Elf on the Shelf Ideas for People Sick of Their Elf on the Shelf
Strategy 1: Keep elf but it can’t move
You’re not sure the kids can stand the heartbreak of the elf leaving or just not showing up for the year?
Try one of these clever ideas that will limit your kids’ expectations and keep you from having to move the elf every night.
How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 1:
Kidgredients had this clever solution for keeping the elf but not having the pressure of having to move it every night:
The elf won’t move and it will let your kids practice empathy. It’s a win all around.
How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 2:
One of my favorite ideas from Amy is the “it’s too warm in here for the elf” trick:
“Elves live in the North Pole where the temperature is very cold. Often an elf will lose their magic overnight when the temperature gets too warm, or they use up too much energy making something for you.” -Amy Locurto from Living Locurto
Although instead of putting him in the freezer for 30-45 minutes, maybe he needs, like, a week long vacation?
How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 3:
One of the rules of Elf on the Shelf is that nobody is supposed to touch the elf.
image from ElfonTheShelf.com “What happens if our Scout elf is accidentally touched?”
If someone ends up touching your elf on the shelf, it can cause it to discharge all its magic. Yikes!
This, they say will give him the energy to get back to the North Pole where the elf doctors can fix him or her up.
Of course, this is a very serious problem and it might take weeks for your elf to be fully recovered. In fact, he’ll probably start feeling better right about December 23rd.
How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 4:
Number 8 is probably my favorite: Put your elf up high with a note that he found the best place to keep an eye on everything so he’s just going to stay right there until Christmas.
How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 5:
Oh no, your elf has fallen off of a star and broken his leg and won’t be able to move for 2 weeks!
(or 3 weeks! 4 weeks? How much longer til Christmas?)
How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 6:
If your kids are more than about five years old, they’re old enough to remember the quarantines and lockdowns that happened at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
To keep your family extra safe from elf sicknesses, your elf is going to have to quarantine for 2 weeks once he arrives in your home.
Once your elf is out of quarantine, he might break his leg see idea #5 above.
Or maybe he will climb to the top of the tree and decide that’s the best place to stay since he can’t risk flying back and forth due to current pandemic travel restrictions see idea #4 above.
Strategy 2: Get the Elf on the Shelf to Leave
Why your elf on the shelf isn’t coming back idea 1:
Do your kids love Harry Potter? Have they made it to the part where
(spoiler alert!!)
Harry Potter frees Dobby by giving him a sock?
Tell them you (or someone else) gave Dobby, er, Scout, a sock so now he’s a free elf and is probably on vacation somewhere in the Bahamas.
How to get your elf to leave idea 2:
Building on “he has clothes so now he is a free elf” idea, this one involves a little trickery but at least the kids will be involved so they will know how your elf ended up with clothes.
Decide as a family wouldn’t it be so fun to get sparkles a Christmas sweater???
When it comes, the family can all give it to the elf together.
That night, of course, the elf will disappear and leave a note about how he is so grateful to have been freed of his house elf duties. Thank you so much for the clothes. You’re great kids, bla bla bla.
Gone.
Why your elf on the shelf isn’t coming back idea 3:
Why your elf on the shelf isn’t coming back idea 4:
If your kids have grown up and no longer really need the elf, have your elf send them a letter or postcard explaining how they’re such well behaved kids that they no longer need the elf to keep and eye on them
Of course, if that’s not quite true for your children, there’s always reason 5…
Why your elf on the shelf isn’t coming back idea 5:
Ok, so maybe your kids aren’t angels and they won’t believe you for a second if you tell them that the elf isn’t coming back because they have been just so well-behaved.
Now, I’m personally a little creeped out about normalizing government surveillance but if you aren’t, your elf can send a note saying he has been promoted and so Santa will just keep an eye on everything with a Santa spy cam.
Why your elf on the shelf isn’t coming back idea 6:
Have your elf send a letter explaining that due to the international pixie dust shortage (you could probably even blame it on the postage worker strike in Canada or pending tariff implementation), Santa doesn’t have enough dust to send out all the elves AND make it around the world to bring presents to the boys and girls on Christmas Eve.
Of course he is opting to save that up until Christmas Eve.
If you liked this ultimate guide to how to get your elf on the shelf to leave or stop moving, please share!
You know you’ve got friends who will need this advice!
LOOKING FOR MORE ELF ON THE SHELF IDEAS?
Maybe you’re not quite ready to kick your elf to the curb.
Maybe sending him gently into that good night is more your style?
Check out these blog posts from my friends to help send your elf off at the end of the season:
from My Crazy Good Life
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