Day 21: Elf on the Shelf Ideas

December 21 is the shortest day of the year. Lean into cozy, indoor-winter vibes, reading scenes, fireplace setups, hot-cocoa elf. The sun's back after this, and the elf can 'celebrate' the turn.

Tonight's three picks

Match your energy to the day, there's no rule that says you have to do the elaborate one.

Easy (~2 min)

Living Room ●●○○○

Dinosaur Rider

Elf on top of plastic dinosaur holding reins of string.

Ages 3–10 Pet-safe 0

Medium (~10 min)

Entryway ●●●○○

Toy Cars Lined Up at Door

Fill a sleigh with small toys and line up Matchbox cars leading from it to the front door. Pose the elf as the driver.

Ages 3–10 Pet-safe 0

Elaborate (~20+ min)

Kitchen ●●●●○

Paper Bag Animal Race

Place elf in paper bag with stuffed animals in other bags, create race line.

Ages 3–12 Pet-safe 0

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