Some of these alternatives to the elf on the shelf were sent to us, and some are hyperlinked to our affiliate account, so if you decide to add some Christmas magic to your home this year, you’ll also be supporting my family by shopping through our links. I’ve compiled and updated this list so people have an idea of what is out there!
By now most people have heard of the scout elf- aka Elf on the Shelf. Now it’s gone way beyond little Scout elves, and into outfits, props, accessories, pets and so much fun! But…as fun as it is, not everyone loves the original Elf on the Shelf. Are there alternatives to the elf on the shelf? Yep. Many. And..it seems like it’s a growing industry.
We have multiple elf friends in our family. A little of everything. Our elves don’t report to Santa, but they sure do like to move around and have a lot of fun- and sometimes get into a little bit of mischief along the way. Our elves all arrive when we wake up on December 1st and when we wake up on Christmas Eve, they’ve gone to help Santa get ready for THE BIG NIGHT.
So, if you’re NOT a Scout Elf family, and you’re not sure you want to do the ‘official’ Elf on the Shelf…what’s out there?
I’ve even posted him on here….and Christopher PopinKins. But they aren’t the only elves in town. Given that December is just a few weeks away and many of us have our elves arriving Thanksgiving night, I thought I’d share some of the OTHER elves I’ve seen – we all have our own style and taste, and to be honest, I want one of each. (I love Christmas!)
I also wanted to note- we do move our Elves almost every night (sometimes we forget). Our elves in our house do NOT “report” on behavior. You’ll see some elves in this post that go along with that idea, you’ll see beloved character friends, a Hannukah “elf” alternative and more. I love the spirit of Christmas and find the elf tradition to just add to that fun and magic of the holiday season, so I embrace it. So many of our friends do crazy elf antics that I’ve done (and have more planned) whole posts about Elf on the Shelf ideas! I will tell you- the moment I start to feel stress or anxiety about this whole fun elf thing, that’s when we stop. I’ve seen Bad Moms Christmas, remember, and I’ve embraced the BadMoms mantras! Until that happens- I’m going to keep enjoying and having fun- and since you all seem to love the printables (which can be used with any Christmas elves, really), I don’t see a reason to stop!
Reindeer in Here
This little guy is the CUTEST reindeer I have ever seen, and he’s new to the elfin’ scene in 2017. Adam Reed, Reindeer in Here creator, wanted to put a little more Christmas and less creep into the whole elf situation, and this little dude came to be.
REINDEER IN HERE is a brand new children’s book and plush that’s sure to make every family’s Christmas fun and stress free. LIMITED EDITION for Christmas 2017 – Available for purchase on Black Friday (November 24) exclusively on Amazon for $24.99.
HOW IT WORKS:
FIRST GIFT OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON: In early December, the REINDEER IN HERE book and plush “magically” arrive for your child, setting the stage for a new yearly Christmas tradition. It’s their FIRST gift of the holiday season from Santa — and it came early!
THE STORY BEGINS: As the story unfolds, the child learns that many years ago Santa asked his reindeer for some help locating each child’s home. But this time, not only did Santa want help in finding their homes, he also wanted to learn much more about each individual child and didn’t know the best way to do it. One special little reindeer who was born with one antler smaller than the other and big blue eyes quickly suggested a way. The little reindeer said Santa should send some of his reindeer EARLY in the month of December to stay with the children so Santa could learn as much as possible about each child —where they live, what they like, what they don’t like, what they do each day, where they go, who their family is, and where Santa should leave presents on Christmas Eve. Then every night while the child sleeps with the reindeer next to him or her, the reindeer writes notes to Santa detailing their daily adventures.
CHILDREN/REINDEER BOND: After naming their own reindeer, the child is encouraged to show it around, taking it to a different place each day, both inside and out of the house so that when Santa comes on Christmas Eve, he knows as much as possible about the child, how good they’ve been and exactly where to deliver the presents.
ON CHRISTMAS EVE: The child should put their reindeer under the tree so it can greet Santa. After Santa finds the reindeer, it will go with him to guide his sleigh back to the North Pole until next year — when the child’s Christmas reindeer will return in early December to see his friend once more!
Read the full article here.
