The Elf I Never Knew I’d Love - Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas from a Brisbane Family Photographer

I’ll admit it - I used to hate the idea of Elf on the Shelf.

I mean, as if we parents need ANOTHER job during the most chaotic time of the year!

As a family and newborn photographer, I reckon I am pretty creative, but the thought of coming up with new scenarios for a tiny, fecking elf every single night felt like peak festive madness.

DISCLAIMER: Some of these images are ideas from Pinterest and TikTok, some are our own. Most of these ideas I have done but forgot to take a photo.

Between school concerts, wrapping gifts, baking, decorating, and now… creating tiny elf shenanigans?

No, thank you.

But one year I made the mistake of bringing an elf home as a photography prop. When I saw the excitement on the kids faces, I knew it had to become part of our family, so it just kind of happened and continued day after day, year after year.

Now, with both my girls in high school, I’ve had a bit of a change of heart.

Looking back, I’ve realised it wasn’t just about the elf - it was about the magic it created.

The real joy was in their excitement every morning, rushing out of bed to see what the naughty elf had been up to and giggling at my threats of kicking him out.

Back when my girls were younger, the elf was all about the big reveals. Their squeals of delight each morning made the late-night setups completely worth it. From eating dog biscuits to drinking chocolate syrup through a really long straw or copying me by doing a photoshoot in my newborn photography studio..

Other times it was making snow angles in rainbow sprinkles or zip-lining across the living room on a candy cane, the elf was always up to something cheeky.

Over the years, we’ve had some truly iconic elf moments. One year, he was “trapped” in a coke bottle and the kids could not work out how. Heres the trick by the way - simply hide the slice in the bottle under the label:

Another time, he wrapped their school shoes in Christmas paper.

And then there was the time he wrapped our Christmas tree in toilet paper. In fact, toilet paper is a common theme amongst elves it seems.

Now that my girls are in high school, you might think the elf antics would fade away. But no—the tradition lives on! Some days, we still pull out all the stops with elaborate setups.

Other days, it’s bare-minimum effort, and the elf just gets relocated with the guise of a hide-and-seek mission. (Hey, even elves need a lazy day.)

I play up to how much I dont like the elf. I made a big song a scene when he arrived with a plane ticket to join us at the grandparents that year.

What I love most though, is that my girls still play along.

They might roll their eyes in that perfect teenager way, but deep down, I know they love it.

Looking back, I’ve realised that the elf isn’t just about the setups or the laughs. It’s about the little moments of magic we’ve created as a family.

These silly traditions are the glue that binds the holiday season together, even as the kids grow up. I know I’ll miss these days when the girls are off living their own lives, no longer waking up to see what mischief the elf has gotten into.

For now, I’ll keep embracing the chaos, the laughter, and the occasional “Oh no, we forgot to move the elf!” panic, climbing back out of bed at 11p.m.

Because at the end of the day, these are the memories that make Christmas truly magical.

And honestly, I know I’ll miss it terribly when they’re no longer home to wake up to the elf’s antics. Those little moments - the shared laughter, the eye rolls, the memories - are what make it so special.

It’s become one of those rare traditions that bridges the gap between their childhood and their teenage years.

Now I find that instead of dreading the nightly job, I embrace it. I know these years are fleeting, and one day, I’ll be wishing for just one more December with our mischievous little elf.

It’s funny how something I once saw as a hassle has become a treasured part of our family’s Christmas magic.

Whether or not you have an elf as well, I hope your Christmas is filled with the love and magic that this time of year brings to homes.