Louisiana Bride: 25 Days of Christmas//Funny Elf on the Shelf Ideas

One of the times I have most enjoyed teaching was last year during Christmas. I was lucky enough to score an entirely Christmas celebrating class and just went nuts. While I taught our regular curriculum, I played Christmas music constantly and brought out a new/yet old tradition...Elf on the Shelf. No joke, it was the best behavior I have experienced out of children in quite some time. I introduced my "not exactly real" Elf on the Shelf (I saved 20 bucks by buying the stuffed doll), read the book to the class, and put that stuffed doll to work. There were a few skeptics, but after a few days of our Elf and her antics they were all in.

The hands down best moment came when I realized one day that the music on my computer shut off whenever it went to screensaver. Ding. Ding. Ding! We had a winner. I came in early one day and set up out little stuffed Elf next to my speakers with her fuzzy little hand on the volume knob. Thirty minutes into a Reading lesson the students suddenly noticed the music was off, and guess who did it...our "Elf". It happened several more times that day, and each time I played it off fussing that she was just interrupting my lesson. The kids ate it up!

When we left a few days before break for Italy I made sure and had another teacher come in and move her everyday, just to keep the magic alive. No sense in thinking it was me all along. A few of those students actually showed up in my room a few days ago asking where our Elf was. I didn't get to bring it out this year, but hopefully I can next year.

If you have a child who is around 3rd - 7th grade age I suggest you let them read Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever around Christmas. Granted, 5-7th graders won't be in the Santa spirits, but it is a hilarious book! We began reading it as a class a few days after we did the Elf on the Shelf book, and seriously I nearly cried laughing while reading it out loud to the kids. There is one hilarious section where Greg talks about the insanity of their Elf. Seriously it is a must read of kids!

I'm really hoping to do Elf on the Shelf with my future classes, and even our kids. Here are a few of my favorite Elf on the Shelf ideas from Pinterest. Granted they aren't exactly all kid friendly, but they are funny.