Easy elf ideas for busy evenings

Elf arrival ideas for 1 December

• Breakfast table. Sit the elf at the table holding a letter that introduces it and explains the no-touching rule.
• Special delivery. Put the elf in a shoe box with "North Pole Post" written on the lid and leave it by the front door.
• In the tree. If the tree is up, tuck the elf in the branches with its letter tied to a low one.

Ten easy ideas

1. Loo-roll snowmen. Draw snowman faces on two or three toilet rolls, stack them and sit the elf beside them with the pen.
2. Kitchen snow angel. Sprinkle flour on a baking tray, lay the elf in it and sweep its arms and legs.
3. Fruit bowl faces. Draw a face on each banana or satsuma and leave the elf in the bowl.
4. Sock sleeping bag. Tuck the elf into a clean sock and lay it on a cushion.
5. Story time. Line up some soft toys and prop the elf in front of them with an open book.
6. The Shoe Express. Line the family's shoes up like a train with the elf driving the front one.
7. Fridge visit. Wrap the elf in a tea towel and sit it on a fridge shelf.
8. Fluffy bath. Fill a bowl with cotton wool balls and sit the elf in it up to its chin.
9. Film night. Settle the elf on the sofa under a blanket with the TV remote.
10. Carrot for the reindeer. On 23 December, sit the elf hugging a carrot to leave out on Christmas Eve.

Three things that make it easier

• Plan the month once. Deciding each night at 10pm is the hard part. A list kept inside a cupboard door fixes it.
• Leave a note. A short note from the elf turns a simple pose into a story, so the setup can stay simple.
• Have a spare excuse. When you forget to move the elf, a card saying it liked the spot too much to leave saves the morning.