When I started doing the Elf on the Shelf, I tried to keep it low key and fun! Our elf’s name is “Red” and on most days he brings along a card with an idea for a Christmas activity.  On days when I am feeling rushed (or exhausted), he just gets into something! The Elf on the Shelf tradition is a great way to get ready for Christmas by decorating the tree, making cards, baking cookies and so forth as it spreads the activities over the month. Since I would normally be doing those types of things with the boys, it doesn’t add a lot of extra work.

I usually prep the boys on November 30th with the, watching the Elf on the Shelf DVD so that they remember that Red is coming soon.  When Red arrives on December 1st, he usually brings donuts for breakfast and then each day after December 1st he moves around the house.  For the first week, he did some colouring, made snow flakes, brought balloons for us to play with and brought supplies for us to write a letter to Santa. 

Last week Red brought supplies for cookies, played Christmas songs, hung off the blinds, went Christmas tree hunting, hid in the Christmas tree, and wrapped himself!

My children look forward to being surprised with a Christmas activity/tradition each morning. It is so neat to watch them get out of bed and run through the house looking for Red.

For our yearly Project Life photo album, I make a page per week that summaries what Red brought for us or what he did. My oldest son loves going back over the past couple years to remind him of our past visits from Red.

Click here if you are interested in purchasing The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition.

Check back later this month for a free printable of the activity cards and more weekly Elf on the Shelf summaries.

I would love to hear of your ideas and photos for The Elf on the Shelf!

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