Elfcapades in '08

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liltattoo

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Oct 22, 2007
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With Christmas just around the corner, I thought it would be a good idea for all of us who will be getting "little" visitors this holiday season to post our brainstorming ideas! Post mischief ideas, gift ideas and any other Elf stuff you'll have going on or have thought about doing.

So far, I need to revisit my ideas from last year and see which ones have not been used. I've also thought of attaching a small basket to a bunch of helium balloons and letting the Elves have a hot air balloon ride to the top of our ceiling. Also, we might find them fishing in the bathtub or deep "tub" diving in a mason jar painted like a submarine. They will also attempt to sled down the banister with bad results. I have also thought of doing a "geocache" and saying that either the Elves left it there for them or that they dropped it when they were coming to visit. We might also have a scavenger hunt around the house...haven't quite figured out where and looking for what.

I have also toyed with adding a new member to the family. He wouldn't live with us but would be our travelin' buddy. Perhaps we will send him to visit one of you for a few days with a field journal to record what he may have done in your house. Then you would send him off to someone else and so on and so forth. I'm also thinking I might send him to the family and see if they'll pass him around and send him back before Christmas or when his journal was full. Not sure yet.

Well, that's all I've got for now. What have y'all got planned so far?
 
MrsSoup

MrsSoup

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Oct 13, 2007
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I'm adding a new elf this year that I picked up at a garage sale. It is a female elf and I haven't named her yet. Actually the old ones were so cheap they got really messed up last year so they may not be returning. I might try my hand at making an elf or two, we'll see though.

I've already started planning things for the elves to do. Such as :

baking cookies and making a mess
decorate a room for a different holiday (like putting up Halloween decorations or something or something from another country)
wands will be delivered by the elves from the Christmas Fairies
presents will be left somewhere (not sure where yet)
pictures of the elves causing mischief
at least one craft will be left (maybe more)
candy canes will be hung everywhere one night
paper chain will be made by elves
the train will be set up under the tree
elves playing Wii in the night, catch them in the morning.....

This is nowhere near a complete list, but that's what I have so far.

I'm going to make the wands (possibly paper mache) and roll them in glitter and then seal it somehow so the glitter doesn't come off when they play with them. I'll add something on top like a star or stone of some sort. I have some elf ornaments that will be left as presents and I have plans to make an elf pillow. I think I got some other things too but i'll have to look. I found a package of foam stockings that have pre-punched holes all the way around them and it comes with the ribbon. All you do is thread the ribbon and then you have a stocking. So I think i'll leave a note that says how much the elves wished they had a stocking and then the craft will be left by the note for the kids to do. They'll be able to decorate however they want. I also have some crafts for the kids to send to daddy so he can decorate his barracks room. The elves may deliver that as well as an early, early present before they actually arrive.
 
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starflake

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Jan 10, 2008
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Great ideas!

I pondered elfcapade ideas a bit yesterday. One idea is to have the elf caught playing Nintendo -- standing on the Wii Fit, holding a DS, surrounded by GameCube and Wii consoles... possibly with glasses on and a can of Mountain Dew nearby to fulfill the geek stereotype. He might also wear 80's-tastic workout bands to emphasize the Fit aspect.
:haha:
 
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Bren

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Dec 30, 2007
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liltattoo,

I love your idea of a traveling elf! I have hosted two different traveling dolls (American Girl dolls) and my DD & I had a blast. We made photo stories & posted them online, took the dolls on adventures and sent them off to their next host with a few mementoes.

For our Elf plans I bought a ton of Christmas items from Oriental Trading when it was clearanced out very cheap. I also found some Christmas items locally that were marked down after season.

Boots (our Elf) will arrive by parachute (perhaps hung on the gutter outside if the weather permits!) on December 14th. This is my son's Bday (the B-I-G #5). Boots arrived last year on this day. He will bring mugs, cocoa, marshmallows, cookie mix and The Polar Express book & dvd. We will make the cookies then read the book & watch the movie while we snack.

Other gifts he will bring during his vist:

A kindness box....just an empty decorated box for the kids to fill with notes. As they "catch" others being kind they will write it down and put it in the box. We will read them all Christmas Eve.

Christmas stamps so the kids can make cards or gift wrap.

Maribou trimmed red & green gel pens & elf design stickers (more card making).

Three white pillowcases & fabric markers to design their own Christmas pillows.

slingshot pal toys (hard to explain, but I have a snowman, santa & reindeer of these).

Elf booties & jingle bell bracelets.

Gingerbread foam houses to craft & decorate.

A Christmas Carol dvd w/ a big tin of popcorn.

Gingerbread house or train kit (real gingerbread).

Nativity dvd & three books about the true meaning of Christmas.

When Boots goes home Christmas Eve he will leave behind candy & a Boot shaped ornament.

I am going to work on his mischief & how he will leave/present the items. I know it looks like a lot all typed out, but honestly I got the items super cheap. A lot of the kits/items are 12 in a package so I can give them to my three kids & have enough leftover to use them for my small Sunday school class as well. I tried to make the items a craft, activity or something fun we could enjoy as a family instead of just "stuff". I hope they enjoy it as much as I am enjoying the process of putting it all together :haha: !

Bren :package:

ETA:
I meant to add that I LOVE the mischievious ideas you all have posted! I will be keeping an eye on this thread & borrowing a few of your ideas, I'm sure :grin: :skate: :grin: .
 
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pixiestick

Santa's Elves
Nov 20, 2007
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liltattoo said:
I've also thought of attaching a small basket to a bunch of helium balloons and letting the Elves have a hot air balloon ride to the top of our ceiling. Also, we might find them fishing in the bathtub or deep "tub" diving in a mason jar painted like a submarine. They will also attempt to sled down the banister with bad results. I have also thought of doing a "geocache" and saying that either the Elves left it there for them or that they dropped it when they were coming to visit. We might also have a scavenger hunt around the house...haven't quite figured out where and looking for what.
Click to expand...

liltatoo- I love your hot air ballon, deep tub diving and fishing ideas!!!!! SO clever!

I am a geocacher and I will have to ponder the geocaching idea. That could be a fun one too.

I am starting the elf tradition this year so I have been thinking about my elf antics too
My FIL built my DD a 2 story playhouse this year so I am going to have the playhouse be part of his mischief.
I also found a really cool sled on super clearance from Current catalog I think.

I will also watch this thread for inspiration and will post my antics. I plan on working on that very soon.

Oh - and my elf's name is going to be Ichkabibble.
 
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cipalla

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Oct 22, 2007
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I will be following this one! This year will be my first time with the elves... :leprechaun:
 
luludou

luludou

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jackfrosty

jackfrosty

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In a snowbank...by choice!
jackshijinx.blogspot.com
I'd love for the elves to decorate the boy's room while they are sleeping.
pixiestick-love your elf's name!
Love reading everyone's ideas!
this year the kids are making all our gifts for the adults in our family, so maybe the elves will bring the supplies! :grin:
 
cmerth

cmerth

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Dec 19, 2007
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Sounds like fun. I am going to do bears rather than elves-- continue with my obsession with Christmas bears.

You all have such wonderful ideas. I need to sit down and brainstorm all the fun things I can do with our Christmas bears (they normally sit beside our Christmas tree).
 
luludou

luludou

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Love the money boots lilttatoo!!! would be great for the teens!
 
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Eaglesax

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Oct 18, 2007
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Will have to try my hand at the boots. Not only for my DS elf to bring but as a money gift idea. I usually send great nieces & great nephew money for Christmas but try to make it a "gift" too. Hope it's easy, need 7 pair! :package:
 
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pixiestick

Santa's Elves
Nov 20, 2007
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liltattoo said:
This doesn't look too difficult so the Elves may leave some money boots lying around. Will have to give it a try to see just how hard it is before I add to my "Elf To-Do" list.

http://members.cox.net/crandall11/money/boots/
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Love this idea! I used to make a 4 pointed origami star using two bills. I used to do this all the time when I left a tip at the restaurant. You post here reminded me I haven't done that in a LONG time - maybe I will have to start again- maybe even do a few money stars from the elves too!
 
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goldenqueenalicia

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Jul 16, 2008
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I love these ideas, I have never had a christmas elf, I guess first thing I need to do is find or make an elf, then plan his/her elf mischaf. Now when the elf arrives does he bring a letter from santa, his story, what????? So the family understands whats going on, how exactly does this work
 
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HolidayAngel

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Oct 18, 2007
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a few christmases ago Jingle bell jaunts were all the rage. I looked online and can't find the info anymore. I do remember though that you wake your kids up while they are still in pgs, have hot cocco ready with marshmellows, whatever, load them up in the car and take them on a jingle bell jaunt(which is driving around to see christmas lights) I think you wake them up by shaking jingle bells or something I can't remember but there was a cute little poem that went with this.. This sounds like some elves could have fun with- they can leave christmas coffee mugs and hot cocco mix and the marshmellows out with the jingle bells and suggest its time to take them to see christmas lights
 
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pixiestick

Santa's Elves
Nov 20, 2007
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GO to this blog and scroll down to find the Feb 22nd post the colored ice glass rock things ---- http://lostbuttonstudio.blogspot.com/se ... bel/crafts

I think these are so cool!

I so want to do this somehow with my elf this year--- make some and use them to spell out a message in the snow or something... I would have to be sneaky to make them , freeze them, and do the placement!

My daughter would think they are so pretty in the snow!

Any ideas for them?
 
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pixiestick

Santa's Elves
Nov 20, 2007
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jackfrosty said:
What a fantastic blog! TFS! I wonder if you could put a small toy in them to freeze? You could then include a note with a riddle as to what might be frozen inside?
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Great idea jackfrosty! Maybe do it for a few of them- then she vould bring those few inside and let them melt in a bowl.

Thanks for adding to the inspiration!
 
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