Many years ago on the first of December the doorbell rang and we found the Elf on the Shelf on our front doorstep.  The kids named our Elf “Zanzoe” and he has been our holiday friend ever since. The kids absolutely love Zanzoe the Elf on the Shelf, and I am not going to lie, I have used him to coerce good behavior from them when they were younger.

Our Elf on the shelf is not always creative, and sometimes he is lazy and stays in the same spot for days on end.  Every year I vow to do better and get more creative.  And sometimes we come up with a really cool idea…but some days he just sits and sits and sits.  I decided to put this post together to share our fun ideas over the years and also to put together some Elf on the Shelf ideas for myself and others to improve their elfing skills.

Elf on the Shelf Ideas and Inspiration:

Elf on the Shelf Ideas from our house:

Ok…so this one may seem a little odd and creepy, but when you have three sons who love any joke that is bathroom related then this can be a huge hit:

And sometimes the Elf gets the flu….

Here are some more great Elf on the Shelf Ideas from around the web:

A Little Moore Blog:

A Little Moore Blog has some super ideas and printables for your Elf on the Shelf, in fact she even put together a whole calendar full of ideas for the month of December!

Etsy:

From Elf on the Shelf dolls to printable materials, Etsy has all you need to have an EPIC Elf on the Shelf experience.

Hibos Owl:

The creator of the Hibos Owl Facebook page has created a great selection of printable materials, not just for the Elf on the Shelf, but for all kinds of learning!

Official Elf on the Shelf Website:

This website is a great resource for families with an Elf on the Shelf.  I love that there’s a kid section and a parent section of this website!

That Dad Blog:

OH MY GOODNESS.  You must read this blog post about the REAL Elf on the Shelf.  It’s just too much!

Please share your Elf on the Shelf Ideas in the comments below!