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Elf arrival ideas: first night set-ups and an arrival letter

Elf arrival ideas for the first night: when to set up, six simple scenes, what to put in the letter and notes for the morning you forget.

5 min readBy Zarkon

On this page
  1. 1. When should the elf arrive?
  2. 2. How to set up the first night
  3. 3. Elf arrival ideas for a first night
  4. 4. What goes in an elf arrival letter?
  5. 5. Morning rescue notes for nights you forget
  6. 6. Quick safety checks
  7. Questions people ask
  8. Where Christmas Magic: Elf Ideas helps, and where it does not
  9. Sources

This guide covers arrival night only: when to start, how to set up, a few first night scenes and what to write. For a plan for the rest of December, see easy elf ideas for busy parents, and for scenes after the first night, see 28 funny, kind and creative elf scenes. The ideas suit any visiting elf, including an Elf on the Shelf. Christmas Magic is not affiliated with any elf brand or book.

1. When should the elf arrive?

Whenever suits your family. The official UK site for the tradition says many families welcome their elves between 23 November and 1 December, and that a family adopting its first elf can choose a day that works for them. Crafts on Sea, a UK family blog, describes the traditional visit as 1 December to Christmas Eve.

Either way, you set up the evening before: for a 1 December arrival, that is the night of 30 November.

2. How to set up the first night

  1. Pick the spot. A room the children reach before breakfast, somewhere they can see without climbing.
  2. Keep it basic. Crafts on Sea advises keeping a first arrival simple: children will be excited anyway, and you don’t want to set the bar too high.
  3. Have the letter ready. Write it in the daytime, not at midnight.
  4. Plan the naming. The official UK site says the family chooses a name together, and the name switches on the elf’s Christmas magic.
  5. Do a last check. Look from a toddler’s height and tidy away anything small or edible.

3. Elf arrival ideas for a first night

  1. Crash landing. The elf nose down in a paper aeroplane in the Christmas tree or on the mantelpiece. Netmums and Crafts on Sea both suggest a version of this.
  2. Special delivery. The elf in an envelope by the front door marked “Special delivery for” and your child’s name, with a hole cut for its face. This one is from Netmums.
  3. Toy box taxi. The elf arriving in a toy car, digger or tractor from the toy box, as Crafts on Sea suggests.
  4. Seat of honour. The elf on its own chair at the breakfast table, as Netmums suggests.
  5. Name the elf. The elf beside a jar, paper slips and a pencil, with a note asking each child to suggest a name.
  6. December wish list. A short list of family things to do this month, left with a pen so children can tick them off. Crafts on Sea suggests typing it so the elf’s writing doesn’t look like yours.

For a parcel delivery, paper footprints or a rule list, see the arrival section in 28 funny, kind and creative elf scenes.

4. What goes in an elf arrival letter?

Netmums suggests a note for young children can be as short as “I’m back!”. For older children, cover four things:

  • Hello. Who the elf is and where it has come from.
  • What happens next. It will be somewhere new each morning.
  • The main rule. The official UK site says children shouldn’t touch the elf, as human hands can affect its magic. It also says a sprinkle of cinnamon, a note to Father Christmas or a favourite carol can help put things right after an accidental touch.
  • A job. Ask for a name, so children have something to do straight away.

A short example:

Hello from the North Pole! I’m one of Father Christmas’s helpers and I’ve come to stay until Christmas Eve. Each night I’ll fly home to report back, and each morning I’ll be somewhere new for you to find. Please don’t touch me, or my magic might wear off. First job: can you think of a name for me?

Swap Father Christmas for Santa if that is what your family says.

5. Morning rescue notes for nights you forget

It happens: the Crafts on Sea writer says she forgets at least twice a year. A note in the elf’s voice turns a forgotten night into part of the story. Write a few in November and keep them with the elf’s things:

  • “I stayed here to keep watch. Something very important is happening in this room.”
  • “Father Christmas asked me to rest my wings for one night.”
  • “I liked this view so much that I asked to stay another day.”
  • “Shh! I’m on a secret mission. Can you spot what I’m watching?”

If the children haven’t seen the elf yet, the easy elf ideas article has a quick breakfast time fix.

6. Quick safety checks

  • Balloons. The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) advises against giving young children balloons to blow up, so skip balloon arrivals with a toddler about.
  • Small parts. CAPT warns that anything smaller than a 2 pence piece can choke a young child.
  • Treats. CAPT lists marshmallows and round hard sweets among foods young children should avoid.
  • Button batteries. If a light or toy in your scene uses one, keep it secure. CAPT says that if a child swallows one, take them to the nearest A&E without delay.

Questions people ask

Do elf arrival ideas need to be big?

No. A small first night leaves room for the scenes to grow through December.

What do I write in an elf forgot to move note?

Something short in the elf’s voice that gives a reason to stay put, such as keeping watch or resting after a long flight.

Where Christmas Magic: Elf Ideas helps, and where it does not

Christmas Magic: Elf Ideas is our Android planner for parents and carers, free to download on Google Play. Pick the morning your elf arrives and it plans each night from arrival night to Christmas Eve. Before the season, the Tonight screen counts the sleeps and shows which evening to set up. On arrival night it shows how to set up, what you need and a note from your elf to print. Each night you can mark the idea as done.

The ideas library has search and filters, such as quick and no mess. The free version includes 36 ideas, and a one-time Pro unlock opens the full library. Once your elf has arrived, the Tonight screen has ten morning rescue notes, such as “Too cosy to move” and “On guard duty”, each ready to print. There is also a reply letter from Father Christmas with your child’s name, and a countdown in sleeps.

What it will not do: it cannot set up the scene or find the props for you, and it does not check your scenes for safety. Every idea needs adapting to your home and your child’s age.

Questions or bugs: Email us.

Sources

  1. How to welcome The Elf on the Shelf into your homeThe Elf on the Shelf UK elfontheshelf.co.uk
  2. 10 elf arrival ideas you and your kids will loveCrafts on Sea craftsonsea.co.uk
  3. 15 Elf on the Shelf arrival ideasNetmums netmums.com
  4. Safe from chokingChild Accident Prevention Trust capt.org.uk

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