Magic by Morning Tonight

142 Elf on the Shelf® Ideas

Every idea lists the prep time, the mess and what you need from home, so you can choose in a few seconds. Filter by time below, or let us pick one for you.

142 ideas

Pictures: AI illustrations of Moss, our own elf. Yours will look a little different.

How to choose tonight's idea

  1. Start with your time. Most nights, a 2- or 5-minute idea is plenty.
  2. Check the mess. If mornings are rushed, pick "No mess".
  3. Look at what you have. Every idea uses things from home.

Questions

What is the easiest elf idea?

Pick any 2-minute idea: a new spot, a sock sleeping bag or a snow day note. They need nothing but things you already have. Sock Sleeping Bag

What if we forgot to move the elf?

It happens in most homes at least once. Leave the elf where it is with a short note, like the snow day note, and move it tonight. Snow Day at the North Pole

Do I need to buy anything?

No. Every idea here works with things from home. Some pages list optional extras, clearly marked.

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