It is the first of December, you have finally remembered to move the elf, and it is 11.40pm. Sound familiar? If so, this one is for you. The elf is meant to be fun, not a second job, and sweets are one of the easiest ways to add a bit of magic without an hour of Pinterest-level crafting.
Here are plenty of cheap, quick ideas for the elf, a home-made countdown and a Christmas Eve box, with a few sensible notes on safety and sanity along the way.
Keep the elf lazy
First, a bit of permission. You do not need to do something clever every night. Some nights the elf can simply sit in a different spot. Two or three truly good setups across the month, plus a few simple ones, will keep the children happy and you sane.
Set yourself a rule: nothing that takes more than five minutes. If a scene needs scissors, a ladder and a trip to the shops, scrap it. Children are far more impressed by the surprise than the effort.
Quick elf antics involving sweets
Here are a handful of ideas that use almost nothing.
• Candy cane swords. The elf holds a candy cane in each hand, sword-fighting with a teddy.
• Marshmallow snowmen. Stack three marshmallows on a cocktail stick with a dot of icing for eyes, and prop the elf next to them.
• Sweet trail. Lay a line of wrapped sweets from the elf’s perch to the bedroom door, or to the kitchen.
• Sleeping in the sweet jar. Tuck the elf into a large glass jar half full of wrapped sweets, with a tissue as a blanket.
• Cereal bowl bath. Fill a small bowl with mini marshmallows and let the elf “bathe” in it.
• Chocolate coin treasure. The elf guards a little pile of chocolate coins with a note saying it is for emergencies.
Everything on the list can be done in under three minutes with things you probably already have in the cupboard.
The elf arrival breakfast
The first morning is the big one, and a simple breakfast table does most of the work. Wake up before the children, set a plate of pancakes or toast with a jam smile, and prop the elf against the cereal box with a little welcome note. Add a few chocolate coins around the plate and a small hot chocolate with marshmallows.
If your elf traditionally arrives with a letter, make it short and warm. Remind the children what the elf does, what the rules are (no touching) and that Father Christmas is watching with affection.
A DIY advent with sweets
You do not need to spend a fortune on shop-bought advent calendars. Making your own is cheap, personal and a nice little activity in itself.
What you will need:
1. Twenty-four small containers: paper bags, matchboxes, toilet roll tubes, tiny jars or envelopes.
2. A pen and some stickers or tags.
3. A selection of treats, plus small notes or activities.
4. A piece of string, a branch or a cardboard sleeve to display them on.
Number each container and fill it with something small. You might mix sweets with non-sweet days, so every day is not just sugar. A few ideas for non-sweet days: a note saying “family film night tonight”, a sticker, a coin for a charity box, a joke, a challenge such as “build a snowman”.
For the sweet days, think mini and wrapped. Christmas sweets such as candy canes, festive jellies and little wrapped chocolates fit nicely into small containers and can be bought in bulk to keep costs down.
The 12 days version
Twenty-four days is a lot of effort. If that makes you tired just thinking about it, try the twelve days version, running from 13 December to Christmas Eve. You only need twelve small gifts, and the countdown builds more excitement because it feels closer.
You can also do a “twelve days of Christmas” with a theme for each day: one sweet treat, one activity, one kind deed, and so on. It spreads the fun without the pressure of a full month.
Sweet-wrapped notes
This is a small idea that goes a long way. Write a short, kind note on a slip of paper, wrap it around a sweet or tie it to a candy cane, and leave it somewhere surprising: on a pillow, in a lunchbox, in a coat pocket. Make the notes nice rather than clever.
Examples that go down well:
• “You were really kind to your sister today.”
• “The elf says you tried hard at school.”
• “Tonight’s mission: find the best Christmas jumper in the house.”
Children love hearing specific praise, and the sweet is just a bonus. These work well in the elf’s hands, or on their own.
The Christmas Eve box
The Christmas Eve box is a modern British tradition that has taken off in recent years. It is a box of treats given on the evening of 24 December to help children settle down and enjoy the build-up. It usually contains pyjamas, a book, a hot chocolate sachet and a small treat or two.
It is a fabulous idea because it slows down a very wound-up evening and gives you a lovely tradition to repeat each year.
A sweet-centred box might include:
• A new pair of festive pyjamas.
• A hot chocolate mix with a few marshmallows.
• A child-friendly chocolate bar or two for the little ones.
• A Christmas book to read together.
• A mince pie and a carrot for Father Christmas and the reindeer.
Pack it in a cardboard box, a gift bag or even a pillowcase. It costs as much or as little as you choose. If you fancy a little something for the grown-ups to share once the children are in bed, a few chocolates online are easy to order ahead and tuck away.
Choking and allergen notes
A few safety points are worth stating clearly, particularly with younger children around.
• Hard sweets, whole nuts, small round sweets and marshmallows can be choking hazards for children under five. Keep them out of reach of little ones and choose age-appropriate treats in advance.
• Lollipops and candy canes should be eaten sitting down, never running around.
• Check the label on every item for allergens, even if you buy the same brand each year, as recipes and factory processes can change.
• If any child has an allergy, keep their treats separate and clearly labelled, and tell visiting friends and relatives what is safe.
• If you are using real sweets in elf scenes, remember that the elf is not allowed to be touched, so do not leave anything in the display that might get eaten by accident. Sweets from the elf’s scene may end up on the floor within reach of toddlers or pets, and some foods, such as chocolate, are dangerous for dogs.
If in doubt, swap the sweets for stickers, a small toy or a note.
Keeping it low-stress for parents
You are not running a theatre production. A few rules keep the month enjoyable.
Prepare in advance. Spend one evening in late November writing out your ideas on a list and gathering the supplies. Stick it on the fridge so you can see which night needs what.
Share the load. If there are two adults in the house, take turns. If you are a single parent, ask a friend or grandparent for help, or just do the minimum.
Skip nights without guilt. If you forget, have the elf “stuck” in the same spot because it is “tired”. Write a note from the elf apologising. Children are remarkably forgiving, and many will invent the explanation for you. A quick “he must have been tired” is often all it takes, and it gives you a night off without a single tear.
Do not compare. Social media shows the highlights. Your version only has to work for your own family.
Storing sweets so they last until December
There is nothing sadder than opening the cupboard on 20 December to find the supplies mysteriously vanished. A few tricks help.
1. Buy in small batches nearer the time rather than all at once in November.
2. Store sweets in an airtight tin or box on a high shelf, in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight.
3. Keep chocolate away from radiators, as it will bloom or melt.
4. Label the tin “Elf supplies, do not touch”, and mean it.
5. Separate the sweets by day if you are making a countdown, using small bags or envelopes.
Dividing the stash into daily parcels also stops the grown-ups helping themselves on a bad evening.
Wrapping up the magic
One last thought on expectations. Children rarely remember how elaborate the scene was. They remember being surprised, and being included in the joke. A wonky marshmallow snowman and a scribbled note from the elf will do just as well as anything you saw online, and often better, because it feels like it belongs to your house.
Whatever you do with the elf and your countdown, remember it is meant to feel special, not stressful. A candy cane here, a funny note there, a cosy box on Christmas Eve. Your children will remember the feeling long after they have forgotten what was in the bag.
So pick two or three ideas, write them on the calendar and give yourself the night off. The elf will cope.