The Christmas Elf – Ideas and Mischievous Pranks for the Whole of December

To help you through the month, we have gathered our best Christmas elf ideas. Here you get a complete 24-day calendar, smart emergency solutions for busy mornings, and guidance on how to easily build your own elf door. 

On this page you will find: 

• 24 Christmas elf pranks leading up to Christmas Eve 
• Quick Christmas elf pranks in under 5 minutes
• Make your own elf door
• Frequently asked questions about the Christmas Elf

24 Christmas Elf Pranks Leading Up to Christmas Eve 

Would you rather not have to come up with something new every evening? Follow this ready-made calendar day by day. The pranks range from quick and simple ideas to slightly bigger surprises, making it easy to plan the month.

1. Welcome!: The elf has moved in and added extra decorations outside the elf door and by the children’s room. 
   Preparation time: 10 min.
2. Footprints in the snow: Use a small sieve and icing sugar to make tiny footprints from the elf door and out onto the floor. 
   Preparation time: 5 min. 
3. Tower of toys: The elf has been busy during the night and stacked the child’s favourite toys into a tall tower on the dining table. 
   Preparation time: 5 min.
4. Wrapped door: The children wake up to find the kitchen door, or the door to their room, covered in plastic wrap or Christmas wrapping paper.
   Preparation time: 5 min.
5. The elf’s laundry: The elf has hung tiny clothes on a homemade clothesline in front of the elf door.
   Preparation time: 3 min.
6. Vegetable candle: The candle in the Advent candle holder has been replaced with a carefully selected vegetable, such as a carrot or cucumber. 
   Preparation time: 2 min.
7. Food for the elf: The elf has left a note asking for a bowl of porridge or Christmas biscuits. Remember, Mum or Dad has to eat it all! 
   Preparation time: 3 min.
8. Pyjama tangle: The elf has tied knots in the sleeves and legs of the children’s pyjamas. 
   Preparation time: 3 min.
9. School books as presents: The elf has wrapped the school books or lunch box in Christmas wrapping paper. 
   Preparation time: 10 min.
10. The elf decorates the tree: The Christmas tree is fully decorated, but the elf has used the children’s socks, mittens and clothes instead of Christmas baubles. 
    Preparation time: 5 min.
11. Merry Christmas on the mirror: The elf has written “Merry Christmas!” on the bathroom mirror using a washable marker or lipstick. 
    Preparation time: 3 min.
12. Christmas glitter in the bedtime book: The book you read at bedtime is full of glitter, with a note saying that the elf wants to hear the story too. 
    Preparation time: 3 min.
13. Lucia morning: The teddy bears in the house are taking part in a Lucia procession across the floor, with a small LED tealight at the front. Preparation time: 8 min.
14. Bike decorations: The child’s bicycle is lavishly decorated with large Christmas bows and tinsel before the trip to school. 
    Preparation time: 5 min.
15. The elf decorates the car: The car is full of Christmas decorations and perhaps a string of lights inside for extra atmosphere on the way to school. 
    Preparation time: 10 min.
16. Rice porridge in the boots: A slightly annoying but funny surprise when the children are about to put on their winter boots. 
    Preparation time: 2 min.
17. The missing hat: The elf asks for help in a letter. He has lost his elf hat and the children need to help look for it. 
    Preparation time: 3 min. 
18. The elf draws a moustache: The children wake up with a moustache drawn on their faces. Use eyeliner or washable face paint. 
    Preparation time: 2 min.
19. Hot and cold treasure hunt: The elf has hidden a small Advent gift. A note with clues starts a treasure hunt for the children. 
    Preparation time: 10 min. 
20. Artwork on the toilet roll: The elf has rolled out some toilet paper and drawn Christmas motifs along the roll. 
    Preparation time: 3 min.
21. Tied shoelaces: All the shoes in the hallway have been tied together. 
    Preparation time: 3 min. 
22. Empty chocolate calendar: The elf has eaten today’s chocolate because he was hungry. Perhaps Dad has some chocolate crumbs around his mouth? 
    Preparation time: 2 min. 
23. The Christmas bath: The elf has taken a bath in the bathroom sink. The water is a little dirty, and a tiny pair of swimming trunks and a towel have been left on the edge. 
    Preparation time: 5 min.
24. Thank you for this year: The elf has travelled back to the North Pole, but has left a nice farewell letter and a small gift in the Christmas stocking. 
    Preparation time: 5 min.
    
    

Quick Christmas Elf Pranks for Busy Mornings 

Forgot to plan last night’s elf prank? No stress. These ideas require almost no preparation and can be pulled off in under five minutes before the children get up: 

• Move things around: The salt shaker suddenly appears in the fridge, and the remote control is inside a shoe in the hallway.
• Celery toothbrush: Replace the children’s toothbrushes with a piece of celery or a carrot for a healthy and slightly confusing start to the day. 
• Christmas calendar on the ceiling: Attach the children’s chocolate calendar to the ceiling with double-sided tape. The children have to ask an “innocent” parent for help getting it down. 
• Frozen underwear: The elf has put the children’s, or adults’, underwear in the freezer overnight and serves it frozen solid at the breakfast table. 
• Tied-together chairs: Use some string, an elastic band or a belt to tie together two of the chair legs under the dining table. 
• Fruit with faces: Draw funny expressions or elf faces on the peel of the clementines in the fruit bowl using a marker or ballpoint pen. 
• Food colouring in the milk: A classic! Add a couple of drops of red or green food colouring to the milk carton so the milk changes colour when poured over breakfast cereal. 

Remember That the Elf Pranks Should Be Fun 

The Christmas elf’s job is to spread joy and excitement, not to frighten the children. Adapt the pranks to the child’s age and personality. For the youngest children, cosy and visual ideas, such as footprints or changes in the room, are often enough. Avoid small parts for children under three. If a child becomes worried, it is important to talk to them and explain that the elf is only joking and that it is all just a game. 

If you have older children, it is a great idea to include them in the planning. Let the older children plan elf pranks for younger siblings, or perhaps let the children plan a prank on the parents, with the elf taking the blame! 

DIY: How to Make an Elf Door 

Before the Christmas elf can move in, he naturally needs a door. You can easily build your own elf door and accessories using materials from Biltema. This makes a cosy pre-Christmas project that the children can also take part in, unless they are supposed to believe that the elf built it himself, of course.

In our activity box, you will find most of what you need. We used parts from it to build: 

• An elf door with reinforcement and a handle 
• A small sled and a suitcase 
• A fire pit, lantern and candle holders 
• A ladder with a candy cane on it 
• Elf clothes and a hat made from felt and fabric 
• A broom 

Here are some pictures from the process:

Do You Need Anything in Addition to the Activity Box? 

Checklist of the products you need for the elf door and accessories that are not included in the activity box. 

Frequently Asked Questions About the Christmas Elf 

When Does the Christmas Elf Move In? 

Traditionally, the Christmas elf moves in during the night before 1 December. Many parents choose to set up the elf door the evening before, so the magic is ready when the children wake up on the first day of December. 

How Long Does the Christmas Elf Stay? 

The Christmas elf usually stays with the family throughout Advent and travels back to the North Pole on the night before Christmas Eve, 24 December. Many elves leave behind a small farewell letter or a gift in the Christmas stocking as a thank-you. 

Do You Need an Elf Door to Play the Christmas Elf Game? 

No, it is certainly not a requirement. A Christmas elf can easily be “invisible” and simply leave traces and mischievous pranks around the house. An elf door does, however, make the game extra exciting and visual for the children. 

What Do I Do If I Forget an Elf Prank One Evening? 

Don’t stress! Take it easy and use one of our five-minute emergency solutions while the children brush their teeth. Alternatively, simply write a short note from the elf explaining that he was simply too tired to get up to any mischief during the night.