Photocopier Selfie

Pin it
Home Office Difficulty ●●○○○ Messiness ●○○○○ Ages 3–10

How it's done

Your elf is having a bit of fun in the home office by treating the printer like a photo booth. Simply lift the lid, place your elf face down on the glass, and leave a sheet of copy paper in the tray. When your kids walk in, they will find the elf mid-selfie with a printed copy of their tiny face waiting for them. This setup takes less than five minutes and requires zero cleanup, making it perfect for a busy weeknight. This scene was Inspired by The Foreign Mom.

You'll need

  • printer
  • copy paper

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

Office scenes modernize the tradition, the elf mirrors the work-from-home life your kids see every day, which makes the magic feel personal. Difficulty 2 means it uses items you already own and takes about five minutes, quick but visibly intentional.

Variations

  • Bigger-kid twist: For an older crowd that sees through simple scenes, step up to Elf Butt Photocopies , same room, cleverer setup.

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 The Foreign Mom . 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 Home Office ideas · Browse the full guide

More Home Office ideas

More ideas using printer

Other quick ideas

Related guides from Elf Planner

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