, reindeer poo and snowman poo (using different types of colorful candy) in plastic containers! Label them and hang up a “pooseum” sign with your elf standing next to it.
Whether the kids want to eat the poop is entirely up to them!
50. Drinking challenge
Have the elves host a drinking challenge by lining up 4 types of juices and having the kids guess what each of them are to win a prize!
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