With Christmas just around the corner, everyone I know is down to the wire on wrapping presents, picking up stocking stuffers, and finding last minute Elf on the Shelf ideas. Gone are the early days of December when their family's Elf was wrapping the entire Christmas tree in toilet paper and baking a dozen Pinterest-perfect sugar cookies. Now everyone's lucky if they remember to move the darn thing.
Are you in that camp, too? Look, I think the Elf on the Shelf is cute, fun, and a great way to get your kids excited about Christmas, but I can also tell that it's totally overwhelming. Even when your Elf takes a break or two just to chill on the fireplace, you still want to do something creative and fun, right? But no one wants to clean up spilled sugar after your Elf makes "snow angels" or tear wrapping paper off the toilet just to take a pee break. And what about those elaborate set-ups where you've basically blocked off your living room for the day because no one can touch the elf to get him off the couch? Ain't nobody got time for that, especially this close to Christmas.
These 11 last-minute Elf on the Shelf ideas from other parents are just as fun and creative as the big plans you had in early December, but are easy enough to complete in just a few minutes. ( And thank God, because I know you haven't even started putting together that dollhouse yet.)