These Elf on the Shelf birthday ideas are a magical way of adding some extra fun to your child’s December birthday celebrations. If you happen to have a child with a birthday so close to Christmas (like we do), why not get your elf involved in the excitement? Or to add a little cheeky mischief to the day.
A lot of families also like to bring back their Elf on the Shelf friends for special occasions throughout the year, bringing that festive magic to birthdays outside of December.
Either way, you will find lots of fun Elf birthday ideas to celebrate those special milestones!
Best Elf On The Shelf Birthday Ideas
There is only so much time we have to enjoy the full festive magic of childhood and believing. While the Elf in the Shelf tradition may seem a little overboard to some, going all out with these Christmas traditions can be important.
As parents, we want our kids to have the most wonderful memories of their childhood and these Elf on the Shelf birthday tradition ideas can help you bring even more fun and fond memories into those early years.
Make birthdays even more memorable with a dash of elfish mischief with these fun birthday celebration ideas:
Elf On The Shelf – A Birthday Tradition
The official Elf on the Shelf company makes Elf On The Shelf – A Birthday Tradition, specifically for this reason!
You can get a new story to read with your child on their birthday as a simple elf idea that also gives you an activity to do together.
Some of the books also come with a special birthday outfit too!
Balloon Arrival
It doesn’t just need to be on the first day arrival that your elf makes a grand entrance! It can be a great idea to have them turn up in their own special way on your child’s birthday too!
This fun idea from our Elfing Around Facebook group member would have been so fun to wake up to with a birthday balloon hot air balloon arrival.
North Pole Breakfast
The North Pole breakfast is a popular tradition during the Christmas season for many for their Elf on the Shelf arrival, but it’s also a fantastic option for a special birthday breakfast!
Start the day with a big feast of your favourite breakfast foods or novelty-shaped pancakes with chocolate chips and ice cream.
After all, it’s cold in the North Pole so there’s bound to be plenty of frozen ice cream!
Birthday Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt is a load of fun and we love doing a birthday scavenger hunt for our kids on their birthday morning. It adds a little extra excitement to getting their gifts and turns it into more of an experience than just handing them over.
You can get my free printable Elf on the Shelf scavenger hunt clues and instead, let your mischievous elf be responsible for hiding the gifts. Cheeky elves do love some mischief.
Birthday Decorations
While not every Elf goes overboard, many do like to create some big scenarios and celebrating a birthday is the perfect time for this.
Have your elf decorate with loads of balloons and streamers for an exciting birthday morning surprise. Or go overboard with Christmas decorations and Christmas lights in your child’s room while they are sleeping.
One year our scout elf filled the hallway leading from our daughter’s bedroom with balloons and had streamers stuck across the archway so that she woke to a crazy scene as she left her room. So much fun!
A Birthday Outfit
Have your birthday elf arrive in a special birthday outfit for the occasion. Make your own DIY elf birthday costume or get one like this Elf birthday suit instead.
You can also make or purchase mini party hats that are elf-sized. Our elf’s hat often falls off so we can easily swap it out for a party hat, or have other toys join the fun with their own tiny party hats.
Here are some cute outfits for your elf:
Bring A Gift Or Special Treat
For an easy elf birthday visit, have them bring a little gift or treat for your little guy or girl who is celebrating a birthday.
This can be as simple as supplies for hot chocolate such as mini marshmallows and sprinkles. Or it could be a small gift in messy birthday wrapping paper sitting under the Christmas tree.
Birthday Elf Pranks
Most years, our elf loves to prank our daughter on her birthday. She is a little older so she can see the humour in these pranks.
One year she got a wrapped birthday present – full of her own underwear.
Another year it was a gift with a note that sounded like she was about to get a Disney trip… but just another note inside to say ‘That would have been great.’ We actually did gift them a Disney cruise surprise on Christmas day though!
This year, she is getting wrapped groceries and a note that says he got some items off her Christmas list, while holding our grocery list instead as a list mix-up.
A Special Message
Your elf can write a special message to your child to acknowledge this important time of year and birthday milestone.
This is a great way to have your elf’s presence outside of the holiday season, without even necessarily having your elf come to visit. They can send a birthday message from the North Pole.
Elf Cupcakes
These adorable elf cupcakes featuring scout elves were a fun happy birthday surprise for one little person.
The Ultimate Elf-Friendly Birthday Feast
Kids delight in treats, so an Elf on the Shelf birthday party calls for a menu that’s as whimsical as it is tasty.
Consider elf-inspired snacks: strawberries become ‘Elf Hats’ with the stems sliced off and dipped in white chocolate. Pretzel sticks turn into ‘Magic Wands’ with a little melted chocolate and sprinkles.
Sandwiches cut into Christmas tree or bell shapes make for delightful ‘Elfwiches,’ a hit with both the young and the young at heart.
For added fun, serve beverages like ‘Elf Elixirs,’ which can just be milkshakes garnished with candy canes or coloured sugar rims.
Birthday Tree
Imagine your child waking up to the Christmas tree now covered in birthday decorations – balloons, streamers and things that weren’t part of the tree decorations when they went to bed. So fun and also a very simple idea.
This is something that can be done quickly if you need an idea for your last-minute elf visits, with some busy parents to help!
Elf Games
Have your creative elf bring some games to play for your child’s special day. These could be elf-sized games just to show that your elf is in the birthday celebration mood, such as Elf Twister.
Or bring kid-sized activities such as a game of pin the hat on the elf or a new board game to play with the family.
Here are some fun Elf on the Shelf-themed games:
- Down The Chimney
- Present Pile Up Board Game
- Merry Guess-Mas Card Game
- Tangled Twistmas Card Game – We have this one and it’s simple and fun! A little like dominos.
Your elf might even like to set up an obstacle course in the backyard for a little extra challenge and entertainment.
Make sure you come and join our Elfing Around Facebook group for even more ideas and inspiration!
Conclusion: Elf Birthday Activities and Games
There are so many fun ideas and creative ways you can get your entire family involved in these memorable little surprise moments to celebrate your child’s birthday. Whether it’s a funny elf surprise, birthday-themed elf accessories or a memorable experience for the whole family to enjoy with the birthday child.
Find more Elf On The Shelf & Christmas ideas:
- Elf on the Shelf arrival ideas
- Funny elf on the shelf ideas
- How to make a Christmas Eve box
- Ideas for 2 or more elves
- DIY Advent calendar ideas
- Advent calendar fillers
- Elf on the Shelf birthday ideas
- Handmade Christmas gifts kids can make
- Free Elf on the Shelf Scavenger hunt clues
- Fun Christmas games for all ages
- Fun things to do on Christmas day at home
- Reasons the elf did not move
- Elf on the Shelf Disney ideas
- Mickey Mouse ears for Elf on the Shelf
- Free printable Elf on the Shelf accessories
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