Elf on the Shelf Ideas

Christmas is magical with kids. This was the first year our family has done the Elf on the Shelf and boy am I glad we jumped on the elf bandwagon. I have read several articles and blogs about why some are against the elf and for the reasons I have heard, I can agree. However, Christmas is about Christ and that will always be the center of our celebrations and secondly, our elf that we named Ruby, is not naughty. She does not toilet paper or play dirty little tricks, which if you search for elf on the shelf ideas there are plenty of... Our Ruby is sweet. She brought us treats and activities, she made us laugh at the innocent and fun things she got into like eating a bowl of cereal or reading our books or playing a game. With all honesty,  I was really sad to say goodbye to Ruby on Christmas Eve. She has added a fun spark of magic to our home. I already miss waking up and hearing, "Let's go find Ruby!!"Below you will find several ideas that I hope will be a help. We will miss our Ruby. She just may need to pay a couple surprise visits through the year! We love our Ruby. 

Ruby's grand arrival!

coloring

sleeping under the tree with baby doll bed, blanket & pillow.

Ruby helped herself to some cereal and wrote the girls' names.

fishing for goldfish.

watching a Christmas movie and having a little snack.

cooking in the girls' kitchen. 

Ruby brought us donuts one morning complete with green milk. 

Ruby likes playing Candy Land. 

And she is quite the architect! 

She also brought us all that we needed to decorate christmas trees!

She followed us to grandma's house. 

Poor Ruby caught a cold, but she got well quick. 

She left us some hot chocolate to drink.

Ruby wanted to make a reindeer footprint also. 

One morning she left us chocolate coins in the cash register. 

And she wanted us to play a game of Holiday Matching.

She made us some beautiful snowflakes.

Ruby left us a message from Santa.

Ruby's goodbye letter on Christmas Eve, 

Santa lifted her magic for a few minutes so the girls could say goodbye.