Visiting elf idea
Shoebox Arrival Office
The elf opens a shoebox office lined with a towel and posts three short office hours.
- Arrival
- Kitchen
- Nice
- No mess
- Household items
- 10 minutes
- Toddler-safe
- Pet-safe
- First year
What you need
These are household pieces. Borrow from the junk drawer first.
- shoebox
Search Amazon for shoebox(paid link)
- dish towel
Search Amazon for dish towel(paid link)
- index card
Search Amazon for index card(paid link)
- pencil
Search Amazon for pencil(paid link)
Paid link — we may earn a commission if you buy.
Affiliate links use tag tinkerdiversi-20 and go to Amazon search results, not a specific product.
How to set it up
- 1
Line a shoebox with a dish towel and set it on the table.
- 2
Sit the elf inside with a pencil and a blank card.
- 3
Write the hours: mornings for looking, nights for moving, Christmas Eve for goodbye.
- 4
Lean the lid against the box, not on the floor.
If this night works, try next

Fridge Note and Cocoa Bed
A visiting elf waits on the fridge with a handwritten hello and a cocoa mug made into a tiny overnight bed.
Arrival · Kitchen · Nice · Household items · Toddler-safe

Mixing Bowl Arrival Nest
The elf arrives tucked in a mixing-bowl nest with a dish-towel blanket and a wooden-spoon pillow.
Arrival · Kitchen · Nice · Household items · Toddler-safe
Breakfast Chair Seat
The elf takes an empty breakfast chair with a napkin and a note that it saved you a seat.
Arrival · Kitchen · Nice · Household items · Toddler-safe
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