40 Elf on the Shelf Ideas PLUS Free Printables!!

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UPDATE: Fred the Elf has had even more adventures in our home since this post was first written. If you need a little mischief inspiration, keep an eye out for new ideas posted here! Also, don’t miss the details below on how to grab my Ultimate Elf Printable Pack, now available as a paid product to help make your Elf shenanigans a breeze!

If you’ve been a longtime reader, or follower on my socials, then you are likely familiar with our elf, Fred.

Fred showed up at our Las Vegas home on the day after Thanksgiving, when J was two years old. He was a funny little guy right from the start, and certainly seemed to share our love of Christmas movies and activities! As time has gone by and we welcomed H to our family, Fred’s antics seem to multiply – (thank goodness for simple ideas!).

He’s always been a punctual little guy, and I fully expect him to arrive this Friday for another season of mischief. In case your Elf is running out of ideas, I’ve chronicled a few of Fred’s Earliest and Greatest hits for you here!

*This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.*

Need Ideas for Your Elf? Here Are 40 Elf on the Shelf Mischief Moments!

From Simple Mischief to More Sophisticated Shenanigans

Fred has always enjoyed the classic Elf antics—things like playing hockey with toy friends or hanging out in the fridge for a quick cool down. These simple ideas never fail to get a laugh, and they’re perfect if you need something quick and easy (I’m gonna guess that that’s the majority of us exhausted parentals, no?)

But, over the years, Fred’s mischief has evolved. Lately, he’s been getting a bit more sophisticated—think mini dumbbells for Elf workouts and elaborate scenes with intricate setups. If your Elf is ready to take things up a notch, keep an eye out for my upcoming post (or my IG!) where I’ll be sharing Fred’s more advanced adventures. It’s going to be full of next-level Elf ideas to keep the magic going!

Welcome Letter from Fred

Fred’s first appearance each year is always with a sweet letter for the kids. It’s become such a lovely keepsake! One year, he even strung a banner from our light fixtures to kick off the holiday season. (Psst… you can grab the full printable banner as part of my Ultimate Elf Printable Pack!)

Musical Antics

One year, Fred raided the kids’ art supplies to put together a *musically-inspired* display. Maybe he’s a closet Eminem fan?

Fred’s Favorite Spots to Hang Out

Fred seems to have a thing for heights. He’s perched on our Christmas tree, hung from garlands, and even cozied up in the freezer for a little cool-down time. High places give him a good view, I guess!

Obviously, Fred is a busy little elf, flitting back and forth to the North Pole to fill Santa in on the boys’ behavior. Sometimes I think he just likes to find a quiet spot to chill and watch over them.

High places do work well, I’ll give him that! The top of the tree was probably a little prickly on his elf tush, but great vantage point!

Hanging out with the main man, Santa.

Loops in your garland make fun elf swings, I’m told.

He really does have a thing for heights!

Guess he needed to chill out a little bit. Found him in the freezer!

Poor Fred needed some rest, it seems. (I feel ya, buddy, the holidays can be brutal.)

Emailing Santa some new updates.

 Mischief & Mayhem

Fred loves to make friends. From hosting tea parties with the Avengers to hanging out with Elmo, Fred always finds a way to keep things fun. And yes, he’s known to mess with our wedding china for impromptu dinner parties. Because why not?

The Christmas following J’s Nemo Birthday Party, Fred decided to do a little fishing in the leftover decorations.

Nothing like a good game between friends – it’s a match made in heaven! 😜

Speaking of friends, snowmen do seem to be pals of choice for Fred!

Looks like he’s trying to get a little Christmas cheer brewing! That mistletoe better be for me and the hubs, Fred!

Playing cards is practically a requirement in our family, so glad to see Fred’s got the itch for some solitaire.

Looks like Fred’s taco might be too warm – it is melting the snowman!

Then there was that time he pulled out our wedding china to host a dinner party with the Avengers, Spider-man, and Wolverine. Like you do.

They must have had fun at dinner, since later on they were all putting a puzzle together!

Playing trains with Elmo, waaaaaaaay high up in one of our typical Vegas home “cut out” style windows. Pretty sure Fred was concerned about sticky fingers and curious toddlers!

Quick question – Is it narcissistic of the snowmen to want a book read to them about snowmen?

I wonder if Fred thinks he’s a cowboy?

Looks like somebody has seen Elf  too many times. I didn’t count if he got all 11 cookies crammed in the VCR…

Poor Fred. (He’s lucky he cleaned up his mess!)

You can take the elf out of the workshop, but you can’t take the workshop out of the elf!

Even elves need to practice their spelling…or maybe he was testing the craftsmanship?

Dammit, Fred, now I’ll never get that song out of my head!

Fred’s Thoughtful Touches

Not all of Fred’s antics are mischievous! Last year, he gifted us with two new personalized ornaments and even left a printable Letter to Santa for J. If you need help with ideas like these, I’ve bundled 45 customizable Elf notes—along with welcome and farewell letters—into my Ultimate Elf Printable Pack!

Fred put together a great little basket of Christmas movies/books and an Advent Calendar for us last year.

He supplied J with a printable Letter to Santa to fill out for his wish list!

Fred thoughtfully gifted us with two new personalized ornaments for our tree – one for H’s first Christmas, and one of the whole family.

Fred pulled protector duty and made sure the Monster Spray kept the baddies away!

What a busy little elf! Way to take credit for my Ornament Wreath, Fred!

It was sweet of him to color a picture for the boys, but I would expect an elf to have a bit more color coordination and finesse, frankly.

Elf again?? I mean, honestly, we never really tire of it either…

Fred helped create a fun Christmas card hanger for us. We got to display all the wonderful cards from friends and family!

Um, that’s not quite making breakfast for the family, Fred. But I suppose he’s gotta hit those for main food groups!

Time for Fred to Say Good-Bye

After his first Christmas with us, Fred left us this lovely vignette and a goodbye card for J to say farewell on Christmas Eve.

Last year, Fred left J a note – and the best gift of all was that he let J hug him! As Fred explained, he’d be hitching a ride with Santa that night, and therefore didn’t need his magic! The joy in J’s face (and H’s the next year as this new tradition continued) was overwhelming. My boys just love getting to carry Fred around with them all day!

**Note** We don't let them take him out in public so no other kids panic at the sight of the elf being held.

I can’t wait to see what Fred does this year!

Since I moved the printable pack to a paid product, I still wanted to offer a free printable option for you! Sign up below for the FREE DOWNLOAD of my new Elf Activities Planner!

If you think your elf might enjoy having little notes and printable letters to leave out, check out my Printable Elf Pack, available as an instant download!

The Elf Pack includes:

• 45 Printable Elf Notes – Naughty behavior notes, good behavior encouragement, games, and customizable blanks for you to create your own.
• Welcome and Farewell Letters– Make your Elf’s arrival and departure extra special with these ready-to-use letters.
• Elf & Santa Stationery– Blank stationery for personalized notes from the Elf or the big guy himself.
• Christmas Tags and Banners – Perfect for North Pole breakfasts or any holiday events.

And much more!

What are some of your favorite Elf on the Shelf ideas?

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