Easy Christmas Elf Ideas and Notes (Free, UK)

Doing the Christmas elf this December? Here are 12 quick elf ideas, each one takes about two minutes to set up with things you already have at home, plus a short note to leave for your child. Scroll to the bottom for four “oops” excuses for the mornings the elf didn't move.

12 easy elf ideas with notes

1. Arrival: elf sits with the arrival letter and a tiny mug
   You'll need: Arrival letter, a small cup.
   Note to leave: “I'm here! I travelled all the way from the North Pole on a snowflake. Every morning I'll be somewhere new. Can you find me?”
2. Snow angel in flour on a tray
   You'll need: Baking tray, flour.
   Note to leave: “I made a snow angel! It isn't real snow, so please help a grown-up tidy it up. Achoo!”
3. zip wire across the room on string
   You'll need: String, a peg or ribbon.
   Note to leave: “Wheeee! I built a zip wire. Can you make one for your toys today?”
4. Indoor snowman made from paper cups or marshmallows
   You'll need: Paper cups or marshmallows.
   Note to leave: “I built a snowman indoors where it's warm. What should we call him?”
5. Gone fishing: elf fishes in a bowl of sweets
   You'll need: Bowl, string, sweets.
   Note to leave: “Gone fishing! I caught a few treats for you. Share them with someone you love.”
6. Elf wraps a teddy in paper to keep it warm
   You'll need: Wrapping paper, tape.
   Note to leave: “Brrr, it's cold! I wrapped your teddy to keep him cosy. Can you unwrap him gently?”
7. Marshmallow bath in a bowl
   You'll need: Bowl, marshmallows.
   Note to leave: “Shhh! I'm having a marshmallow bath. Elves need to relax too!”
8. Paper moustaches on the family photos
   You'll need: Paper, tape.
   Note to leave: “I gave everyone in the photos a moustache. Don't worry, they peel off!”
9. Snowball fight with cotton wool and toys
   You'll need: cotton wool, toys.
   Note to leave: “SNOWBALL FIGHT! The toys won this time. Rematch tomorrow?”
10. Hanging upside down from the tree or a shelf
    You'll need: Ribbon.
    Note to leave: “Just hanging around! The view is much better from up here.”
11. Hide and seek: toys hidden round the room
    You'll need: Toys.
    Note to leave: “I'm playing hide and seek with your toys. I hid 5 of them. Can you find them all?”
12. Paper chain countdown
    You'll need: Paper strips, glue.
    Note to leave: “Only a few sleeps left! I made a paper chain. Pull off one link every night.”

6 lazy-night ideas (under a minute)

• Elf chilling in the fridge (it feels like home!)
• Elf tucked into a slipper like a bed
• Elf writing the child's name in cereal
• Elf taking a selfie with the toys
• Elf playing a board game with a teddy
• Elf hiding in the Christmas tree

4 excuses for when the elf didn't move

• I forgot to move!: I was so busy helping Santa check his list last night that I fell asleep right here. Oops!
• I liked this spot: This was such a cosy place that I decided to stay one more night.
• Magic top-up: Someone touched me, so my magic needed a night to come back. It's all better now!
• North Pole meeting: Santa called all the elves home for a meeting, so I didn't have time to move. Back to normal tomorrow!

Tips from tired grown-ups

• Set a phone reminder for 9pm that says “move the elf”.
• Keep messy ideas (flour, marshmallows) for weekends.
• Started late? Begin on any day with an arrival letter. Nothing has to be in order.
• Keep a zip bag of props so you can grab one in seconds.