Elf Gift Wraps the Kitchen

Pin it
Kitchen Difficulty ●●●●○ Messiness ●●○○○ Ages 3–10

How it's done

Your children will walk into the kitchen to find several cabinet doors or a section of the counter completely covered in holiday gift wrap. The elf is caught mid-wrap, holding a pair of scissors and a roll of painter's tape. This scene creates a major visual impact that kids aged 3 to 10 will find hilarious. Budget at least twenty minutes for the setup, but rest assured that cleanup is quick and the tape is surface-safe. This ambitious hiding spot was inspired by A Visual Merriment.

You'll need

affiliate Cart icons link to Amazon search.

Pets in the house?

Should be fine around pets as long as you place it out of reach.

Why this works

The kitchen is the first room most kids visit in the morning, for cereal, for milk, for the toaster. An elf scene staged here has the highest odds of being the first thing your child spots and shouts about. Difficulty 4 is an ambitious scene that rewards the extra effort, the kind of moment kids remember years later.

If it doesn't go to plan

If the elf ends up too well-hidden and the kids can't find it, nudge them with a vague hint ("Looks like our elf went somewhere cozy"), the discovery is the point.

Inspired by A Visual Merriment . Visit the original post for more photos and the full backstory.

Need an idea for tomorrow?

Tell us about your house and kids, we'll pick 5 more ideas personalized for you.

Try the generator →

Also: See all Kitchen ideas · Browse the full guide

More Kitchen ideas

More ideas using painter's tape

Other similar-effort ideas

Related guides from Elf Planner

More ideas, templates, and rescue plays from our writing.