Have you heard about the Christmas Elves tradition? It’s when Santa’s elves visit your home to check on good little boys and girls. Christmas Elves usually start to appear on the first of December, making their notes, keeping a diary and writing that all-important Elf Report to Santa. Sometimes they leave little Magic Elf gifts and can often be rather mischievous.
It’s a great way to capture the magic of Christmas for your child or children. Just imagine their excitement when they realise the mischievous Christmas Elves have arrived in their home.
Who do Santa’s Elves visit?
Like Santa, Christmas Elves only visit children who really believe in them. They have been known to start visiting children as young as 18 months, or even younger, especially if they have older siblings.
As for the upper age limit – well, as long as the children believe, Christmas Elves will continue to visit!
More about these magical little creatures
Christmas Elves are usually small, cute and cuddly, some dress in different coloured hats, have stripy stockings and colourful jumpers.
Children often like to give their elf a name and take them on trips with the family. But first they have to find them!
Christmas Elves are rather restless and are never found in the same place twice. Each morning the children have to hunt around the house to discover where the Elf is resting. It’s not unusual to find a hungry one still hiding in the fridge, in the biscuit barrel or on top of the bread bin. While other nights he might have fallen asleep on the Christmas tree or in the pocket of children’s coats.
Mischief-making Christmas Elves
When night falls and the children close their eyes, the Christmas Elves come out to play. Known for their mischief, they can get into all sorts of scrapes during the night.
Children have awoken to discover underwear hanging from the Christmas tree. In fact, working out what trouble they have got up to during the night is half the fun of having an Elf to stay.
Around the country, children have reported Christmas Elves spilling sugar, and leaving their tracks in the mess. Others have hidden the remote control – presumably after watching some late night television programme – or retuned the radio.
Other kids have found themselves putting on one white and one black sock in the morning, after Christmas Elves have mixed up the pairs during the night.
They often leave little gifts for the children they stay with. But being Magic Christmas Elves, the gifts are never just ordinary gifts. Elves have been known to surprise children with chocolate spiders, milk chocolate worms and even white chocolate maggots – revolting, but also surprisingly tasty!
The most adventurous ones have even been known to post themselves off to family and friends who they feel need a little bit of Christmas magic to brighten the dark nights of December. Find more Christmas elf ideas.
Christmas Elves with a job to do
Of course it’s not all fun and games when you’re a Christmas Elf. They have some serious work to do, like helping Santa prepare his list in time for Christmas day.
Children can help out with this by writing their list and perhaps a letter to Santa reporting how well (or badly) behaved their Elf has behaved this year.
Christmas Eve hampers
Christmas Elves magically disappear on Christmas Eve. After all, they need to get back to the North Pole to help Santa with his deliveries. Yet, they are grateful for your hospitality, and often leave a hamper for good little boys and girls on Christmas Eve, as a thank you for having them to stay.
Often these hampers contain little gifts, such as new pyjamas, slippers and bubble bath in preparation for a good night’s sleep. Of course, Santa only arrives when little ones are fast asleep. Some Elves add in a few treats like chocolates or cuddly toys to sleep with. But it all depends on the Elf and, of course, how good the child has been.
Remember – an Elf is for Christmas and not for life, so why not invite a Christmas Elf to visit your children this year?
Find out more about Christmas elves >
