These Elves on the Shelf Staged at Hospitals Take the Word "Creative" to a Whole New Level

Any parent familiar with Elf on the Shelf — the Christmas phenomenon that we all have a serious love-hate relationship with — knows the struggle of coming up with creative setup ideas. But thanks to a recent contest shared by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses on Facebook, frantic moms and dads everywhere are about to get a little more inspiration — hospital-themed, that is!

"There was an influx of elves admitted into the ICU last year, but our community of exceptional nurses cared for them!" read the caption. "We invite you to participate in our AACN Elf on the Shelf social media contest! Simply take a photo of your Elf on the Shelf ICU scene and submit it in the comments below."

Although the contest runs until 9 a.m. PT on Dec. 17, there has already been tons of crafty submissions. Read through to get a look at some of the best ones, and be sure to share your own creation with AACN for the chance to win a $100 gift card to its bookstore.