It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – 24 Days of Elf on the Shelf!

If you have little ones at home, then you probably have an Elf on the Shelf. If you have an Elf on the Shelf, then you are eagerly preparing to have it make its first appearance in your home for Christmas, or you are dreading the 24 days leading up to Christmas trying to figure out what the heck to do with Santa’s little helper.

I can relate. This is the third year that we have had our dear elf Henrietta. My daughter got her as a Christmas present when she was two. We have had great fun with Henrietta over the last few years, but I have to say, it is a lot of pressure to move her from place to place each night. I can’t tell you how many times I jumped out of bed and raced to move Henrietta before my daughter woke up. And, heaven forbid if you forgot and she was in the same spot the next morning. Not only do you have to explain why she didn’t move, but you have to come up with a plan to make sure she arrives in a very cool spot the next day. It’s fun but let’s be honest, it’s a lot of work!

Last year was probably the first year my daughter really got the ‘magic’ of the Elf on the Shelf. She knew Henrietta would be coming and she knew she had to be on her best behavior so Henrietta would give Santa a good report each night and come back the next morning. And, since I like to add more projects to my list of things to do, I challenged myself to step up the ante and have Henrietta be involved in some sort of activity for the 24 days leading up to Christmas. It sounded like an awesome idea at the time until I realized I had to actually execute these activities for 24 days. And, once you start something like this you can’t just have your elf end up on a shelf in your home. You set an expectation and you have to keep it going for 24 days. 24 long days!

So, if you are thinking about doing the Elf on the Shelf for your child for the first time or maybe the fifth time, I hope you get inspiration from some of the things Henrietta did at our house last year.

For instance, every elf needs a good marshmallow bubble bath after a hard day of making toys.

Maybe your elf is a dancer and enjoys a conga line with her best friends.

Perhaps you have an elf that likes to get her glam on.

Will your elf arrive by parachute?

What about a good game of ‘Go Fish’ with the girls?

The possibilities are endless! My daughter couldn’t wait to see what Henrietta would do next and she loved the fact that Henrietta got into her toys each night. Yes, it’s a lot of work but worth every minute when you see the excitement and the magic of the season in your child’s eyes as she tries to find her Elf on the Shelf. I hope you are inspired by some of the fun we had with our elf, Henrietta, and that you can share the magic of the Elf on the Shelf with your little one this season. Start your planning now. Here’s to the magic of the Elf on the Shelf!

For more inspiration be sure to visit my Elf on the Shelf Pinterest Board.