14 Quick, Last-Minute Elf on the Shelf Ideas For Busy Parents (2024)

FAQs

How do parents do elf on the shelf? ›

Every night, a parent hides the elf in a new place. The children wake up each morning and search the house to see where the elf has reappeared—becoming a daily, holiday-themed hide-and-seek game with a sneaky elf.

Refrigerator

If you're running short on time, wrap the Elf in a small dishtowel or rag and pop it on a shelf in the fridge. It's a cute idea that the Elf is appropriately wrapped up for the cold – maybe a little taste of the climate back home at the North Pole.

Considered the most important rule, the Scout Elf must never be touched (of course, apart from when the parents move them around) as that will cause them to lose their magical powers. In some cases, they could also disappear when touched, such as when a dog might get a hold of them.

Santa advises that no family member touch their Elf on the Shelf, but he does describe a few rare instances when an adult may use tongs or potholders to help an elf in an urgent situation. Parents: read on to learn about special, few and far between cases where emergency help will be required.

The first rule in the Code of Elves is to “treat every day like Christmas”, and that, in a nutshell, is Will Ferrell's comic style. At 6ft 3in, he's almost always the tallest actor on screen yet his instinct is to play even bigger, with an ungainly exuberance that tends to set the tone for whatever scene he's in.

The Elf on the Shelf tradition can be started at any age, but most parents recommend waiting until your child is between the ages of 2 and 3. They claim it's the perfect sweet spot for children to appreciate and understand the elves' magic while establishing this family tradition at a young age.

Write a note to your elf or Santa apologizing for touching your elf. This is the most effective way to help your Scout Elf get back in action quick!

Write a nice apology note to your Elf telling your Elf how very sorry you are for touching him. This is a great way for your Elf to regain Christmas magic.

Is it OK to wash your Elf on the Shelf? ›

Place him in a lingerie bag and wash him on the gentle cycle in your washing machine. If you are not comfortable with this step, you can always opt for steps 1-3 and then finish off with a hand wash using Woolite or some other gentle detergent. Don't forget to tell him to plug his nose before tossing him in.

They have a favorite spot in your home. When your Scout Elf flies back from the North Pole and lands in the same spot, chances are it's their favorite place to sit in your home. Just like you have a favorite spot on the couch, your elf has favorite spots, too! The spot has a great vantage point.

All Scout Elves are different, so the date they come back can vary -some return at the end of November and others may wait until the second week of December. So don't worry if they haven't arrived exactly when you expected them to!

When does Elf on the Shelf come? The Elf on the Shelf website recommends your Elf arrive between November 24 through December 1. This is also known as Scout Elf Return week, a.k.a. the time when Santa's little helpers flee the North Pole and head out to the houses they'll be staying at until Christmas.

But some parents are wondering: Can adults touch Elf on the Shelf? According to the official "Elf on the Shelf" website, "Christmas magic is very fragile, and if scout elves are touched they may lose their magic." It doesn't specify that this only applies to kids, so we're guessing this applies to any humans.

Do I need one Elf per child or one per household? The choice is yours.