14 Fun Christmas Eve Elf on the Shelf Ideas (2024)

FAQs

What to do with elves on Christmas Eve Eve? ›

Christmas Eve Surprise

For their final feat of the season, your Scout Elf may bring your children one last present to say thanks for such a wonderful holiday! Your elf loves to pack a Christmas Eve box with goodies like PJs, candy, games or toys.

As an avid elf fan, you already know the number one rule about having a Scout Elf: no touching!

The Elf Must Not Be Touched

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.

By age eight, kids begin to acknowledge the unlikeliness of one man travelling the world in a single night. The good news? If you started the tradition of Elf on the Shelf in your household, you can likely send the elf into early retirement around your child's eighth Christmas.

They might even want to make a Christmas list for their Elf to take back to the North Pole. You already know this one, but remember: Scout Elves should return to the North Pole on Christmas Eve so they can help jolly ol' Saint Nicholas prepare for next December 25.

Controversies of the Elf on the Shelf

Some say that it inadvertently teaches children that their behavior should be governed by potential rewards (i.e., if you behave well, you'll get more gifts on Christmas).

Image: Elf on the Shelf. Have your elf give a final gift before heading home: a Christmas Eve box, filled with a holiday movie, popcorn, some Christmas PJs, and hot cocoa packets. The gift of a cozy evening with the family in front of the fire, watching a holiday movie — what could be a better goodbye?

Well, we went to the fine folks at the Elf on the Shelf Customer Service department and here's what they had to say about Elf on the Shelf reproducing. To answer the burning question, no, Elf on the Shelf can't have babies.

Since the elf comes back to your home every day, he has to be put in a different spot every morning leading up to Christmas. The only rule for children is that they can't touch their elf or else the magic might disappear.

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.

Can grown ups touch elves? ›

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. We have included two Nice List Certificates and two Letters to Santa in each kit, as these items are personal. All the other items can be shared as a family.

On Christmas Eve, of course, said elf has fulfilled his duty of filling in Santa on who's naughty and who's nice. So he bids the kids adieu 'til next year and goes back to the North Pole (aka gets put in a box in the attic).

Sometimes, the Elf might set the breakfast table, wash the dishes or even do the laundry. Elves can also suggest “kindness activities” you can do as a family in the run up to Christmas.

Well, this year we're breaking the “elf” rules and letting the kids cuddle and play with their elves on Christmas Eve. You see, Santa gave elves extra magic for Christmas Eve snuggles, and they'll return next year as long as you put them back in the same place you found them.

Type a letter from your elf with its picture at the top for your child to cherish until next time. Set your elf on top of a tissue box and stage it to look as if the elf has been crying. Tuck a goodbye letter under the edge of the box. Reindeer in Here:This dad wanted a stress-free Christmas tradition for his kids.