25 Days of Thoughtfulness With Elf on the Shelf

25 Acts of Kindness you can do along with the elf's antics...

Ready to start an awesome new tradition?
Let’s buck the trend of want-want-want for December and focus on what we can do for others without needing to spend money.

You might’ve heard of Elf on the Shelf. It’s a cute tradition in which kids find a poseable toy elf in ornery situations every day. Let’s keep doing that; it’s fun!

But let’s also add something: serving others.

All you do is connect the Elf’s curious situation to an act of kindness that you’ll be doing that day. He or she is kind of like the announcer for the simple way you’ll bless others that day.

Before we share the ideas, here’s some good news if you don’t already have an elf: you don’t need to put down $32 for that guy. You can get a $3 “elf child ornament” at Target or just make your own with Sharpie and paper. (Another perk of the paper Elf is you can tape him/her to things!)

Most of the ideas can be done at home, so we’ll start with those. The elf’s location is in italics, and the act of thoughtfulness is in bold.

Serving Others with the Elf (from Home)

Put the elf stuck in a mostly-sealed envelope, just his leg or arm sticking out. //
Leave a letter and nice treat for the postal worker in the mailbox. (Make it clear that it’s for them so they don’t assume it’s just mail!)

Make the elf play with an underused toy next to a collection bag or bin. //
Collect toys and clothes to give away and see where you can drop them off for Toys for Tots or another organization.

Put the elf in a carton of eggs, or next to a toy duck or chicken. //
Encourage the kids to do extra chores to earn money towards buying a chicken to provide eggs for a family that needs food.
You can donate to an organization like this: https://donate.worldvision.org/give/chickens. $25 buys a chicken and $30 buys three ducks. You can give partial amounts or try to give a goat or cow. Bonus: this is also a chance to get the kids to do some tasks you have been putting off!

Pose the elf so he’s hugging a doll or stuffed animal…bonus, place him next to pictures of the loved ones to whom you will be sending mail. //
Send a hug. Ask your children to spread out their arms on large pieces of paper; trace and cut out. Then send the hug (along with drawings and cards) to relatives that might not get to see you often.

Position him so he’s spreading jam or peanut butter on a slice of bread, or put him among the baking supplies. //
Make fresh homemade bread for neighbors. This is our go-to recipe and it makes 4 lbs of dough at once, with no kneading! https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2013/10/22/the-new-artisan-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day-is-launched-back-to-basics-updated/

Hang the elf off a bunk bed or something silly related to whichever room will be cleaned. //
Clean a sibling’s room (or bathroom or parent’s room) and leave a thoughtful card.

Cut a piece of paper to about one square inch, draw tiny hearts or squiggles on it, and make it look like the Elf made a card for someone.//
Make sweet notes for Daddy or Mommy and leave them throughout the house where he/she will find them. (Younger children can draw pictures and dictate the notes.)

Hang the elf on a globe or have him look at a map. If you sponsor a child overseas, place their picture next to it. //
If your family sponsors a child overseas, do something to reach out to them.
If not, talk about what daily life might be like for someone overseas and dream about how you can help them.
We love this video about clean water by Mark Rober.

Place the elf so he’s looking out the window. //
Make bird feeders for yourself and your family or friends. (There's a bounty of DIY and recyclable ideas online, such as spreading peanut butter on a toilet paper roll and then coating it with birdseed!)

Make the elf draw something with sidewalk chalk on a piece of construction paper. //
Write an encouraging message to Daddy (or Mommy) with sidewalk chalk. (If it’s too cold, just make a card.)

Place the elf in front of family pictures and explain how families can be different. //
Sensitively explain the dynamics of a foster family and how they could use some support. If you have any friends who are fostering children, ask them what you can do to make them feel loved (bringing a meal and/or gifts, clothes, etc.)
If not, google “help foster families near me” and see if you can donate clothes or toys.

Place the elf in a building made out of Legos or cardboard and print out pictures of the people you’ll be making cards for. //
Write thank you cards to people who might go under-appreciated as helpers and put them in the car or your bag to hand them out as you see them.

Put the elf on the couch, with a remote in his hand. //
Invite someone over for a movie night or just watch a thoughtful documentary. Our family has been changed by Living On One Dollar (currently free to stream on Prime with commercials), but you can check Common Sense Media to see if it’s a good fit for your family.

Position the elf in front of your phone. //
Record a video of the kids saying something kind to someone who could use it that day, and text it to them. (Example: “Hey Grandma! We just wanted to let you know we love you and miss you a whole lot. We had so much fun at your house this summer.)

Make the elf read a library book. //
Leave a nice note in the library book for whoever gets it next. (Example: “Hi there! You have good taste in books. I hope you’re having a wonderful day. There’s no one like you and you’re more loved than you would ever believe.”)

Hang the elf from a closet clothes hanger. //
Do something you’ve been putting off for your own organization so you can be better suited to serve others. Would your kids feel freed up to to go love on people if their closet was more organized or if the car was cleaned out? Take care of that today.

Serving Others with the Elf (Outside the Home)

At a Friend or Neighbor’s House:

Make the elf play with toys next to a picture of the family. //
Arrange to bring your kids over and babysit another family’s kids so the parents can go on a date. It can be on a Saturday morning so you don’t have to worry about sleepover dynamics (which might not actually make the parents’ night easier.)

Place him in a bucket with a sponge. //
Ask a friend if you can do some cleaning for them…or just make it a fun cleaning day at your own house!

Position the elf to be hanging from the doorknob. //
Prepare and deliver cookies and gifts to neighbors or someone who could use a good surprise. (This is our favorite cookie recipe.)

Position the elf on the handle of your vacuum cleaner. //
If you know a pregnant woman, arrange to vacuum for her and bring a meal. Older women would also appreciate this; vacuuming can be very hard for those with arthritis.

Other:

(Go to the library): Make the elf read a book. //
Make homemade bookmarks and write thank-you cards to your librarians.

(Go to Walmart/Target): Make his head peek out from inside a sock. //
Compile care packages for the homeless and put them somewhere accessible in the car for when you see someone who could use them. Recommended items: high-quality socks, water bottles, bandages, wipes, sunscreen, trail mix. And a note!

(Go to a playground/park): Use household items (paper towel rolls, legos, whatever) to make a slide for the elf. //
Bring trash bags and gloves and clean up a park that you know will be a little dirty.

(At a Military Family’s Home…or Your House): Make the elf draw a flag and put pictures of the military families you know next to him. //
Serve a military family by bringing them a meal or inviting them to hang out. Or just mail them cards thanking each family member for playing a part in serving our country.

(From the Grocery Store to A Friend’s House) Put the elf in a vase. //
Pick out flowers and drop them off to someone who could use some encouragement. (Hint: just about anyone could use encouragement.)

We hope you’re able to do some of these ideas…and that you don’t ruin your holiday season with guilt if you don’t! Different people have different capabilities in different seasons. These are just invitations to look outside yourself if you think you have margin for it.

Check our Instagram for more updates on what this looks like. And please tag us @family.scripts to show us what you’re doing! Maybe we’ll put it in next year’s guide!