22 Quick And Easy Elf On The Shelf Ideas

Okay guys, truth time! I was never and Elf on the Shelf fan. I always thought it was silly, unnecessary, and a little creepy…but leave it to motherhood to get you to do all the things you swore you’d never do!

I believe it was Christmas 2019 when my son asked why we didn’t have an elf like the people he saw on YouTube. I really didn’t have an answer for him. Luckily he was easily distracted, Christmas came and went, and by the New Year any mention of Elf on the Shelf was long gone. However, I’m sure you are surprised to find out that Christmas 2020 was when our Scout Elf “Elfie” came into our lives!!

We were all so surprised and excited that Elfie found us all the way in Hawaii. Every single morning the kids woke up excited to see where Elfie was. It was so cute to watch!

This year I was determined to capture all of Elfie’s cute and mischievous ways. I know there are parents like me out there who aren’t huge fans of Elf on the Shelf. Maybe it’s the hassle, maybe it’s the mess, or maybe it is something else entirely. However, I am here to share a few quick and easy Elf on the Shelf ideas that are creative, yet simple to accomplish (oh, and mess-free!!).

What is Elf on the SHelf?

What is this Elf on the Shelf that everyone is talking about? Elf on the Shelf is a (sort of) new Christmas tradition where a Scout Elf keeps an eye on the goings-on in your home then reports back to the North Pole every night during the month of December. Each morning the Scout Elf returns to a new spot in your home just waiting to be found.

You can read all about the Elf on the Shelf tradition, where it came from, how it works, etc on the Elf on the Shelf website. There is a lot of great information for parents and fun activities for kids!

Where can I buy an Elf?

You can find an Elf at stores like Walmart, Target, etc. You can also purchase an Elf from the official Elf on the Shelf website. However, it’s just as easy to buy online from Amazon (here).

Quick and Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas

Maybe next year our Elf will get a little more spunky, but this year I’m glad he kept things simple, clean, but still creative and cute!

Elfie used Wonder Stix to announce his return! He also wanted to help us with our star…that star ended up staying atop our tree all December.

My kids thought it was hysterical that Elfie was in the refrigerator. It makes sense though…Elfie is used to North Pole temperatures, not uncharacteristically warm midwest temperatures!

Elfie used dry-erase markers to draw glasses and mustaches on our pictures. Elves can be so silly! Thankfully dry-erase markers wipe right away!

Elfie got into our flour and made a snow angel. Thanksfully he used a cookie sheet to keep the mess contained, however it would have been even less messy had he used sprinkles.