When you have a toddler in the house, it doesn't get any better than Christmas Eve. Their off-the-charts excitement for Santa’s arrival is completely contagious, and your Elf on the Shelf's presence all month long helped build the anticipation. But all good things must come to an end. Your child might be crushed once they actually realize that their beloved Scout won't be around come Christmas morning, so you’ve got to make sure he or she goes out with a bang. These easy Elf on the Shelf Christmas Eve ideas for toddlers will conveniently set up the elf for his departure (and Kris Kringle's arrival).
As a parent, Christmas Eve offers many reasons to rejoice, and one of them is that I no longer have to find a hiding spot for our Elf on the Shelf. After weeks of moving that little doll around the house, and waking up in a panic on the nights when I forgot, it's pretty glorious to have the Elf’s reign come to an end. On the night before Christmas Eve, I love going all out and doing one last epic scene, because in 24 hours, I get to pack Scout up and store him away until next year.
If you need some inspiration for your own Elf on the Shelf send-off, here are 25 easy-yet-grand finales that will make saying goodbye just a little bit easier. Some are sweet, some are funny, and others are pretty hilarious. The style you choose all depends on you, and your little Elf.
17
Take A Sleeping Selfie
Pose your elf in bed next to your sleeping child and snap a pic (this only works if your tot is a heavy sleeper). Print out the photo and leave it by the tree with a note: "I had fun with you this year! See ya next Christmas!"
18
Give Kisses For Cookies
After Santa eats his cookies, place a few Christmas-colored Hershey's Kisses on the empty plate and write a note: "Hitched a ride with Santa to the North Pole! Here are some kisses for being such a great pal this year."
19
Leave The First Gift
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Let your Elf be the giver of your kid's first gift on Christmas morning: Write out a tag from your elf to your tot, and add a quick "goodbye" message.
20
Say It With M&Ms
Sure, your toddler may not be able to read yet, but you can still spell out a goodbye message using red and green M&Ms (or Skittles, or even marshmallows) and say it out loud. Just keep it simple ("Bye! Love ya!"), or you'll run out of candy fast.
21
Climb Up The Chimney
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Spill out your kiddo’s LEGO or Duplo blocks at the foot of your fireplace. Build a set of stairs and lean the finished staircase against the fireplace to make it look like your elf built itself a staircase to shoot up the chimney (and left you with a little mess to clean up on Christmas morning).
22
Assemble His Friends To Say Goodbye
How sweet would it be if your little ones woke up on Christmas morning to find their stuffies and dolls all lined up — say, by the fireplace, or the front door, or below the shelf where your elf typically sat? You can explain to your kids that the elf made a lot of friends, and they all came out Christmas Eve night to wish him well on his journey back home.
23
Set Up One Last Prank
If your family has a more mischievous Elf, it might be fitting if she rode off into Christmas Eve night on the tails of one last prank. How about covering your kiddo’s bed in Hershey’s Kisses? Or ripping open one of your kid’s presents under the tree with a note that says, “Sorry...I peeked!”
24
Wake Up In The North Pole
Before the kids wake up, set your smart TV to play these musical scenes from the North Pole. As you all “wake up” together, you’ll be surprised to find the TV on and set to the sights and sounds of Santa’s village. Your little Elf must have left it on to let you all know that he arrived safely home.
25
Make A Photo Collage
Stage a fabulous last night for your elf: Take photos of the elf singing carols with the other toys, wrapping presents, baking cookies. Print out the pics and arrange them in a collage so you can show your toddler how the elf spent his final evening with your family.