As soon as Thanksgiving is over our Instagram feeds will quickly become flooded with photos of the Elf on the Shelf. Every year, some parents go above and beyond to kick-start the beloved Christmas countdown. From elaborate and encouraging rhymes to candy-coated scenes, the Elf on the Shelf seems to be back and better than ever!
In honor of annual #ElfReturnWeek, here are some of our favorite ways that families have welcomed this holiday helper back onto the shelf in years past.
This little guy certainly blends in with the rest of the ornaments.
This little elf gave a whole new meaning to the term "crashing the party."
They could pass for Pokémon, right?
This little guy is making his holiday debut.
Nothing like sneaking up on a friend to kick off the holiday season.
The best part of waking up is an elf in your cup.
This elf knows what question to ask.
This little guy left a big note for his family.
Looks like someone borrowed Santa's sleigh.
It seems some toys are a bit jealous of this holiday helper.
Was this guy on a sugar high?
Even Santa's helpers have to master Common Core math.
Let's hope he wasn't stuck for too long.
A bold statement from such a shy creature.
Looks like Charlie made a few new friends.
Someone made a little mischief upon his return.
We "mustache" what Marty did to this family portrait.
When Busy Philipps realized she forgot to put out the elf, she made up for it with some sweet gifts.