Blog with Friends - Elf on the Shelf

Welcome to another episode of Blog with Friends! 

This month's theme is "Celebrate", and at our house part of the holiday celebration is Cookie, our Elf on the Shelf. This year it'll be her 6th season, and like this blog, I just started the tradition on a whim. So if you're new at this, here are a couple of things to consider:

• December is a busy time. Are you up to the challenge of moving the Elf every single night? For a couple of years in a row?
• Are you either a planner or an improvisor? Cause if you don't want to get into trouble, i.e. running out of ideas, you need to be one or the other: have your weeks mapped out in advance or be super confident to wing it prior your own bedtime.
• Can you take the time to browse Pinterest for hours in order to collect more great ideas in case you run out of your own?
• Do your kids go to sleep reasonably early? If they don't or keep sneaking out of their beds, you might get caught.
• Decide if you want a nice or a naughty Elf. Personally I don't like the Elves who make messes like writing toothpaste messages on the mirror or doing snow angels in powdered sugar on your kitchen counter (who gets to clean it up,..? Me? I don't think so.)
• Have an answer ready for your kids' friends who don't have an Elf. Here in our quaint little Swiss village we are the only ones whose house gets visited by an Elf (and St. Patrick's Day Leprechauns for that matter.) So I told Colin those creatures are very sensitive and their gut feeling tells them what families might be susceptible to this kind of magic.

Thanksgiving was early this year, and considering that Cookie will stay with us beyond Christmas - because Spengler Cup - plus the past five years I have more or less used up all of my ideas,  I definitely needed to get ready. 

By the time this post goes live, we're already going to be in the middle of it all:

• 2017 Week 1
• 2017 Week 2

What will Cookie be up to this year? I'm not telling, I don't want to spoil all the fun. OK, I'll let you in a little bit:

What are you saying? Can't read? Too small? Be patient, I will keep posting about Cookie's adventures on Instagram daily and on the blog every Friday.

In the meantime here are some of the past highlights, 24 days worth of ideas:

Riding the Polar Express, Enjoying a cozy - and yummy - marshmallow igloo (link to step for step tutorial here), waiting for the phone booth to become vacant, hanging out with Barista Barbie and Pike Place Bearista.

Paper cut snowflakes, Spengler Cup game schedule and Team Canada Captain jersey, Making an M&M phone call, pilote Elf landing at Disney Cars Airport.

Doing laundry, playing football, reading a letter from Santa, hanging out in the fridge.

Ready for some baking, wearing a chef's hat and apron, finished product "Elf Cookie", who said Ghost Lights (link to step for step tutorial here) are for Halloween only? Here's an Elf light! Hiding in the bathroom cabinet.

Hanging out at the beach, visiting a miniature Christmas market and tasting some Christmas Blend coffee, trying to get lucky at the Casino with the Barbies

Wearing Christmas jewellery, attending Elf School, being stuck in a balloon, listening to some old fashioned radio while wrapping gifts.

I hope you were having fun with our Elf on the Shelf and maybe got some inspiration for your own should you have one.

Now go and check out my blogger friends' contributions, there's more fun, yumminess and crafty creations to be discovered:

• Karen of Baking In A Tornado is celebrating the holidays with delicious Brunch Scramble Rolls
• Dawn from Spatulas On Parade is the Newlywed of our bunch. She is creating a Bottle On A Shelf, a mantel piece craft using old wine bottles to celebrate her new home and new zest for life. 
• Tamara of Part-time working Hockey Mom has come up with things to consider before adopting an Elf on the Shelf plus a full month's worth of landing spot ideas.
• Kia at Think in English is talking about big and small ways to celebrate in a diverse classroom.
• Lydia of Cluttered Genius has come up with another great upcycling project: she painted old bricks and hung stockings for the season!
• Rabia at The Lieber Family Blog put together a a cute set of snowmen to decorate her home for the holidays
• Melissa of My Heartfelt Sentiments is celebrating relationships with low-cost but thoughtful items for the important people in her life.
• Jules of The Bergham Chronicles is showing us how to celebrate a birthday - in fun five ways!