Ready or not, here they come! Elf on the Shelf will be arriving at homes around the world any day now, including ours. With Mike being both a Christmas enthusiast and a creative powerhouse, our home buzzes with festive energy and inventive ideas for our Elves (we have a few).

While I know coming up with ideas day after day can be tiresome, we honestly cherish these moments knowing how quickly time flies with kids. I highly recommend grabbing an Elf Kit to make some of the days easier to set up.

Epic Elf on the Shelf Arrival Ideas

Let’s dive into some fun Elf on the Shelf arrival ideas to kick off your Elf’s time in your home!

Creative Snow Tracks

In past years, we have introduced our elves with mysterious snow tracks. These small, artistic footprints are a secret hint of the elves’ presence, sparking excitement and curiosity among the kids.

Bonus, this is VERY easy to set up while you’re still easing into it!

Materials Needed

• White powder (sugar or salt)
• Q-tips or paintbrush

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Family-Themed Postcard Prelude

Another idea I LOVE is having your elves send personalized postcards from their ‘vacations’, incorporating our family’s unique adventures and memories.

I think we will use this idea on one of our first days this year as Liv and Jack will love to share about their recent Disney World vacation! I can just imagine these postcards, crafted with Mike’s storytelling flair, will be awesome.

Materials Needed

• Printer

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Elves’ Doorway Dilemma

In a playful scenario, our elves pretend to be stuck on the front door, unable to find their way in. This humorous setup brings laughter and joy, especially to Olivia and Jack, and starts the day with a smile.

Materials Needed

• Tape
• Sticky note and pen

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Paper Plane Squadron

A family-wide paper plane crafting session would mark an awesome grand entry for your elves. Everyone, from teens to toddlers, can get involved, showing off their paper-folding skills and launching the elves into the holiday season.

Materials Needed

• Paper
• String

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Crash Landing Comedy

Adding a twist to the paper plane theme, one elf can make an amusingly imperfect landing on the Christmas tree. This might just spark stories and conversations about their adventurous journey and the need for flying lessons.

Materials Needed

• Christmas tree
• Paper plane

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Candy Countdown Extravaganza

Create a massive “I’M BACK” message using candy. This fun, collaborative effort will not only welcome your elves but also leave plenty of treats for everyone to enjoy.

Materials Needed

• Assorted candy

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Wall-Scaling Elves

Inspired by Dad’s creativity, our elves scale the walls at least once a year. This imaginative display amazes our little ones, adding an adventurous spirit to our holiday setup.

Materials Needed

• Bows
• Tape

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Melted Snowman Scene

A melted snowman scene is a classic!

Materials Needed

• Pan
• Paper and pen
• Googly eyes
• Twigs
• Buttons
• Carrot
• Water

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Toy Soldier Standoff

Incorporating the kids’ toy soldiers, I can create a playful scene where the elves are humorously ‘caught’ by the miniature army.

Materials Needed

• Toy soldiers
• Tape

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Surprise Box Unveiling

An elf dramatically pops out of a surprise box, symbolizing the unexpected joys and surprises of the holiday season. This exciting reveal adds an element of fun and spontaneity!

Materials Needed

• Packaged box

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Walkway Light-Up

Led by one of our elves, we light up our walkway with festive strings of lights, transforming our home into a beacon of holiday cheer and creating a magical atmosphere for the entire family.

Materials Needed

• Strings of lights
• Outside power socket
• Extension cord (if needed)

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Santa’s Watchful Camera

A pretend camera setup (we’ll probably ask the teens for their help on this one) adds a touch of magic to your elf’s arrival. This imaginative addition hints at Santa keeping an eye on the festive spirit in our home.

Materials Needed

• Paper
• Markers
• Bulb-like item (for camera illusion)
• Binder clip, paper clip, or clothespin (to attach the “camera”)

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Smooth Elf Landing

Have an aviation lover in the house? Demonstrating their expert landing skills, your elves can arrive in toy planes!

Materials Needed

• Toy plane
• Paper and pen
• String lights

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Reindeer Pudding Treats

You can transform pudding cups into adorable reindeer, overseen by your elves. This creative and sweet activity combines a fun craft with a delicious treat, delighting everyone in the family.

Materials Needed

• Chocolate pudding cups
• Brown pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes
• Red pom-poms
• Glue

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The Elves are moving in!

One of the cutest ideas is having your elves set up a mini home to mark their arrival, complete with a door and festive decorations!

Materials Needed

• Miniature door (there’s a cute red one at Walmart!)
• Miniature wreath
• Miniature toy Christmas lights

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The holidays are really all about building memories. I love being able to create fun moments that we can experience together and running downstairs each morning to see what trouble our elf has gotten into really has become a special part of Christmas for us.

How does your Elf on the Shelf make its big debut? Let us know in the comments below!

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