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If you’re looking for elf on the shelf ideas, you’re not alone! It’s something many parents will be doing at this time of the year and ideas can run a little tend to run a little thin. 

Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell published their bestselling book ‘The Elf On The Shelf: A Christmas Tradition’ in 2005. It’s helped to create a lovely Christmas tradition where children get a little magic and parents get to exercise their creativity, humour and fun just a little.

The basics of elf on the shelf

It’s a great way to encourage children to behave themselves in the build-up to Christmas, as it starts anytime after the 24th of November and ends on the night before Christmas. Elf is said to be a scout from the North Pole, checking in on who’s been naughty and nice. The elf watches children day and night, returning each night to the North Pole to report on how naughty or nice they’ve been that day. He then takes up a new position to continue his watch.

Elf on the shelf has two simple rules - children can’t touch it, or the elf will lose its magic (but this can be repaired with a short letter of apology to Santa and a sprinkle of vitamin-boosting cinnamon next to it before bedtime). The second rule is that the elf doesn’t speak or move whilst children are awake. 

24 elf on the shelf ideas

Are you looking for some inspiration for your elf this year? Check out these 24 elf on the shelf ideas.

1. Eating treats in the kitchen

2. Hiding in your child’s bedroom

3. Taking a selfie

4. On a swing (use a loo roll and some ribbon to create this)

5. Create an indoor garden scene for your elf

6. Hiding in the toilet roll stack

7. Hiding in the cutlery drawer

8. Hanging off a light or lamp

9. Hiding in the Christmas tree or other Christmas decoration

10. Sat on the bathroom windowsill

11. Hiding in the cereal cupboard

12. Hanging out with some other toys - lego, dolls, balls

13. Create a scene for elf to enjoy - sunbathing, sledging, relaxing, reading

14. Enjoying his favourite food - get creative with your child's favourite treats

15. Elf is getting creative - word search, colouring, drawing pencils etc

16. Putting elf to work - watering plants, next to cookie making ingredients etc

17. Sat next to a special message for your child

18. Playing safe - wearing a little mask, in quarantine, etc

19. Climbing a window or wall

20. Having a bath or spa day

21. Wrapping presents

22. Stuck in the blinds or curtains

23. Reading a book or magazine

24. Stealing sweets from the kitchen

Additional ideas to check out for elf on the shelf

There are so many great ideas to try out for your elf on the shelf. Check out these 43 ideas on the Good Housekeeping website. Country Living has a massive list of 75 funny ideas to choose from, whilst House Beautiful have 73 fun ones to get you started.

Just remember, this isn’t just about creating daily fun on the build-up to Christmas; it’s also an excellent way to create memories. So make sure you’re taking lots of photos and sharing the elf on the shelf ideas you use - as they can help inspire many other parents too!

It’s that time of year when you need to start thinking about what to buy your friends and loved ones for Christmas. It’s not always easy buying for others, especially if you’re out of ideas or find the traditional gifts a little boring. You want to add a little ‘life’ to your gift list and an unusual gift that really surprises and delights the recipient.

That’s why personalised gifts make for such a great gift. They allow you to show a little creativity and opt for something a little different. So if you’re looking for something that stands out and hits the spot, here are four unusual gift ideas that are perfect solutions.

A charm with a difference

If you’re looking for a gift that’s unique and a little different, why not check out this beautiful Fingerprint Charm Necklace? A specialist jewellery manufacturer makes these sterling silver charms exclusively for us, and each one has room on the front for a print and an engraved name on the back.

The beauty of this charm necklace is you’re not just limited to a fingerprint. Why not opt for a handprint or footprint of your loved one? It also makes a perfect gift idea for a dog or cat lover, as you can opt to use a paw print as the featured engraving on the front! It’s a great way to remember a loved one or hold someone close at all times. 

Money, money, money

Want an unusual gift for your dad or Grandad? A chrome-plated Handprint Money Clip could be just the solution. It makes for a really special keepsake, and who doesn’t feel special, having their notes folded and securely fastened in a money clip!

The beauty of this money clip is it can also be personalised. Over on the front face of the money clip, you have plenty of room for up to three handprints and names. Whilst you can opt for a short message on the reverse side of this clip, wishing your loved one a merry Christmas or selecting a special note of love for them.

Keeping your cards close at all times

Unusual gift ideas come in all shapes and sizes. They don’t always have to be practical or beautiful, but you still want them to mean something. And this Handprint Keepsake Wallet Insert is just the ticket - oh, and it IS lovely too!

This engraved wallet (or purse!) insert is made from mirror finish stainless steel. It’s the perfect way to preserve a treasured memory of your nearest and dearest, as it has room for up to four handprints on the front along with a poem or message of your choice. Don’t worry if you can’t find a good poem - we also have our ‘ten fingers’ example that you can use!

An unusual gift that gives art the centre stage

You can turn your child’s artwork into a fabulous keepsake gift with our Children’s Drawing Keyring. All children love drawing, and there isn’t a parent, grandparent or other relative that wouldn’t love to help them show off their work of art. 

This stainless steel, dog tag shaped keyring has a beautiful mirror finish and plenty of room on the reverse for a message and name. Meanwhile, the front is the perfect place to capture a particular piece of your child’s art - you could get them to draw something special, just for the occasion.

All Grandparents love showing off their grandchildren and have so much love for each of them. So why not give them something special this Christmas, to provide them with bragging rights around their grandchildren? We have some ideas for some great Christmas gifts for grandparents, and they’re perfectly created so they can show how much they care for their nearest and dearest throughout the year, even if they can’t be with them.

The ideal Christmas gift for Grandma

Most Grandparents love a good quality piece of jewellery, and I’m sure grandma is no different! This stunning sterling silver Handprint Disc Necklace is something grandma will love. It’s the perfect way for her to feel close to your little one, as it’s engraved on the front with a hand or footprint, whilst the back can be engraved with a name. 

The Small Handprint Disc Necklace comes complete with a sterling silver trace chain which is adjustable to 16 and 18 inches. You can check it out here.

A beautifully traditional gift for Grandad

Grandad will love getting out this beautiful Handprint Money Clip. It makes for a really special Christmas gift as it has room for up to three children’s hand or footprints and names, along with a message on the reverse.

The money clip is chrome plated, enabling the prints to reflect the light and giving it a lovely subtle look. You can opt for one, two or three children’s prints, but note that the more you have, the smaller they will appear. You can check out all the details here.

Keyrings make great Christmas gifts for Grandparents

Who doesn’t love a keyring, and I’m sure nanny and grandad are no different! Not only do they make for a practical Christmas gift for grandparents, but they also make for a super personalised solution too.

The Personalised Grandad Keyring has a beautiful Grandad word cloud, showcasing all the special words you associate with him. The reverse side can be engraved, so choose from a name, date or message of your choice. And because it’s lovely and chunky, it’s easy to hold and find in your pocket. You’ll find all the details for this keyring here.

Next up, we have a beautiful mirror finish, Personalised Heart Keyring for Grandma. It has a quality chunky feel about it that makes it suitable for holding and finding in a handbag, plus it has room for a special message, names or dates of your choice. It makes a great accompaniment to our Personalised Grandad Keyring, as it comes with a word cloud of special words. So why not get them both as matching gifts! You’ll find details of grandad’s version above, whilst Grandma’s one can be found here.

And finally, if you’re looking for a keyring that’s a little bit different, why not opt for our mirror finish, stainless steel Photo Engraved Keyring? You can opt for a photo on each side or just one photo and a message on the reverse. This is the perfect opportunity to showcase that special keepsake photo, making it really easy to show everyone their favourite grandchild!