This Elf on the Shelf Planning Guide is a MUST for keeping things simple & organized!
Jumping into YEAR 3 with our Elf Cookie Brownie!
Okay, if I thought my boys looked forward to Mr. Elf’s return last year (2024), this year was even more excitement! They have been asking about their elf for the whole month of November, even writing notes to Santa to make sure Cookie Brownie would return.
Like years past, the only way for success for me with this Elf is to over plan! So here is a months + worth of planning all laid out for you!
If you missed any of my past planning guides, I’ve linked them here for you!
I have broken the post down by week and walk through each day; outlining the set up for each day. At the bottom of the post I offer several digital downloads to include shopping lists, Elf Notes, and Special Printouts for signs. Anywhere you see this note *Elf sign printout* means there is a printout available for that day.
Pictures of set ups will be added daily so make sure you check back! You can also google or search on Pinterest to find ideas and pictures.
Week One: The Arrival
Ready or not, Let’s Go!
Day 1: For the Elf’s arrival this year he will be parachuting in via a gift bag. Would there be any other option for a parachute! He will also come with a note for each boy directly from Santa!
Day 2: Elf Fishing: Easy & Fun! You could buy a doll fishing rod, or just make one from a stick or candy cane and tie a “line” (string) to it. Our Elf will be fishing for gummie sharks using gummie worms.
Day 3: Playing with Pokemon: For this, our Elf will be playing with several Pokemon stuffies, maybe trading some cards. If I can find them, he will also bring a couple Pokemon card packs to open!
Day 4: Home Alone: Home Alone is one of my kids most favorite movies so this was a no brainer to include this year! I will wrap our Elf up in a rag and set him up with a mirror and mini after shave bottle. Then tape the famous Kevin AHHH! (after shave) picture over the Elf’s face.
Day 5: Hot Cocoa Party! This is sort of for me too! Any excuse to buy all the cute hot cocoa bar trinkets right!? So this is exactly as it sound – I plan to set up the greatest hot cocoa bar with every last fix in my heart desires! Sprinkles, dehydrated marshmallows, snowman marshmallows, candy canes, priouette cookie sticks, etc!
Day 6: Let’s build a Snowman! This isn’t the first time we have had a snowman build day, but last time we used marshmallows. This year I decided to buy this little snowman kit with clay for our build!
Another optional bonus, I bought this shirt set and our Elf will wear the snowman shirt on this day!
Day 7: Floor Checkers: I always like to include a game day. This year, I plan to create a large floor checkers board using electrical tape on our foyer floor. I bought some jumbo checkers that are perfect for this fun game time!
Week Two: We are on a roll!
Day 8: Take an ‘Elfie’: My kids love polaroid cameras so I thought this was a perfect option!
I plan to create an elf outline with the face cut out. Then I will set it up with the polaroid camera for the kids to take some fun pictures with.
Day 9: Elf Tree House – Our Elf is moving in! Into his very own tree house up in our Christmas tree!
This is the DIYer in me – I had so much fun with building this tree house. It is made entirely out of different size popsicle sticks. I just started with the floor and then built around it! There are also so many option for your tree house, you could make it from cardboard and cover it in wrapping paper if you don’t want to take on the popsicle stick build.
But once the tree house was built, I passed it off to my Mom who really just took it to the next level! Without her help, I would have just popped it in the tree unfinished! But truly adore the finished product.
Are you having fun yet!? Isn’t there something so special about seeing the magic of Christmas alive in a child’s eyes?
Day 10: Star Wars: A Darth Vader Elf?! Oh no! My youngest has recently found a love for Star Wars, so I knew I wanted to include something fun for him. Our Elf will have a Darth Vader mask (printed an image from online) and a black rob (made from some scrap black fabric). His light saber will be a glow stick and we will have some extra glow sticks for the kids!
Day 11: Roll a Dice Game: My kids love getting little surprises from their Elf. So this year I decided to make it a game. Using 6 disposable cups, label each cup with a number 1-6. Then set the Elf out with a dice. The kids can take turns rolling it and lifting the cup to reveal the surprise underneath.
Day 12: Friday Night Football: Another fun game night option! Our Elf will be dressed in his Christmas football gear and ready to play some mini flick football! I made a football field prinout on 11″ x 14″ paper, then laminated it and glue it to some foam board.
Day 13: Let’s have a movie night! – Set the Elf up with some movie snacks such as popcorn, candy, and hot cocoa. Another fun touch are these Christmas themed movie trays! This is one we have done every year! Our boys love a cozy movie night and when they get some special treats to go along with it, it makes it that much more fun!
This year our Elf will wear a special movie night outfit!
Day 14: Hide & Seek Ducks: This past summer I hosted a baby shower for my sister. I hid about 200 tiny babies all over the place for a fun game. The kids had SOOO much fun with this! Well, I found a pack of tiny ducks with santa hats on and thought they would be perfect for this! Also, fun bonus is a goofy “Duck the Halls” poem! You can find it in the printouts!
Week Three: The countdown is on for me too!
Day 15: K POP Demon Hunters: Have your kids been obsessed too? For this, our Elf will be swinging on a golden ring. We wrapped an embroidery hoop with lights and golden ribbon then my mom (another mom shoutout! seriously she’s helped tremendously this year!) made an elf sized golden Huntrix outfit! Then, I will have Alexa scheduled to start playing “Golden” at 7am when my kids are normally coming down the stairs!
You can simply ask Alexa to play “Golden” at 7 am the night before or you can set it in your Alexa app.
Day 16: Croc Invested Waters! Our Elf normally stays in the main aera of our house so this will be a surprise for them. For this day he will be hanging out in the kids’ bathroom, with the bathtub filled slightly and all our crocs (the shoes) floating in the water. I also grabbed these bath dropz water dye tabs and will dye the water a deep blue.
Day 17: El-fufu: Just making our elf into a Labubu. I printed out a Labubu face the perfect size to make into an Elf mask. I am planning to set the Elf up with his mask and the kids’ Labubus.
Day 18: Attacked by Legos: Legos remain a fan favorite in our house, so much so we have added a Lego table to our playroom. But instead of nice Legos, these Legos have trapped our Elf.
Day 19: Minecraft Elf: I found these minecraft print outs and thought they were perfect! I plan to set up our Elf with a game controller, some building blocks, and a few of the print out signs.
Day 20: Smores Night: Another family favorite for us so why not have the Elf bring the tools! Our Elf will bring everything we need for our smores night; marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate. He will also be wearing his fun toasty outfit for the day!
Day 21: Elf Bubble Bath: This could not have come together more perfectly for me! My mom has this ceramic tub (she was given as a gift with lotion/soap years ago) so this one just kind of came together! You can make an elf bubble bath out of any dish really!
Our Elf will be in a bubble bath of mini marshmallows with some of those ducks from our duck the halls day. He will also bring some Christmas themed bath bombs for the boys to enjoy!
Week Four: Only a few days left!
Day 22: You’re an Elf: This is where our Elf makes the kids into an Elf “just like him!”. I used this elf cutout and added the kids’ school pictures in the face frame. I will set up our Elf with the paper kid elves with a note that say you’re an elf! Just like me! Now we can hang out all day!
Day 23: Baseball Elf: We did football so now we have to do a baseball day! I will set our Elf up like he was having some baseball practice with mini ornaments. There will be some broken ornaments around the practice field as well. I made a small baseball tee with scrap word and a PVC pipe cut off. Then once again my mom lovingly decorated it! And because it is the year of Elf outfits for me, he will have his Christmas baseball uniform on!
Day 24: Heading Home Tonight – On Christmas Eve I just leave an Elf Note for our boys reminding them that Mr. Elf heads home tonight and won’t be back in the morning. Our Elf brings a small gift for them – Christmas pajamas or a Christmas stuffy make a great farewell gift.
Day 25: It’s Christmas! – Optional – Leave one last Elf Note, wishing your kid(s) Merry Christmas and to say goodbye and I’ll see you next year!
I am planning for a “Frosty Farewell”. Using spray snow and a printout cutout of the elf. Put the cutout on a window and then spray the spray snow, remove the cut out and you will have a snowy, frosty, fun farewell for the kids to find in the morning!
Elf on the Shelf Planning Guide Links
Elf Files
To compliment the 2025 Elf on the Shelf Planning Guide, I have created a few printable files to make your life easier! One is the Elf Calendar which can be used throughout the month. One is the Elf Special Notes and Printouts which compliment certain activities’ throughout the month. Lastly, you’ll find a shopping and to-make list!
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