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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Elf on the Shelf Ideas

It's almost time for our Elf to make his arrival (he comes the morning after Thanksgiving at our house) and I've already started thinking and planning out what he's going to "do" every night.   If I don't plan it he ends up hiding in our cereal boxes or peeking out of a stocking more mornings than I'd like :)  

I would say we're "mid-range" Elf on the shelf people.  I like for the elf to do fun and cute things for the kids, but I'm not making him tiny props or knitting him clothing or anything like that (although I'd love to be those people... it's usually a time issue with me. hahaha).

Anyway, I thought today I'd share a few of my favorite (EASY!) things our Elf, Buddy, did last year.

Luke woke up one morning and found that Buddy had crepe papered him in his room!!!  He had to "bust out" and he loved it.  I'm pretty sure that this year Buddy will be crepe papering the boys room door and our bedroom door (with signs so they know who gets to bust through each one - hahaha)

Buddy picked up the ingredients to make a "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake.  I think that Buddy may take this one step further and pick up cute little "Happy Birthday" plates, napkins and balloons and we'll throw a whole party one night :)

If Buddy doesn't have anything "cool" to do that night he likes to hide and have a little countdown sign to tell the kiddos how many more sleeps it is until Christmas morning.

This has happened every year, but Buddy likes to decorate one of the little trees I have on our front hall table with Luke's underwear.  Always a hit!

Now that Luke's a little older, we're going to be incorporating some daily "missions" and "service" tasks into our advent coundtown and I think that Buddy will probably be incorporated into that as well. (i.e. He'll have a bag of change to add to the money we're collecting for a charity or he'll have a big box with instructions to fill it with old toys for donation, or he'll have a stack of the cards from church for us to pass out inviting our neighbors to church, etc.).  I also like to plan out fun things for the kids to do every day and Buddy will probably be helping with those as well (i.e. he'll have the craft supplies out on the day we're going to make our nativity scene or be all tangled up in ribbon when we make ornaments, etc., etc.).  Two birds with one stone, right!?!?

Anyway, I'm always looking for fun ideas - so if you have a great one (or two!) leave me a comment.

If you're curious about what our elf has been up to the past few years here are a few posts to check out:


Buddy the Elf 2011 , more 2011, more 2011

6 comments :

  1. I don't think you're busy enough already, so could you maybe come to my house between the hours of 2 and 3 a.m. and put my Elf in a cute spot. If I counted how many times our elf hung out of a stocking, eek! I've gotta get creative this year!!

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  2. The crepe paper-ing the doorway is really fun,
    and the Happy Birthday Jesus cake/party is such a cute idea!
    I like that the elf is encouraging service projects as well ;)
    www.floralandfudge.blogspot.com

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  3. I love these ideas! Especially the one about him helping Luke with missions and service tasks. I just wrote a post on Elf on the Shelf - you inspired me with your North pole breakfast idea. :)

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  4. I've decided you are not a real human. You must be a robot woman who runs on nuclear energy. Whatever you are, your kids are going to remember a magical childhood.

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  5. Carter still talks about the underwear on the Christmas tree from 2 years ago. Yes, that's one of our favorites! But I'm with you...several times I'm throwing him up on a chandelier right before Carter looks for him! Eek!

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  6. I love the cake dome with how many days til Christmas idea. I like different but not tiring ideas.

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