This adorable Elf on the Shelf welcome back letter is not only simple and cute, but it’s really helpful too, as it reiterates the basic rules of Elf on the Shelf: that kids should try their best to be kind and that the elf will report back to Santa how things are going each night. It’ll remind kids (and parents) the purpose of the Elf on the Shelf tradition and hopefully encourage them to be the best version of themselves.

This is one of the cuter Elf on the Shelf welcome back letters out there. It reminds kids not to touch them (to keep their magic), and if you have new additions to your family, maybe a new kid or a new elf, the link also has a letter for an elf that’s being introduced to the family for the first time.

Listen, you don’t have a lot of time for letters. If you’re too busy trying to locate your doll in the first place, you can dash off this easy peasy welcome letter from I Think We Could Be Friends. It’s punny, it’s cute, and above all, it’ll get your kid eager for when their elf does show up. If you want to go (slightly) all out, set out this letter with the doll and a dozen of your kid’s favorite doughnuts. Everyone in your house will be excited to see the elf again because there’s nothing like a chocolate frosted sprinkle doughnut to feel merry and bright.

You’ve stepped on enough of them to last you a lifetime. But what better way to build an exciting entrance back for your elf than with this free LEGO-inspired printable? As far as welcome letters go, this one is as easy as they come. Simply print out the letter (for this one, it’s probably best to go with a sturdy card stock or even photo paper for a glossy effect), write your elf’s name on the bottom and voila! You’ve got a welcome letter that your little LEGO fan will love. Want to take it to the next level? Scatter some LEGOs (you know, the ones you’ve tripped on) around the letter, or even spell out “Hi” with the bricks to give your elf the warmest welcome.

For newbies to the Elf on the Shelf game, this welcome letter from Midget Momma is a great start. Not only does it give a good history of what your child’s elf needs to do (i.e. report their behavior to Santa Claus), but it also informs your kids that they can’t touch the elf for fear of losing their magic powers. The sweetest part of the welcome letter, though, might be the paragraph where the elf asks your child not to mention that they have a new elf, because not everyone has their own just yet, and (aww), they don’t want kids to feel sad or left out.

If you dressed up your child as Baby Yoda, then you need this Star Wars-inspired Elf on the Shelf letter in your life. From I Think We Could Be Friends, this intergalactic welcome letter has all the elements of Star Wars, from light sabers to the iconic typography. It even features an elf donning a Darth Vader mask. And speaking of which, there’s even a free printable Star Wars mask for your own elf to wear, perfect for putting on upon their actual arrival. Let the elf force be with you.

You started the Elf on the Shelf tradition when your child was just a baby. But now they’re getting a sense of what it actually is, so you’ll want to give them an easy-to-understand welcome letter. Enter this one from Make Life Lovely, which is simple, straightforward, and sweet. Unlike other welcome letters, this one doesn’t have the commercial elf image but rather a cartoon one, making it, yep, lovely for little ones. The simple colors, calming design, and gentle language of this Elf on the Shelf welcome letter might make you want to keep this letter as a reminder of when your child was still so little.

Color is key in this cute Elf on the Shelf welcome letter. From The Simple Parent, this free printable lets your child know that their elf is back and ready to have fun with them again. While the elf is sure to let your kid know that they need their magic to fly back and forth to the North Pole each night so they can’t be touched, they’re also quick to express how excited they are about being back with your family and can’t wait to have a fun holiday season.

If you need an Elf on the Shelf welcome letter that amps things up, this one is it. It introduces the elf to your child and then gives them a basic overview of how this whole Elf on the Shelf thing is going to work. But be careful, because this elf is promising a lot when they say: “I will be hiding and doing fun things that I can not wait to show you! I have been planning for our fun all year…”. So if you’re going to go all in with your elf and put them in elaborate set-ups, then this letter from Midget Momma is for you.

Little kids love rhymes. It’s a fact. So get your child ready to rhyme when you help them read this cute Elf on the Shelf welcome letter from Just Simply Mom. There’s so much to love about this cute letter, from the colorful red and green stripes that are so seasonal, but the candy cane and upside-down elf legs and feet. It’s festive, fun, and would make an ideal welcome back letter for a brand-new elf. Just be careful because the last two lines — “I hope you have fun and don’t forget to make a wish. You may end up getting everything on your Christmas list!” — might mean Santa, ahem, will have to leave more presents under the tree.

Getting a letter in the mail is quite a cool thing for a kid. So pretend to mail this Elf on the Shelf welcome letter to introduce the idea of EOTS to your child. The letter, from Skip to My Lou, is a great way to help your child understand what their elf will do, which is basically to watch for kindness, love, and cooperation. In that way, this letter makes the elf more of a friend than a potential spy who’s waiting to report any slight to Santa Claus. You can help your child read this letter, which is also full of sight words, and can help put them in the holiday spirit — as if they needed any help, that is.

Whether you have a brand-new elf or one that has been around for years, you might need a letter that addresses both types of scenarios. Enter this Elf on the Shelf welcome letter from Sunny Home Creations. You’ll have the option to fill in your child’s name and add in their elf’s name, too. Since this letter is fairly simple, you can always zhuzh it up by writing in color pens, adding some stickers, or even sprinkling some (gah) glitter on it. For added effect, you can sprinkle some peppermints or other red and white items around the letter to give it a really pretty presentation.