40 Elf on the Shelf Ideas from Bored Panda
40 Elf on the Shelf ideas originally shared by Bored Panda. v2 crawl — 90 ideas Every idea below links back to the original post — visit their site for more parenting ideas, recipes, and crafts year-round.
Banana Peel Camouflage
The elf hides inside a banana peel sleeve among other bananas.
Bathtub Doll Tray Party
The elf and fashion dolls sit together in a bathtub tray filled with water.
Blue Nail Polish Feet
The elf holds nail polish next to a child's painted blue toenails.
Cabinet Bra Hammock
Elf reclines in a bra suspended between two cabinet handles as a makeshift bed.
Candy Cane Tank Pole
The elf sits on a fish tank holding a candy cane as a fishing pole.
Ceiling Fan Chain Stunt
The elf hangs from a ceiling fan chain like a stunt performer.
Ceiling Tape Dangle
Elf is suspended from ceiling using tape, appearing to dangle freely.
Coloring Book Art Session
Elf is positioned with art supplies, having colored pages in red and green.
Door Climbing Gift Bows
The elf climbs a door using colorful gift bows as footholds.
Doorway Spider Web Trap
The elf is wrapped in web material and trapped in a doorway with a help sign.
Dozen Egg Silly Faces
All dozen eggs in carton display silly drawn faces created by the elf.
Dry-Erase Joke Board
Elf holds marker next to board displaying elf-themed jokes or puns.
Frame Photo Graffiti
Elf has drawn funny facial features on family members' faces in framed photos.
Free Reindeer Poop Cocoa
The elf displays cocoa cereal labeled as free reindeer poop.
Frozen Ice Block Elsa
The elf is encased in a frozen block of ice with an Elsa figurine casting an ice spell.
Globe Peace Peas
The elf sits on a globe resting on a frozen peas bag for a world peace pun.
Googly Fruit Surveillance
The elf stands among googly-eyed bananas and oranges with a surveillance message.
Grater Carrot Scene
The elf grates a carrot while other carrots watch in shock.
Hairdryer Snowman Melt
The elf holds a hairdryer next to a melted snowman with hat, carrot nose, and buttons.
Homesick Flour Angel Note
The elf makes a snow angel in spilled flour with a homesickness note.
Marshmallow Gym Barbell
The elf lifts a marshmallow barbell in a gym setup.
Notebook Doll Portrait Sketch
The elf draws a spooky doll portrait in a notebook with crayon.
Pea Bathroom Floor Pun
The elf and scattered peas spell out a bathroom-related pun on the floor.
Printer Enlarged Face
The elf sits on a printer creating enlarged copies of its face.
Red Green Dyed Milk
Milk in a glass has been colored red or green using food dye.
Roomba Vacuum Skiing
The elf skis on a running Roomba holding strings as poles.
Sleeping Marker Mustache
The elf holds a marker next to a sleeping child with drawn mustache.
SOS Cheerio Signal
Elf has arranged cereal to spell SOS as a distress message on the counter.
Stovetop Star Wars Battle
The elf hangs upside down over a stovetop surrounded by Star Wars figures in battle.
TV Sticker Chaos
Elf has applied stickers all over the television screen in chaotic fashion.
Washing Machine Drum Ride
The elf sits inside a washing machine drum surrounded by laundry.
Banksy Heart Art Parody
The elf reaches for a falling red heart balloon in a framed art scene.
Darth Vader Star Wars Tree
The elf levitates on a wall facing a Star Wars-themed Christmas tree.
Homework Stress Medicine
The elf holds its head in stress beside medicine bottles and a homework assignment.
Military Tape Wall Capture
The elf is taped to a wall in a military battle scene with toy soldiers.
Pink Balloon Help Trap
The elf is trapped inside a pink balloon with a help message, hanging by stockings.
Sink Hot Tub Bubbles
The elf films fashion dolls in a bubble bath inside a sink.
Tightrope Toy Aircraft
The elf balances on a tightrope between toy aircraft and balloon props.
Chopstick Goldfish Rod
Elf has fashioned a fishing rod and sits by sink with goldfish as bait.
Toy Boat Sink Fish
The elf sits in a toy boat in the kitchen sink surrounded by plastic fish.
More ways to filter
Frequently asked questions
- Who runs Bored Panda?
- Bored Panda is a parenting blog. v2 crawl — 90 ideas
- Are these ideas from a Bored Panda blog post?
- Yes — each idea on this page is credited back to a specific post on https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-elf-on-the-shelf-ideas/. Click any idea's detail page and look for the "original post" link in the image caption or the Credit section at the bottom.
- Can I use these ideas with my own family?
- Absolutely — ideas are free to use. If you'd like to share or republish any of these specific scene write-ups, please follow the original source's usage terms; visit the linked post for details.