If you’re a parent of a little one who’s excited about the Elf on the Shelf tradition, you already know the struggle of coming up with creative placements and antics for this mischievous little figure throughout December. Let’s be honest: playing with a toy doesn’t hold the same joy for adults as it did during childhood. However, once you welcome that Elf into your home on December 1st, there’s no backing out until Christmas. You might as well have made a pact in candy canes, because you can’t just quit without crafting an elaborate excuse for the kids. The Elf on the Shelf can be quite the source of stress, which is why many parents are turning to helpful cheat sheets to survive this festive season.
Just like those handy Cliff’s Notes back in school, these ready-made calendars do much of the heavy lifting for you. They offer quick and simple ideas for what to do with your Elf each night leading up to Christmas. This way, you won’t find yourself in a panic at 11 PM, clutching an Elf and a bunch of craft supplies, feeling the same dread you had the night before a science fair project was due.
Kudos to those who have the creativity, energy, and tech skills to whip up these cheat sheets — I genuinely appreciate their efforts. If you love the Elf on the Shelf and enjoy concocting your own imaginative scenarios to surprise your kids, go ahead and revel in that creativity! But for the rest of us, these cheat sheets provide a shortcut to enjoying some well-deserved downtime with Netflix and snacks after the kids are asleep.
Between holiday shopping, decorating, and the regular responsibilities of December — like working, grocery shopping, and ensuring the kids brush their teeth (because the dentist definitely knows when I’m lying about their dental hygiene) — I simply don’t have the mental bandwidth to come up with 25 ways to make the Elf seem magical each morning. However, I’m skilled at following instructions, as evidenced by my knack for perfectly preparing a box of macaroni and cheese. So when the cheat sheet suggests having the Elf “swap the stockings for the children’s pajamas” or “zipline from a candy cane,” I’m all in.
Is this a lot of fuss over a toy, even with a cheat sheet? Isn’t the spirit of Christmas enough? Should we just abandon the poses, props, and these cheat sheets altogether? Perhaps. But if the thought of this glassy-eyed Elf reporting my children’s misdeeds to Santa can prevent even one meltdown this season, I’m hitting print on those cheat sheets without hesitation.
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In summary, Elf on the Shelf cheat sheets can alleviate holiday stress for parents by providing quick and creative ideas to keep the magic alive while allowing some much-needed relaxation time after the kids are tucked in bed.