They’re BACK!!! Yes, friends. Those crazy elves have been in our house for the last week having some fun with the kids. Peppermint and Cupcake have been busy so far this season and we are having some fun with them this year. But, the fact is….we do not have time to stress about these crazy Elves so we always go easy for the Elf on the Shelf ideas.
We have a few ideas that we continue to use year to year because they are super easy and fun. This year we are excited to add a few new items to our Elf on the Shelf stash and I cannot wait to share them with you all this season.
Elf On The Shelf: Ideas For A Busy Mom
Why We Love Elf on the Shelf
A lot of people have opinions about this whole Elf on the Shelf game but I have to be honest here, I love that we jumped into this tradition? Why? Because of that exact word – TRADITION. Every year the kids start asking for their Elves around Thanksgiving and I love the simple treats that the Elves have traditionally given to the kids. Sure, some think it might be bad parenting when the Elves give warnings for bad behavior but let’s be honest, this whole season is full of really odd parenting – hello big in a red suit breaking into your home. So, for us, we will keep letting these creepy little friends into our home during the month of December.
Breakfast Is Served
We start our Elf on the Shelf tradition on December 1st. The Elves come with powdered donuts for breakfast and our North Pole Communicator. If you are looking for another way to keep the magic I suggest getting your own North Pole Communicator. It is so fun! We also make sure that the elves bring festive plates and napkins to enjoy breakfast. It is a great way to get the kids ready for a fun season.
Hanging Out
We are totally old fashioned and we still send out Christmas cards in the mail. This is our card holder and most of the season it goes empty but it is a great place for Peppermint and Cupcake to hang out and stay warm overnight.
Oh Christmas Tree
One place that we love to put the elves is in our Christmas tree. This year looks a little different because we got a new tree this year but they really do look so festive when the Christmas lights are on. This is a super easy option for those moms who go to bed without moving the elf and wake up at 2am in a panic! Tuck them into the tree! Easy peasy!
Coal For All!
We were 4 days into the Elf fun and both of the kids completely lost their minds. Earlier in the year I found some Coal Candy that I knew would come in handy. So, we set Peppermint and Cupcake on the table with these candies and a little reminder about their behavior. Well, I think the message was received because there were some very apologetic kids and maybe even some tears. Pick up some coal candies…you might need them.
Doing What They Do Best – On A Shelf
In those super busy moments, find a shelf. We moms often try to out do each other and that leads to more stress and craziness. Tonight, just put the elves on a shelf…that is their job. No overthinking just something easy. Guess what? The kids loved this simple idea just as much and the over the top ones.
Snuggled Up
The Elf on the Shelf company sent us a few new items to try through out our Elf on the Shelf fun and this adorable Elf on the Shelf Sleeping Bag and Teddy Bear is one of them. We do have two elves so it is a bit harder but we decided to have the elves have a sleep over under the tree. The kids absolutely loved this.
Elf on the Shelf – Simple Ideas for Two Elves Elf on the Shelf – Easy Ideas for Busy Parents
Tara from When Tara Met Blog has a great post of some fun and original ideas that I know your kids will love too! Check out her Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Real Moms here.
Well that was our first week of Elf on the Shelf 2018. So far we have had a few bad behavior days but overall, everyone is doing great as Peppermint and Cupcake do their work at reporting to Santa. I cannot wait for the next week of fun we have planned!
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE EASY ELF ON THE SHELF IDEA YOUR KIDS HAVE LOVED SO FAR THIS YEAR. I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE IDEAS!!!
