b_parks Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 (edited) I started the tradition of the mischivous elf with my daughter a few years ago and every year we try to find fun things to do with it. Every night when she goes to bed he messes up something in the house. One year he hung all of her panties on the christmas tree, he's made messes in the kitchen, swung from the fan. Needless to say we are running out of ideas. What are some of the things your elves do? Also I am taking her to NYC the 2nd weekend in December and I would love for the elf to show up there for her but I need ideas of where he should appear. Edited October 27, 2010 by Rockfordmom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmck Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Fill all her shoes with something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magickallight Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Our Elf would move around every night while my son was sleeping - he had to search for him every morning and when he found him there would be a clue to where a special surprise was waiting and he had to figure out the clue to get his gift for the day! He loved it - and I MISS it... they grow up fast - enjoy it while you can. ♥ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopeky94 Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Sounds like a fun tradition- wish I'd had something like that as a child! :) Some ideas that might work: - If your daughter's big enough to get her own dishes out of the cabinet, switch the locations of them one night (i.e. glasses where plates should be, plates where bowls should be, etc.) and non-chalantly ask her to get one of them out for you. - Swap out all of one type of her clothes (shirts, socks, etc.) with the same amount of your own clothes (or if you normally lay them out for her, swap those out after she's asleep)... or could do the same thing as the dishes idea but with different drawers (her undies in her sock drawer and vice versa) - If she can read, try to find some cute riddles that the "elf" could leave for her, hidden somewhere that she looks at or deals with every morning (her cereal bowl, her shirt sleeve, a door knob) - One that's a little simpler and quicker: get some of those paints that people use on car windows that wash off, and use them to draw a picture or write a message on her window or bathroom mirror (using more than one color would be cute!) - Another simple (and not too hard to clean up) idea: get one or more rolls of paper streamers and "decorate" with them-- criss-crossing the hallway and/or doorways, dangling from lights or fans (basically, like the elf TP'd the inside of your house with streamers! - Blow up several balloons and put them in some small but unexpected space, like the dryer or hamper or bathtub That's all I've got right now-- hope they'll help! Oh, and some of those should be things you could do at a hotel, too, while you're in NYC... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_parks Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 Thanks those are all great ideas that we haven't done! After a while my mind goes blank and I can't think of new good things to do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ourhappyfamily4 Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Oh wow this sounds SO fun for the kids, and So very cute! I never even thought about anything like this. How many nights do you do this for? And does the elf leave a gift every night? How did this come about? ( did you tell her it was from a elf? or did he leave a note?) this is just too cute! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_parks Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 The first year the elf arrived he showed up with a note from Santa. The note said "Eli" the magical elf was sent by Santa to watch over her and make sure she was being good. You can probably do an online search, it is kind of along the lines of the Elf on a Shelf, but I picked up an Elf stuffed animal at a local craft fair and made up my own ideas. In the note, it stated that Eli might cause some trouble and mischief just to make it more fun. Eli shows up different places every year, the first time he came he was left on her bed to find when she came home from school, one year he showed up at our town parade and last year he showed up at a Christmas play we went to. Every year he comes with a note from Santa talking about how much fun he had the year before and how he couldn't wait to come back and spend time with her. He usually is delivered somewhere around the 10 - 12 of December just because it is hard to keep coming up with things for him to get into. And we leave him in her stocking for Santa to take back with him on Christmas Eve. He doesn't usually leave presents but that is a good idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redspider61 Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 how fun this sounds ..i suppose i have to wait for grandkids though lol my daughters 23 but she still insists when she comes home for christmas for her pjs..mrs santa started leavin them on christmas eve when she was 2 because she thought meg had been extra good that year..when she was 21 i finally told her it was so shed look cute in the christmas mornin pics haha..left to her own there'd have been 6 years of little mermaid pjs in the pics..she'll be home this year and mrs santa will leave new pjs for her and her boyfriend but i must admit im envious of the elf.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungles109 Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Hang all the photos upside down. Replace lightbulbs with red and green ones. Wrap the couch or a favorite chair in wrapping paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess7915 Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 How about flavor stuff with peppermint? (Nothing too yucky) Like make rice krispy treats, or sugar cookies etc. You could tie jingle bells to things like door knobs or her shoe laces so things jingle all day. Fill the cereal box with mini wrapped candy canes so it pours out in her bowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doublehsmom Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I really like this idea I think that I'm going to try something like this, maybe it will help my kids listen a little better as well, I always tell them that Santa is watching them but maybe I can say santa sent the elf to watch you till Christmas! Awsome idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jskarp Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 The Elf started visiting our house when my oldest was two - I wish I had thought of the tricks! The Elf starts to visit our house once the tree goes up, somewhere around the 7th of December (real tree, can't go up much before that LOL) - The boys each have a little stocking on the tree and if they were good the Elf would leave them a little treat in their stocking while they were at school, during nap etc. My sons are now 12, 15, and 16 and I imagine they will still be checking those little stockings for their Elf treat everyday when they get home from school! I guess they best be good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Mommy Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Ds#2's 1st grade teacher would hide the elf every day and the kids had to find him when they came in. He loved it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kak Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 love this idea!! so sweet for making good memories with the kids!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakj98 Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 We started the Elf on the shelf last year. My kids each recevied their own elf along with the book. We would just hide the elves in a new spot each night/morning. They were told that the elves left every night to report to Santa how their behavior was that day. That is why they were in a different spot each morning. As soon as they got up they would run around looking for their elves. However, the elves were supposed to go back to Santa on Christmas eve, but my two youngest cried and they left a note asking Santa to let the elves stay cause they would miss them. I could not take them away once I read the note. They have had them in their rooms all year. So now I have to try to sneak them away and let them think they went back to Santa. I like the idea of having the elves do tricks. I may start that this year. That or the gift idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolopari Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 We started the elf last year when my son was 10. At first he didn't believe but while he was watching tv I went into his bedroom and put marshmallows all over his floor and had the elf and one of his stuffed animals in the middle of the pile. I went back and watched the movie with my son. When he went to bed I followed him. His face was priceless. I said to him why did u put marshmallows on ur floor. He said oh mom I think benard (his elf) did it. He told his cousin (also 10 years old) what happened. Of course he didn't believe him. His cousin slept over and benard put wrapping paper over the door and made a tower out of cans. His cousin was mad he didn't have an elf. I told him he needed to write a letter to Santa to ask for one. He wrote the note and I called his mother quickly and told her what happened. I also explained different things to do. The boys were upset when their elves hd to leave so Santa wrote a note that the elves would come back on their bday. On my sons bday went to Disney with his cousin. I had to take both the boys elves in the carry in bag so the elves could be waiting for them when they went into the room. It was funny because my son hasn't believed in Santa since he was 5 but he believed in the elf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdragr Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Our elf has stayed up late watching movies - found on her on the couch with a half empty popcorn bowl and a new Christmas DVD. Toilet papered dd's room. Hung candy canes on the tree. Moved the car in the driveway and was waiting in it to go to school. Made our favorite cookies and left the mess in the kitchen. Hidden in the freezer because it is so warm here compared to the North Pole. Made snow angels on the kitchen counter with flour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laniebean Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 I love this ... we started just doing 12 days of xmas a few years back the kids get a small gift at night after dinner... I love the idea of the elf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibit13 Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Love this idea from Princess7915!Fill the cereal box with mini wrapped candy canes so it pours out in her bowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibit13 Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 We started the elf last year when my son was 10. At first he didn't believe but while he was watching tv I went into his bedroom and put marshmallows all over his floor and had the elf and one of his stuffed animals in the middle of the pile. I went back and watched the movie with my son. When he went to bed I followed him. His face was priceless. I said to him why did u put marshmallows on ur floor. He said oh mom I think benard (his elf) did it. He told his cousin (also 10 years old) what happened. Of course he didn't believe him. His cousin slept over and benard put wrapping paper over the door and made a tower out of cans. His cousin was mad he didn't have an elf. I told him he needed to write a letter to Santa to ask for one. He wrote the note and I called his mother quickly and told her what happened. I also explained different things to do. The boys were upset when their elves hd to leave so Santa wrote a note that the elves would come back on their bday. On my sons bday went to Disney with his cousin. I had to take both the boys elves in the carry in bag so the elves could be waiting for them when they went into the room. It was funny because my son hasn't believed in Santa since he was 5 but he believed in the elfVery cool! I should try this with DH to get him to behave during Christmastime he is such a big kid and gets excited for Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibit13 Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Our elf has stayed up late watching movies - found on her on the couch with a half empty popcorn bowl and a new Christmas DVD. Toilet papered dd's room. Hung candy canes on the tree. Moved the car in the driveway and was waiting in it to go to school. Made our favorite cookies and left the mess in the kitchen. Hidden in the freezer because it is so warm here compared to the North Pole. Made snow angels on the kitchen counter with flour.You all are so creative! I bet your kids LOVE all of this elf mischief! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibit13 Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 When you have your first snow you could put the elf outside on a sled so your kids think he made it snow. Sit him on the bed with a new Christmas book that you all can read together. (try to make it look like he was reading it) Bring him to the mall when you shop without the kids and see if you can get a picture of him with Santa. (If possible have the elf whisper in his ear) If you have two or more children, have the elf switch the sheets on their beds. (DS had DD's sheets and DD has DS's sheets) Slice a slit in to a clean, empty soda bottle and stick the elf inside and put him in the fridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolopari Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Things our elf did, Empty the cans out of our cabinet and made a christmas tree (stacked the can 3 layers high then put garland around each layer and a star on top Put wrapping paper over our sons door Put the cracker goldfish in a bowl and was fishing Made 2 cute gingerbread cookies and left me a huge mess on the stove. Our elf made snow angels in the flour Played a game of monopoly on the table with alot of stuffed animals each player had a drink and a bowl of chips next to them He watched Christmas movies and had popcorn all over the place and our blankets were all over the floor He made a zipline from our livingroom to our kitchen and left candycanes all over the place for the kids. Some nights he would leave presents other nights he would just leave a mess lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherril Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 i should start this! it sounds like it would be as much fun for me as the kids plus it sounds like a great family thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakj98 Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 Our elves left last week and arrived back yesterday (Dec 1). My youngest DS (4) got a new elf. The elves arrived in a box shipped from "the north pole". IN the box was a note saying that the new elf seems to be a little mischievous and likes to cause trouble so he should be watched more carefully. So when the kids got up this morning they were running around looking for their elves. The mischievous elf was in the living room with all of the pillows off of the couch. He was laying on the pillows covered up with the Christmas quilt. My sons face when he walked into the family room was priceless. I wish I would have had a camera in my hands. He did not know what to say or think. He then says "I think I have to teach my elf how to act". I love the idea of the mischievous elf. Love all of the ideas everyone has shared. Tonigh I think I am going to use the idea of hiding him inside of a pop bottle. The other two kids have elves as well. Their elves were not mischievous last year so we are not making them cause problems just yet. However, after a few nights we will have them be in the middle of it to. They will have learned from the new elf. We are still hiding all of the elves each morning though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakj98 Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 We do the elf on the shelf/mischivious elf. I want to buy a small gift for the elves to leave for the kids when they go back to the North Pole. Has anyone done this ebfore? What gifts did you leave? I am kinda stumped on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgmckny Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 No ideas but I'm evidently really tired, cuz I read the thread title as "Gifts from Elvis" and I had to see what that was all about....LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeyfanamo Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 Hmmm....what about a calendar to count down until their return? Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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