Funny Elf on The Shelf Ideas 2024 to Recreate at Home

If you’re not familiar with the Elf on the Shelf, it’s a relatively recent Christmas practice that began in 2005 when a mother and daughter in the United States published a book called ‘The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition’. The book told a story about ‘scout elves’ who would fly down from the North Pole every day in December to keep an eye on children and then give Santa a report when they flew back to see him every night. That way, Santa would know which children had been good and which should go on his naughty list. The elves would return each morning, before the children woke up, and wait in a new location – in this way they would play an ongoing game of hide and seek. The book came with a toy elf, wearing a red suit, white collar and pointy hat, which parents could place on the shelf or wherever else they wished, without their children knowing. The book explained one key rule that everyone should follow: never move the elf as its magic might disappear. Kids were allowed to speak to the elf, however, and tell it their day’s activities and their Christmas wishes. Obviously, the intention is that parents move the toy elf and that kids will believe in the magic (and hopefully show good behaviour as they don’t want to go on Santa’s naughty list!). In the last 10 years in particular the idea has really caught on and now many parents around the world have the Elf on the Shelf as part of their family Christmas tradition. The general recommendation is that each scout elf arrives in the last week of November and that parents don’t introduce the elves until their children are about 3 years old so that they’re beginning to understand the magic of Christmas. And, although the elf starts of sitting on the shelf, people have got more and more creative about where to put him and what activities he might be doing. There are endless numbers of funny Elf on the Shelf ideas but here are 10 of our favourites.

The entrepreneurial elf

Set up your helpful elf as a car-washing expert with help of some signs and a mini bucket and sponge. You can even leave a toy car there to make it look like he’s started working. The cars will be gleaming, and the kids will be beaming.

The egg-centric elf

Replace the eggs in an egg box with small Christmas baubles and then pretend to be annoyed with the cheeky elf when you go to use some eggs for cooking and find out his prank. See if your kids get the yolk!

The candy cane-farming elf

Make some ‘soil’ by grinding up oreo cookies, fill a small pot, and then bury some candy canes until only the tops are visible. Then, for the next few days, make the candy canes grow by exposing increasing amounts of them. Now you’re farming!

The milk monitor elf

Show your elf has a sense of humour and likes a pun by placing him in the kitchen holding a sign, next to a milk carton with an angry face. There’s no need for that sour face!

The pun-making elf

Have your elf make some funny puns such as the ‘eye pad’ joke and the ‘I made you a cup of tea’ joke – all you need to do is create the eye pad and the letter ‘T’. Slurp!

The elf with the Frozen friend

Make an Olaf using three toilet rolls, a black marker, and with a nose, hair and arms made from coloured card. Hey presto, your elf has made a new friend!

Santa’s little helper elf

Let your kids know that the elf on the shelf’s taking his job seriously and is reporting back to Santa on whether they’re on Santa’s naughty or nice list this year. Here’s hoping they don’t get a lump of coal for Christmas!

The elf who likes feeding ducks

Put some little rubber ducks in a basin, add some water, then have your elf sitting at the edge of the ‘pond’ holding a piece of bread. Quack!

The elf that likes to chill out

Wrap your elf in a mini blanket made from a piece of cloth and place him in the fridge. Brrrrrr!

The elf with minion friends

Simply draw minion characters on some bananas and place the elf with the pen in his hands so it looks like he’s created them. Don’t forget Kevin!

The ziplining elf

First, attach a line from the top of your Christmas tree to another fixed point. Then tape your elf’s hands to a candy cane and place the cane on the line. Geronimo!

The elf in a bubble bath

Simply fill a small container with mini marshmallows and then submerge the elf in the ‘bubbles’. It’s good clean fun!

The message-writing elf

Write a festive message using buttons or candies and put your elf next to it. Ah, it’s so sweet!

The snowball-fighting elf

Find a friend for your elf and set them up midway through a snowball fight using mini marshmallows for snowballs and icing sugar for snow. Don’t get hit by a snowball!

As the Elf on the Shelf has become so popular there are many more funny ideas for your elf. And one of the most fun activities for parents is thinking what they can do next. If you use your imagination and think about the things that interest your kids it can be a real blast. Just remember to stay off the naughty list!