Elf on the Shelf Ideas: 50 Easy, Funny Setups for December
Looking for Elf on the Shelf ideas you can actually pull off after the kids are in bed? These 50 setups give you a mix of easy hiding spots, funny little scenes and activities to enjoy together through December.
Some take about a minute. Others need a few paper props or toys you already have. Pick the idea that fits tonight, rather than feeling you have to make every morning bigger than the last.
You will also find ideas for the first arrival, toddlers, trips away and the final Christmas Eve goodbye, with links to our more detailed guides when you need them.
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Need something quick? Start with the last-minute, no-mess ideas. Planning ahead? Our 24-day Elf ideas calendar gives you a ready-made December plan.
The times below are rough setup estimates, with supplies ready. Choose a stable spot your child can see, and keep small props away from younger children and pets.
Welcome and welcome-back Elf ideas
Whether this is your elf’s first visit or a return trip from the North Pole, the first morning can be a small welcome rather than a grand entrance. For a fuller selection, see our Elf welcome-back and arrival ideas.
1. Special delivery
You need: An open cardboard box and paper label. Setup: About 4 minutes.
Sit the elf in a small open box labeled “Special delivery from the North Pole.” Fold tissue paper around its legs.
Write either “I’m back!” or “Lovely to meet you!” on a note, depending on whether this is a returning elf.
2. Welcome-back banner
You need: A strip of paper and a pen. Setup: About 3 minutes.
Make a simple paper banner and rest it in front of the elf. Keep the message short enough for your child to recognize.
A returning elf can mention one familiar family detail in its note, such as a favorite book or the family pet.
3. First-arrival adoption
You need: An adoption certificate and a pen. Setup: About 3 minutes.
Place the elf beside an adoption certificate with space to add its name. Let your child help choose the name that day.
Keep the welcome warm and simple. The certificate can be a keepsake rather than a complicated ceremony.
4. Breakfast hello
You need: A folded note and a napkin. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Sit the elf beside the breakfast places holding a short hello note. A folded napkin makes a tiny seat.
This works when you want the arrival to fit into an ordinary school morning. Save any longer activity for later.
Pair your setup with a printable Elf arrival letter or an Elf adoption certificate. You can use the same letter collection for a returning elf or a first visit.
Easy Elf on the Shelf ideas using things you already have
Start here when you want a little surprise without buying props. Most of these use one familiar object in an unexpected way.
5. Sock sleeping bag
You need: A clean sock and a folded washcloth. Setup: About 1 minute.
Slide the elf into a clean sock, leaving its face and arms showing. Use a folded washcloth as a pillow and tuck it into a quiet corner of the couch.
Leave a tiny note saying, “Wake me for breakfast!” It is an easy scene to move out of the way before everyone gets dressed.
6. Storytime for stuffed animals
You need: A picture book and two or three stuffed animals. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Sit the elf behind an open picture book and gather a few stuffed animals in front. Prop the book against a cushion so it stays open.
Choose a book your child recognizes. The familiar cover makes the scene easy to understand, even before they can read.
7. Toy car passenger
You need: A toy car or truck. Setup: About 1 minute.
Set the elf in a toy vehicle with its arms resting over the sides. Park it near the breakfast table or beside the toy basket.
A paper sign reading “North Pole Express” gives the ride a destination without requiring a whole miniature road.
8. Mug hide-and-seek
You need: A clean, empty mug. Setup: About 1 minute.
Lower the elf into an empty mug so just its head and hands peek out. Put the mug on a stable surface where your child can see it.
Use a different mug from the one you need for your morning coffee. The elf can stay tucked inside while breakfast carries on.
9. Upside-down reader
You need: A favorite book. Setup: About 1 minute.
Prop the elf beside a book turned upside down, as though it has not quite figured out how to read it.
For children who notice details, add a note: “This story is very confusing!” Let them point out what the elf got wrong.
10. Block-tower lookout
You need: Building blocks. Setup: About 3 minutes.
Build a short, wide tower and sit the elf on top. Keep it low and stable so it will not topple before morning.
Leave a few blocks nearby as if the elf has been busy building. Your child can make a second tower later.
11. Breakfast place thief
You need: A napkin and an empty plate. Setup: About 1 minute.
Sit the elf at your child’s usual breakfast place with a folded napkin on its lap and an empty plate in front.
A note saying “I saved you a seat… oops!” explains the joke. Move the elf to watch breakfast once your child arrives.
12. Gift-bag peekaboo
You need: A small gift bag and tissue paper. Setup: About 1 minute.
Nestle the elf into an open gift bag with its face peeking above the tissue paper. Leave it beside the tree or on a low table.
Skip the actual present. The surprise is finding the elf inside a bag that was empty the night before.
13. Laundry helper
You need: Clean socks and a small basket. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Sit the elf beside a little pile of clean socks, with one matching pair laid neatly in front. Drape a third sock over its lap.
The note can say, “I found two that match!” Keep it separate from the laundry you need to put away immediately.
14. Paper-chain starter
You need: Paper strips and a glue stick. Setup: About 4 minutes.
Make a short paper chain and sit the elf beside it, with a few wide strips ready for your child to use later.
Keep the glue stick capped and put scissors away. This scene can become an after-school activity rather than another morning task.
Last-minute, no-mess Elf ideas
For the nights when you remember the elf just as you are getting into bed, keep the setup small. You do not need a new craft project at 11 p.m.
15. Tissue-box bed
You need: An empty tissue box and a tissue. Setup: About 1 minute.
Lay the elf across an empty tissue box and pull a clean tissue over it like a blanket. Rest its head against one folded end.
Set it on a table rather than among tissues still being used. The whole scene can be picked up in one hand.
16. Shoe surprise
You need: A clean shoe. Setup: About 1 minute.
Sit the elf in a clean shoe by the door, with its legs poking over the front. Put the matching shoe beside it.
Choose a spare pair so nobody has to negotiate with the elf while trying to leave for school.
17. Cereal-box lookout
You need: A closed cereal box. Setup: About 1 minute.
Tuck the elf behind a closed cereal box with its face peeking around the side. Leave the food sealed.
A quick “Found me!” note is enough. There is no spilled cereal to sweep up before breakfast.
18. Couch-cushion explorer
You need: A couch cushion. Setup: About 1 minute.
Tuck the elf into the gap beside a cushion, leaving its upper body visible. Make sure it cannot slip deep inside the couch.
It looks as though the elf has been looking for lost treasures. A note saying “Any missing socks down here?” adds the joke.
19. Family-photo visitor
You need: A framed family photo. Setup: About 1 minute.
Sit the elf beside a freestanding family photo, with one hand resting near the frame.
Leave the photo untouched. The elf can simply be “meeting” everyone in the picture, which is especially sweet on an early visit.
20. Calendar checker
You need: A calendar and a capped marker. Setup: About 1 minute.
Place the elf beside the family calendar, pointing toward a day with something fun planned.
Add a separate note saying, “Is it movie night yet?” rather than writing on a calendar you need to keep tidy.
21. Coaster island
You need: A coaster and a blue napkin. Setup: About 1 minute.
Put a coaster on a flat blue napkin and sit the elf on top. The napkin becomes a tiny sea.
A note saying “Send snacks!” turns two everyday objects into a miniature island without using any water.
22. Reusable-bag stowaway
You need: An empty reusable shopping bag. Setup: About 1 minute.
Set the elf inside an open shopping bag with its arms over the edge. Leave it somewhere visible before you put the bag away.
Write “Did someone say shopping?” on a scrap of paper. Use an empty bag that will stay home that morning.
23. Hat hideout
You need: A winter hat. Setup: About 1 minute.
Fold the rim of a winter hat into a little nest and sit the elf inside. Place it on a chair or near the coats.
It is a quick cold-weather scene that needs no fake snow, glitter or special accessories.
24. Mirror message
You need: A sticky note and a pen. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Stick a note on the bathroom mirror reading, “Looking good! Love, your elf.” Sit the elf on a dry shelf nearby.
Use paper instead of drawing on the mirror. There is nothing to scrub off while everyone is getting ready.
Funny Elf on the Shelf setups
These scenes work best when the joke is obvious at a glance. For more elaborate visual gags, browse our Elf on the Shelf visual jokes.
25. Banana fan club
You need: A banana and a marker. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Draw a simple face on an unpeeled banana and sit the elf beside its new friend. Keep the ink on the peel.
A little sign saying “We make a great bunch” makes the joke easy for older children to spot.
26. Toilet-paper snowman
You need: Three toilet paper rolls and paper features. Setup: About 4 minutes.
Stack three rolls into a short tower and add paper eyes, buttons and a carrot nose to the outside.
Sit the elf beside its creation. Use removable paper features so the rolls can go back into the bathroom afterward.
27. Remote-control takeover
You need: A TV remote. Setup: About 1 minute.
Put the remote across the elf’s lap and add a note saying, “Only Christmas movies today!”
There is no need to turn on the TV. The joke is waiting there when your child spots who has claimed the remote.
28. Toy traffic jam
You need: A few toy vehicles. Setup: About 3 minutes.
Line up several toy cars bumper to bumper, with the elf blocking the front in a vehicle of its own.
Add a “North Pole traffic” sign. Keep the whole scene on a tabletop or play mat, away from the morning walkway.
29. Sock fashion show
You need: A clean baby sock or small sock. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Put a clean sock loosely over the elf’s head as an oversized hat, leaving its face visible.
Lean it beside a mirror with a note: “Too much?” One ridiculous accessory does all the work.
30. Paper-mustache portrait
You need: Paper, a pen and removable tape. Setup: About 3 minutes.
Draw a small mustache on paper, cut it out and attach it lightly to the elf’s face.
Place a second paper mustache beside it with a note saying, “Can you recognize me?” Keep the scissors put away afterward.
31. Tiny workout
You need: Two toy blocks. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Lay the elf on its back with a small block beside each hand, as though it has stopped halfway through a workout.
A sign saying “Training for cookie season” gives it a reason to be exercising without making fiddly miniature equipment.
32. Toy classroom
You need: Toy figures, paper and a pencil. Setup: About 4 minutes.
Arrange a few toy figures facing the elf. Give it a paper “board” with one very easy sum or a Christmas doodle.
Leave a note saying, “Today’s lesson: how to say ho ho ho.” Your child can decide whether the class is paying attention.
Elf ideas that start a family activity
Some of the nicest Elf mornings give everyone something to do together later. Choose activities that already fit your day, so the elf does not accidentally create a long to-do list.
33. Choose tonight’s story
You need: Two picture books. Setup: About 1 minute.
Sit the elf between two books with a note asking, “Which one shall we read tonight?”
Your child picks one at breakfast, and you read it together later. It is a small promise that is easy to keep.
34. Christmas movie invitation
You need: A handwritten ticket. Setup: About 3 minutes.
Write a simple movie-night ticket and put it in the elf’s lap. Choose a film and a time that work for your family.
You can add snacks when you actually watch. There is no need to leave food sitting out overnight.
35. Kindness delivery
You need: A kindness card. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Place the elf beside one small kindness mission, such as helping set the table or drawing a picture for someone.
Keep the task achievable that day. A single good deed feels much more inviting than a whole list of instructions.
36. Family game host
You need: A favorite game. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Sit the elf beside a familiar board game or a pack of playing cards with a “Play together later?” note.
Leave the pieces packed away until game time. The elf has made the invitation; it does not need to set up the entire game.
37. Paper-snowflake invitation
You need: Folded paper and a sample snowflake. Setup: About 5 minutes.
Make one paper snowflake and leave it beside the elf with some paper ready for later.
Bring out scissors when an adult can help. Tape the finished snowflakes in a window once everyone has had a turn.
38. Thank-you card station
You need: Paper and crayons. Setup: About 3 minutes.
Set the elf beside a blank folded card and a few crayons. Suggest making a thank-you card for someone who has helped your family.
A teacher, neighbor or relative can be the recipient. Let your child choose the picture and the words.
39. Christmas color hunt
You need: A red or green paper square. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Give the elf a colored paper square and a note asking your child to find three things that match.
Choose visible objects they can point to rather than collect. That keeps the hunt simple and avoids emptying cupboards before school.
40. Cookie-decorating invitation
You need: A cookie cutter and a note. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Sit the elf beside a cookie cutter with an invitation to decorate cookies together later.
Only use this idea on a day you have time for it. Store the food normally and gather icing and decorations when you begin.
For a ready-to-use mission, choose one of our free Elf kindness cards. Each card gives your child a small way to help someone.
Gentle Elf ideas for toddlers
For toddlers, familiar objects and easy-to-understand scenes are plenty. Keep the display out of reach when it includes small parts; our Elf on the Shelf ideas for toddlers guide focuses on this younger age group.
41. Teddy cuddle
You need: A large stuffed animal. Setup: About 1 minute.
Nestle the elf beside a favorite teddy as though they are having a cuddle. Leave both faces clearly visible.
It is a gentle surprise with no written explanation needed. Put the display where your toddler can see it without climbing.
42. Board-book buddy
You need: A familiar board book. Setup: About 1 minute.
Sit the elf beside an open board book featuring a picture your toddler knows.
Point out what the elf is looking at and read the book together. The scene can become part of your normal storytime.
43. Wave from the window
You need: A stable shelf near a window. Setup: About 1 minute.
Place the elf on a stable surface near the window with one arm lifted as if waving.
Say that the elf is looking at the weather or watching for Santa. Keep it away from blind cords and window-opening mechanisms.
44. Big-block chair
You need: Large toddler building blocks. Setup: About 3 minutes.
Make a low, wide chair from large building blocks and sit the elf on it.
Use blocks intended for your child’s age. The fun is recognizing that the elf has borrowed the same toys they play with.
Elf ideas for trips and nights away
Decide before you leave whether the elf is coming too. Our guide to traveling with Elf on the Shelf covers packing, car trips, flights and staying away from home.
45. Suitcase passenger
You need: An open suitcase and a clean sock. Setup: About 2 minutes.
Before packing is finished, sit the elf in the open suitcase with a clean sock tucked beside it like a travel blanket.
Let your child discover the stowaway, then pack the elf somewhere protected. Take it out again when you arrive.
46. Postcard from your elf
You need: A postcard or piece of paper. Setup: About 3 minutes.
Write a short message from the elf saying where it is spending the night. Set it beside the elf at your destination.
A hand-drawn postcard works perfectly. Mention one detail your child will recognize from the trip.
47. Hotel book nook
You need: A book and a folded washcloth. Setup: About 2 minutes.
At your destination, prop the elf beside a book with a folded washcloth as its seat.
Use a clear, dry surface and gather the whole scene before checkout. This setup needs no loose decorations or cleanup.
Goodbye and Christmas Eve Elf ideas
The last scene can be as simple as the first. Find more options in our Elf goodbye and Christmas Eve ideas, including help with the farewell note.
48. Tiny packed bag
You need: A small paper bag and a note. Setup: About 3 minutes.
Sit the elf beside a small paper bag labeled “North Pole” as though it is ready for the journey home.
The note can thank your child for a lovely visit and mention one happy memory from December.
49. Christmas Eve story companion
You need: A Christmas book. Setup: About 1 minute.
Place the elf beside the book you plan to read on Christmas Eve with a note saying, “One last story together.”
After storytime, follow your family’s usual goodbye routine. There is no need to add another present.
50. Thank-you farewell
You need: A short letter. Setup: About 3 minutes.
Write a few kind lines thanking your child for sharing their home. Sit the elf beside the letter in a familiar spot.
Keep the focus on the fun you have had together. A warm goodbye is enough without promises about next year’s surprises.
What if you forgot to move the elf?
First, take a breath. One missed night does not need an elaborate explanation or a bigger scene to make up for it.
A short, cheerful note about a rest day may be all your child needs. Pick an explanation that fits the story you tell at home, then choose one of the quick setups for the following night.
Our guide to what to say when the Elf didn’t move includes simple explanations and tiny notes you can write in a hurry.
Make a simple Elf plan for December
Start by choosing your arrival and goodbye scenes. Then pick a handful of everyday ideas and save the activities for days when you have time to enjoy them.
Keep a few supplies together in a small box: paper, a pen, removable tape and any props you want to reuse. A bedtime reminder on your phone can take the remembering part off your mental checklist.
For a 24-day plan, alternate quick hiding spots with funny scenes and a few family activities. You can repeat a favorite with a different book, toy or note; the elf does not need a new set of accessories every morning.
Use our 24-day Elf ideas and printable calendar to map out the month, or choose the filled and blank planning calendars in the printable library.
Free printables to go with your Elf scenes
Our Elf on the Shelf printables library brings together the calendars, letters, adoption certificates, kindness cards and joke cards. Choose the resource that fits the scene you are making.
For an easy joke-of-the-day setup, put one of the printable Elf joke cards in the elf’s lap. It is a different option from building a full visual joke scene.
Would a ready-made Elf kit make December easier?
If choosing props is the part you find hardest, a prepared kit may suit your family. Check how much assembly is involved, what you still need to supply and whether the scenes fit your children’s ages.
Our guide to the Elf on the Shelf 24-Day Ultimate Kit explains what is included and how to use it, so you can compare a prepared set with doing it yourself.
You can also mix the two approaches: use a prepared scene on some nights and one of the household setups above on others.
For the full collection of guides and downloads, browse our Elf on the Shelf collection.
More Christmas fun for your family
For activities beyond the elf’s daily visit, explore our Christmas games and activities collection.
Hello, I’m Luci, founder of Mums Make Lists. The site is full of useful and fun ideas for life and seasonal celebrations. Plus a growing selection of instantly downloadable fun printables and party planners. Read more.