A custom of Christmas elves
The time before Christmas is always a magical time - colorful lights, wonderfully fragrant sweets and pleasant moments with the family. Scandinavians have a special tradition at Christmas: an elf moves in. And this tradition is gradually penetrating us as well. Maybe not so much the elves from Scandinavia as The Elf on the self, which originated in 2005 when Carol Aebersold published the book "The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition" along with a special box with a little scout elf inside.
Basically, it doesn't matter, if you want an elf for children at home, start your family tradition, exactly as it pleases you. He doesn't have to visit you every day, he can take a break and come back after a few days. All I'm saying is that everything is in your control and all that matters is that you have fun at home.
Why does the elf move in?
The elf is Santa's little helper and makes sure the wait for Christmas is fun. At night, he sneaks out the door and gets up to mischief. Of course, she is always creative and charming.
What you will need
· The elf door should not go open because only the elf can see what is behind it. A nice addition to the gnome's door is the light-up window on the front door, which in the evening gives the impression that the gnome is preparing for his nighttime excursion. Beautiful doors can also be found in our offer from the Fabelab brand.
· Door Accessories : A small ladder that helps the sprite into the door. A box for letters that the elf will leave for you, and somewhere they might have skis, a mat or clogs. How you make the space around the elf door cozy is up to you.
· Accessories for elf pranks and surprises : Depending on what kind of pranks your house elf is up to, of course you'll need the right accessories - from simple home remedies to creative surprises.
· Letters : Every now and then a little letter from the house elves introducing themselves and saying what they are up to brings great excitement.
· Cookie crumbs , nut shells, or even some dirt from his shoes. You can also spray some snow on the ground and leave footprints of a dwarf in small shoes. You can choose from all of these on the day the sprite arrives.
· Surprise : As Santa's helper, the dwarf ensures the Christmas atmosphere in your home. You can gradually create Christmas decorations in the evenings - one day it will be an Advent wreath, tomorrow it is suddenly a decorated window in the kitchen. The elf is small, he can't do everything at once. And if the children's room is particularly tidy, the elf will give them a small gift. For example, a small toy or something for the tooth.
When does the elf move in?
On the first of December, the elf comes. Above the skirting board near the floor, a small gnome door suddenly appears overnight, leading to the little elf's temporary home. You can find Hugo the elf here, but you can of course name him whatever you like.
Where should the door be?
The best way to attach the door to the wall is with self-adhesive poster tapes. These hold firmly and can still be removed without leaving any residue. You should attach the gnome door to a place where you will not be disturbed. A corner in the living room, kitchen or hall that has some space for decoration and pranks and is not constantly "through traffic" works best. The children's room (or bedroom) is not a suitable place, because there is a lot going on in front of the small door at night, which the little ones should not discover until the next morning.
What prank is the leprechaun up to?
Milk is suddenly blue, tangerines have faces, and what is a carrot doing in a candlestick? Don't worry, we'll show you what the sprite can do next time.
When does the Christmas elf move out again?
The elf moves out on 12/24 on Christmas Day, when he returns to help Santa and his work is done for you. Saying goodbye to a loved one is often difficult, but they will definitely be back next year. Tip: Maybe a leprechaun can send you a postcard from time to time?
PS. Do you know what will make the elf happy for sure? Traditional rice porridge Risengrød with a piece of butter.