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There’s something so magical about Christmas through the eyes of our kids, isn’t there? This year, our own Elf on the Shelf adventure took an unexpected turn… and honestly, it turned into the sweetest blessing in disguise. Sometime in the first week of December, our littlest munchkin tucked our elf (Snickerdoodle) somewhere “very special,” and—despite our best efforts—he is now officially missing in action.

At first I wasn’t planning to replace him, but both kids kept mentioning how much they hoped he’d show up again. And truly… I love creating little pockets of magic in our home during the holidays. These years are short and sweet, and if a tiny elf can bring big sparkle to their mornings? I’m all in. So, I decided to welcome a second elf to our family and write a note explaining that Snickerdoodle was called away on a special assignment, and hopefully he’ll return before Christmas—but in the meantime, his friend Sugarplum (or “Sugar”) is here to spread cheer.

And because so many families love the magic of the elf without the “reporting back to Santa” storyline, I decided to share our Elf Letter Templates for free—so you can personalize them for your kids too!

How We Do Elf on the Shelf in Our House

Our version of the Elf on the Shelf is simple, sweet, and silly:

No reporting back to Santa
No naughty-or-nice stress
Just fun, joy, and a new spot to find each morning

We don’t follow the traditional storyline, and honestly? It’s delightful. The kids race through the house every morning hunting for Sugarplum, giggling about where she landed and what she might have been up to overnight.

It keeps the magic lighthearted and joyful—which feels just right for our family.

Keeping the Focus on the True Meaning of Christmas

Even though we love the playful side of Christmas, it’s deeply important to us that our kids understand why we celebrate this season. Each night we do an Advent devotional at dinner, talking about the birth of Jesus, His love for us, and the hope He brings.

So when I wrote our elf’s goodbye letter, I made sure it gently pointed back to the true meaning of Christmas too—our elf goes home on Christmas Day because it’s Jesus’ birthday, and it’s time to celebrate Him.

It’s a balance of magic and meaning, and it works beautifully for our family.

Free Customizable Elf Letter Templates

To make things easy for you, I created general, non-specific versions of our Elf Arrival Letter and Goodbye Letter. These are editable Canva templates so you can change the names and details for your own kids and elf.

⬇️ Grab Your Free Elf Letter Templates!

Elf Name Ideas

Whether this is your family’s first elf or you’re adding a new magical friend (like we did!), here are some fun name ideas:

Neutral Elf Names

Spark
Twinkle
Frost
Sprinkles
Juniper
Merry
Jingles
Peppermint

Girl Elf Names

Sugarplum
Holly
Noel
Mistletoe (“Missy”)
Snowbell
Tinsel
Glitter
Cookie

Boy Elf Names

Snickerdoodle
Jolly
Blizzard
Coalby
Buddy
Spruce
North
Figgy

shop elf on the shelf + accessories

This is such a fun tradition to personalize! Whether you're grabbing your first elf, adding a second, or stocking up on cute little accessories, here are some magical finds:

This little tradition may be silly, but goodness—the sparkle in my kids’ eyes makes it one of my favorite parts of Christmas. Whether your elf brings big adventures or just moves from shelf to shelf, I hope these printable letters make the season a little sweeter and a whole lot easier for you. And if you use the templates, tag me @SimpleModestMom on Instagram or Tiktok — I’d love to see how your family personalizes them!

Merry Christmas, friends! May your home be filled with joy, giggles, and so much wonder this season. ❤️