Elf on the shelf

In Sweden we don't really have an Elf on the shelf. There is somewhat of an alternative where people have an elf-door, where they put a little door up and an elf leaves messages there and you can put up decorations for (or by) the elf around the door. But I always thought that the American thing with the actual elf doing things is way cuter, than just having a door. My husband didn't  like the look of the "real" elf on the shelf , so he bought us our own version of an elf when our daughter was old enough. This is what I've done to prepare for him this year...

• Letters
  
• Make enough letters for the elf to bring a new one each day
  
• Have the size fit the elf, but still be readable

• Story
  
• We just make it up as we go
  
• Keep it consistent form year to year
  

• Magic Key
  
• Explains how Santa gets in to an apartment
  

• Wish List
  
• Matches everyhting else the elf brings

 Letters

I made all the letters at once, so we can just pick a new one each day. I made sure that the letters vary in content so they can be brought out for a day that fits - for example one that says that Santa received her letter which the elf can bring the day after we send her wish list to the north pole. Or that the elf hs hidden 3 pieces of candy somewhere in her room. 

The size of the letters I've made look like an A4 or a bit bigger for our elf, but still big enough for the text to be readable. Our elf hasn't brought letters before - but my daughter learned to read this year so I thought it would be a good way for here to practice while making the elf more tangible. Since many of the letters ask for something, or give her instructions it might be encouraging for her to want to read the letters on her own. 

Story

Since we don't actually live in the US our daughter is very unlikely to meet another kid with an elf on the shelf so we haven't really put much effort in keeping things the same as with the real one. Our elf arrives the night we put out the Christmas decorations - but he won't move or do anything at night until the first of December. Every year he starts out in the same place. Since we decorate early we put the elf on top of a display cabinet so we won't need to move him for any reason.

When he arrives he brings a box he puts under the tree where he can put presents like new Christmas themed PJs or a book. Many times its just small candies or snacks for the weekends leading up to Christmas. The box is just a normal cardboard box that I wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper - inside and out, and I put cotton in the bottom so it won't look so empty all the time, but she came to the conclusion that it must be magic snow that the elf put there "just like Elsa made Olaf". Our daughter is 4 this year so she doesn't remember everything from last Christmas, but we keep it consistent so that if there are certain details that stuck for her those will be the same this year. 

Magic Key

Last year when she asked how Santa will get in without a chimney we told here that we left the door unlocked to the balcony, since Santa could land on the roof and get in that way. This year shes been worried since there is another floor above ours, and our balcony is "accessible" from the roof. So this year we're gonna have the elf bring a magic key that Santa can use to get in. I found a really cute poem online which i put with the key. I don't know if this is something that other kids a familiar with it, but for my daughter it will be new. The elf will leave the key for her a few days before and Santa can bring it with him when he leaves the presents. 

I don't have the actual key, my mother has an old one that she doesn't use that I'll tie on there after I see her next time. I thought that the card i made that she can hang on or front door looked so cute that I made another matching one for her bedroom door so she can tell Santa that shes been good and is sleeping. 

Wish List

On a day we don't have much planed our elf brings a wish list she can fill in her self, with space to draw a picture for Santa on the bottom. This year there will be a little letter from her elf, and the next day a letter saying that Santa has received her wish list.

The previous years I have written the letter for her, listing exactly what she said to write down, and I've kept all her letters. The first year all she wanted was a "blue present and a balloon". This year I shes said she wants me to help, but she wants to write it her self.  

Everything keeps with the same theme, its the same style on the door hangers as on the wish list, and the same "stamp" in on all of the little letters as well as the wish list. I've printed everything out on our black and white printer and then colored things by hand. The ribbons around everything are matching and the little bows look the same.Hopefully its looks as if the same elf made all of it.

 

 

Since we like to start Christmas early the elf has been sitting in our living room since the beginning of November..