58 Funny Mishaps That Ruined The Elf On The Shelf Experience For Kids
For those of you who have never heard of the Elf on the Shelf, it’s a Christmas tradition where a special scout is sent by Santa to watch over children. The Christmas elf observes the kids by day and each night returns to the North Pole to report whether they were naughty or nice.
While this custom is really exciting for the children, their parents have it a bit more complicated. Thinking of creative ideas and remembering to change the position of the doll 25 nights in a row can be harder than you might think.
Whether it's forgetting the elf in the fireplace or setting up the dolls so they look like something from a horror movie, often things don’t go as planned. Here are some of the most hilarious Elf on the Shelf fails that are too funny not to laugh at. So continue scrolling and make sure to upvote your favorite ones!
#1 I Happened To Look In Our Window And Noticed That When She's Backlit, It Didn't Quite Look As Cute As Intended
Image credits: c_r_ali
The Elf on the Shelf tradition started from a children’s storybook which was published in 2005. The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell was incredibly successful. Today, millions of families take out their elves every year for almost a whole month, from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, to spread the spirit of the upcoming holidays.
If you’re wondering how to start this tradition in your household, it’s quite easy. You buy the doll, customize it according to your preferences, and read the storybook with your children because it has all the information you need to know about your elf.
However, there’s one vital rule that the children need to follow—they cannot touch the elf or it will lose its magic. Plus, the elf only starts to move after the children fall asleep and creates mischief while running around the house, so the parents need to find a new place to hide it every night. If you wish to find out more details about the custom and the whole story, you can find it on their official company website.
#2 Tried To Write A Fun Bathtub Message From The Elf, But It Turned Out A Little Cryptic
Image credits: elfgilbert
As adults, we know that Santa Claus isn’t real, but many of us remember the magic we felt when we thought he existed. Even though it’s generally best for parents to keep the number of lies they tell their kids to a bare minimum, the rules don't apply to the holiday season. Why is it considered good to tell our children the Santa myth?
Melinda Wenner Moyer, the author of How to Raise Kids Who Aren't A-Holes, wrote that stories about Santa and his little helper might actually be good for kids’ cognitive development. "Fantastical stories foster a type of imaginative play that sparks creativity, social understanding and even—strange as it may sound—scientific reasoning."
#3 Things Got More Toasty Than Planned
Image credits: Chelsea Hightower
#4 Did A Cute Angel Thing For The Elf. The Cat Thought It Was Litter And Did A Giant S**t On My Kitchen Side. My Poor Kids. We Go To Find The Elf And He’s Had A Giant S**t?
Image credits: Katie Wright
According to the writer, Santa Claus belongs to the "good lie" category because by the time children find out the truth about him, they can already tell the difference between a good and a bad lie, so they don’t have any hard feelings for the parents.
"What Kris Kringle does do is feed the imagination. Kids picture him managing his elves at the North Pole, soaring through the sky or squeezing through chimneys," Moyer continued. Participating in fantasy play and adopting the role of Rudolph or Mrs. Claus in games "may cultivate a set of skills known as 'theory of mind,' which helps kids predict and understand other people’s behavior."
#5 I Bit The Head Off The Kids Christmas Elf
Image credits: tamcam10
#6 Snow Angels In Sugar Turned Out Looking More Like A Crime Scene
Image credits: pixiee83
Yet, while some adults think of fun and creative scenarios for where to place the Elf, others are not so fascinated with the concept. Emma Shingleton, a parenting expert, said that while the kids might behave themselves when the elf is watching, there’s no guarantee that it will continue after Christmas.
#7 This Idea Looked Okay At That Time. Brandon Woke Up To Find Berry An Well Brandon Said That’s The Creepiest Thing His Elf Has Done And He Doesn’t Like It
Image credits: mom_of_3_great_kiddos
#8 Balding Barry... Our Elf’s Hat Came Off So We Decided To Super Glue It To No Avail. Hey, Let’s Use Nail Polish Remover To Get The Glue Off....laughing Hysterically Ever Since!!!
Image credits: RoscoeDC
#9 Well I Guess I Should Have Checked To Make Sure That There Wasn't A F***ing Elf In The Fireplace Before Turning It On
Image credits: whatswrongchamp
Shingleton suggests a nicer alternative, a helpful elf who could support children in making good decisions. "Explain to your children that Santa's elf has been sent to homes to help them in the run-up to Christmas. They love to see children spreading kindness and joy, and then make the journey back to the North Pole each night to tell Santa all the lovely things children have been up to," the expert advised.
#10 Set The Elf Up Eating Cheetos, And Didn't Notice Where I Sprinkled Them Until My Kids Started Laughing
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#11 Throwback To That Time We Set Our Creepy Elf On Fire Last Year. Ooops. Don’t Let Your Elves Sit On Light Fixtures, Y’all
Image credits: lilyslittlecupboard
#12 Intruder Alert!
Image credits: mochi_momo_oc
After all that, it all comes down to your choice of what to believe. While some parents think that the Elf on the Shelf tradition is really annoying and time-consuming, it can actually be a lot of fun for adults too. Especially when something does not go as expected and you end up with a really messed-up elf and only a few hours left to think of what you're going to tell your children.
#13 Poor Ken! Tried To Spread A Little Christmas Cheer At The Piano And Look What Happened
Image credits: janetfreisner
#14 Daughter Ran Into My Room Screaming “What Is The Elf Doing To My Doll?” Well I Thought They Were Dancing
Image credits: randomkcv
#15 When Your Husband Thinks Sitting On A Wall Sconce Was A Good Idea... Rip Chippy
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#16 Getting Him Into A Balloon Isn’t As Easy As It Looks
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#17 I Seriously Forgot I Put The Freaking Elf In The Freaking Oven
Image credits: Brittany Mease
#18 New Puppy Got Ahold Of The Elf, And The Rest Is, Well
Image credits: msummers23
#19 So We Decided For “Buddy” To Have Some Lil Zipline Action, But Used Fish Wire Instead Of A Noticeable String, So Yea! Angelito Said He Seen Buddy Floating. He Is Scared Of Him Now
Image credits: Karen G. Quiroga
#20 Set The Elf Up Near The Toilet, And He Promptly Fell In
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#21 Well....i Thought It Would Be Funny. My Kids... Not So Much ??. Both Had Tears And Told The Elf They Didn’t Like Her Anymore
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#22 This Is Doing The Rounds On Fb And Insta.. Poor Elf
Image credits: a.mums.world
#23 I Was Bound To Miss One Night
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#24 Found The Elf Covered In Nail Polish, So I Tried To Remove It And Fix The Elf's Face
Image credits: danielleee_victoria
#25 When Daddy Puts Maxi (Rowen Named Him) Too Close To The Light Bulb You Tell The Kids He Got Frost Bite On His Way Back From The North Pole
Image credits: kellyjyust
#26 Elf Was Hiding In A Balloon. Which Deflated Over Night And Now Looks Like He Is Waiting To Be Born. The Questions From Mister 8 This Morning Are... Colourful
Image credits: dzintrasullivan
#27 Baby Boy Wakes Up And Searches For His Elf. He Finds Her And Says She Drew On The Bananas. I Asked What She Drew And He Says "Nothing, She Just Scribbled On Them"
Image credits: mruniquegomez
#28 Bearded Dragon Don't Like Intruders Even If They're Santas Little Helper
Image credits: elisejanelle
#29 Thought It Would Be Cute To Set Up A Candle Marshmallow-Roasting Scene... Until The Marshmallows Caught On Fire And Almost Burned The House Down
Image credits: Teresa Tangen
#30 Elf On The Shelf Was No Match For Booker The Boston
Image credits: the_sloaneharlowburkett
#31 Thomas Our Elf, Thought It Was A Bright Idea To Hide In The Light Fixture. Thomas Is Now Wearing A Scarf For The Remainder Of His Stay
Image credits: melbrookins14
#32 I Didn't Prepare For The Off Chance The Tape Didn't Hold. So My Children Woke Up To An Elf That Drowned In Last Nights Spaghetti Pot
Image credits: brandi_cerone
#33 Thought It Would Be Fun To Put The Elf On Top Of The Guinea Pig’s Igloo In Their Cage
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#34 When You Come Home From Work To See What Your Dogs Did All Day.. My Poor Kids Are So Upset. Thankfully Santa Saw The Dogs Being Naughty And Turned Our Elf Into A Chew Toy! Our Real Elf Flew Back To The North Pole And Will Be Back Tomorrow!
Image credits: movewithmeganrealestateteam
#35 Finn Attacked Rudolf, Our Elf! He Was Laying On The Counter Making Snow Angels And Now He’s Head First On The Floor! Rudolf Now Has Flour Stuck To Him From Being Licked To Death By Finn
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#36 Me To Daddy, Because I Didn’t Have Time “Can You Do Something With The Elf?” Apparently He Didn’t Either. Not Sure What Is Going On Here?
Image credits: aajjmm1982
#37 It Wasn’t Me, Elf Did Not Loose His Head, I Repeat, The Elf Did Not Loose His Head
Image credits: chitasticdolly_rex
#38 I Don’t Think Wally Is That Interested In Sharing
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#39 So Clearly The Dog Feels The Same Way About Elf On The Shelf As I Do! He Went To Town With Poor Mr Elf And Then Left It Behind James' Curtains And I Have Spent All Afternoon Trying To Find The Damn Thing
Image credits: annikaskye89
#40 Ffs Ruby!
Image credits: vicky_scott01
#41 Yep So This Is How Poor Auld Sebastian Was Greeted This Morning With A Definitive No And Thrown In The Sink
Image credits: prettyplannercreations
#42 The Elf In The Burn Unit "Dad... Frank's Leg Fell Off!"
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#43 Elf On The Shelf Display Goes Horribly Wrong And Stains The Kitchen Floor
Image credits: Lyndsey Sahota
#44 The Things I Do For My Kid... Bubble Popped... Looks Like Diarrhea... Elf Freaking Fail... Whatever
Image credits: AmCo711
#45 We Had A Tragic Circumstance With Our Elf On The Shelf, Elfer, Lastnight. Full Thickness Burn To The Head With Charring. The Kids Are Devastated
Image credits: nostalchick_rn
#46 Elf-Barbie Fishing Scene Was Super Cute... Until Barbie's Dress Slipped And Made The Elf Look Like A Creep
Image credits: Justin Carver
#47 Elfette Took A Chocolate Chip Dump But Fell In (Not Intentional!!!)
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#48 Ddo Not Place Your Elf On A Chandelier, Even If It’s One That Rarely Gets Used
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#49 Lil Ginge vs. Elf On The Shelf (Or Should That Be Floor? Haha). The Little Humans Freaked Out But The Elf Didn't Complain
Image credits: sugar_and_ginge
#50 They Were Supposed To Be At The Beach, Until Louie The Bernedoodle Made It Onto The Countertop
Image credits: marypatt.thomas
#51 I Killed Our Elf. Psa: Elves Don't Like Light Fixtures
Image credits: christinebunn
#52 Note To Self. Next Year Wait Till Morning To Write Poohs Note On Mirror
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#53 What We Executed And How We Found Elfie This Morning!
Image credits: nicole.d.powell
#54 Did Anyone Else Know That Cotton Candy Evaporates Over Night?
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#55 When You Try And Bring That Dreaded Elf Back And Someone Showers And Melts Your "Be Good" Message!
Image credits: erinhawe
#56 I Didn’t Have Flour For The “Snow” So I Used Sugar... Well
Image credits: Jaycee Ingalls Mansfield
#57 Dog Got To The Elf Before I Could Save It
Image credits: meredith_colberg
#58 Elf On A Shelf Fail!! They Were Supposed To Be Sitting Around Nibbling On The Gingerbread House!! Warning: After A Couple Days Those Houses Aren't That Sturdy!! Think We Have An Elf Down, Somebody Call The Paramedics!!
Image credits: insta_armydelk
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