Old Highway Holiday Postby Old Highway Design Co.
Order, $65

Parent setup guide · December 1 to 25

Twenty-five evenings, already planned.

Each night after bedtime, your elf moves to a new spot and leaves the next morning’s letter. This guide tells you what to set up for every letter, what you’ll need, and how long it takes.

  • 25 letters
  • 12 pranks
  • 5 praise days
  • 6 activities
  • 5 to 15 minutes a night
Watercolor of a small elf in a green cap sitting on a snowy windowsill, holding scissors and a paper snowflake.

Chapter 1

Getting ready

The nightly routine takes about ten minutes once the kids are asleep.

  1. Check tomorrow's pageFind the date below and gather what's on the "You'll need" list.
  2. Move the elfAlways a new spot. Kids love finding the elf somewhere surprising.
  3. Build the sceneFollow the steps. It doesn't need to look like the painting. Close enough is plenty.
  4. Leave the letterProp the printed letter where they'll see it first thing in the morning.

Print everything ahead

Print all 25 letters in November on matte cardstock. Keep them in a folder in date order, hidden from the kids.

The no-touch rule

Day 1's letter sets the rule: kids can talk to the elf, but touching makes the elf's flying wobbly. It keeps scenes intact until you reset them.

Make it theirs

When you read a praise letter aloud, add one real thing they did that week. That's the part they'll remember.

Chapter 2

One shopping list for the month

Most of it is already in your kitchen or craft drawer. The days each item is used are listed beside it.

Pantry8 items
  • Mini and large marshmallowsdays 2, 6, 12, 20
  • Flourday 7
  • Goldfish crackersday 11
  • 10+ mini candy canes, 2 largedays 5, 11, 15
  • Green food coloringday 16
  • Gingerbread kit or graham crackers, icing, gumdropsday 17
  • Pretzel sticks, mini chocolate chipsday 20
  • Cookies, milk, a carrotday 24
Craft drawer11 items
  • Cardstock, crayons, stickersdays 4, 23
  • Kitchen twine or fishing lineday 5
  • Painter's tapedays 5, 13, 22
  • White printer paper, kid scissorsday 13
  • Window or dry-erase markerday 10
  • About 40 sticky notesday 18
  • Cotton ballsdays 8, 14
  • Gold star stickersday 19
  • Toothpicksday 20
  • Wrapping paper and a big bowday 22
  • A red envelopeday 23
Around the house10 items
  • A big mugday 2
  • One roll of toilet paperday 3
  • Baking sheetdays 7, 8
  • Small shatter-resistant mirror or foilday 8
  • Clear bowlday 11
  • A battery tea light and string lightsdays 12, 21
  • Toy sled or a box lidday 14
  • Toy truck and blocksday 19
  • Stockingsdays 15, 24
  • Stuffed animalsdays 6, 8, 9

Chapter 3

The 25-day calendar

A month at a glance. Choose a day to open its setup.

  • Arrival
  • Prank
  • Praise
  • Activity
  • Goodbye
  1. 1I'm Back!Arrival · 10 min
  2. 2Marshmallow Bubble BathPrank · 5 min
  3. 3Toilet Paper SnowstormPrank · 10 min
  4. 4Kindness CardsPraise · 10 min
  5. 5Candy Cane Zip LinePrank · 15 min
  6. 6Marshmallow Snowball FightActivity · 10 min
  7. 7Flour Snow AngelPrank · 5 min
  8. 8Teddy Bear Ice RinkPrank · 10 min
  9. 9Bedtime Story NightPraise · 5 min
  10. 10Silly Mustache GalleryPrank · 10 min
  11. 11Gone FishingPrank · 10 min
  12. 12Blanket Fort CampoutActivity · 5 min
  13. 13Paper Snowflake BlizzardPrank · 10 min
  14. 14Brave SleddersPraise · 5 min
  15. 15Candy Cane Treasure HuntActivity · 15 min
  16. 16Green Milk BreakfastPrank · 5 min
  17. 17Gingerbread VillageActivity · 10 min
  18. 18Sticky Note SnowmanPrank · 10 min
  19. 19Super HelpersPraise · 5 min
  20. 20Marshmallow Snowman ArmyPrank · 10 min
  21. 21Longest Night Dance PartyActivity · 5 min
  22. 22Wrapped Up SurprisePrank · 10 min
  23. 23Notes to the North PolePraise · 5 min
  24. 24Christmas EveActivity · 10 min
  25. 25Merry Christmas, Time to Fly HomeGoodbye · 10 min

Chapter 4

Night by night

Set each scene the evening before its date. The paintings are inspiration: close enough is plenty.

Dec1I'm Back!Arrival10 min

Setup 10 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • Your elf
  • Day 1 letter
  • A few paper snowflakes or a pinch of fake snow
  • Optional: a small wrapped treat

Set it up

  1. Put the elf on a windowsill or mantel with arms spread wide, as if it just landed.
  2. Scatter snowflakes or fake snow around its feet.
  3. Lean the letter against the window where it catches the morning light.

Tip Read the letter together on the first morning so everyone hears the no-touch rule.

In the letter The elf announces the arrival and explains the no-touch rule.

Dec2Marshmallow Bubble BathPrank5 minSafety note

Setup 5 min · Mess: Low

You’ll need

  • A big mug
  • Mini marshmallows
  • A washcloth or tissue for a towel

Set it up

  1. Fill the mug to the top with mini marshmallows.
  2. Sit the elf inside so it's lounging back, with one leg over the rim.
  3. Drape a tiny towel over its cap, and scatter a few marshmallows on the counter.

Safety Keep it on the counter, out of reach of little ones.

In the letter The elf brags about the fluffiest bath and admits eating “most” of the marshmallows.

Dec3Toilet Paper SnowstormPrank10 min

Setup 10 min · Mess: Low, easy cleanup

You’ll need

  • One roll of toilet paper

Set it up

  1. Loosely drape the paper around the tree in a spiral, top to bottom.
  2. Put the elf near the top holding the loose end.
  3. Leave the empty cardboard tube on the floor as evidence.

Tip Drape, don't wrap, so the ornaments stay put. Roll it back up in the morning.

In the letter The elf made a “snowstorm” and asks for help unwrapping.

Dec4Kindness CardsPraise10 min

Setup 10 min · Mess: Low

You’ll need

  • Folded cardstock
  • Crayons and stickers
  • Envelopes

Set it up

  1. Set the card supplies out on the table.
  2. Make one sample card with a big doodled heart.
  3. Sit the elf on the paper stack holding up the sample card.

Tip Decide who the cards are for ahead of time (a neighbor, grandparent, or teacher) and deliver them the same day.

In the letter The elf praises the kids for kindness and suggests making cards.

Dec5Candy Cane Zip LinePrank15 minSafety note

Setup 15 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • Kitchen twine or fishing line
  • 2 anchor points (chair backs, cabinet knobs)
  • A large candy cane
  • Painter's tape

Set it up

  1. Tie the line on a gentle slant between two anchor points.
  2. Hook the candy cane over the line and wrap the elf's hands around it.
  3. Use a small piece of tape to hold the elf in place, hidden behind its hands.

Safety Run the line above head height and away from walkways. Take it down after the morning reveal.

In the letter The elf rode the zip line “about one hundred times” and bumped the lamp.

Dec6Marshmallow Snowball FightActivity10 min

Setup 10 min · Mess: Low

You’ll need

  • Marshmallows (large for little ones)
  • A few books
  • Couch cushions
  • Stuffed animals

Set it up

  1. Build a small book fort for the elf with a pile of marshmallow “snowballs.”
  2. Set up a couch-cushion fort across the room for the kids' team.
  3. Line up stuffed animals as extra players.

Tip Plan 10 minutes after school for the rematch.

In the letter The elf challenges the kids to a marshmallow snowball fight.

Dec7Flour Snow AngelPrank5 min

Setup 5 min · Mess: High, but contained

You’ll need

  • A baking sheet
  • About ½ cup of flour
  • The flour bag and a wooden spoon

Set it up

  1. Spread the flour on the baking sheet, not straight on the counter.
  2. Lay the elf in it and swish its arms and legs to make an angel.
  3. Tip the flour bag on its side next to it, with the spoon.

Tip The painting is inspiration: the elf spills flour across the counter, but the baking sheet keeps yours tidy. Pair it with baking cookies that day, and brush the elf off afterward with a dry soft brush.

In the letter The elf spilled the flour trying to bake and had to make a snow angel.

Dec8Teddy Bear Ice RinkPrank10 min

Setup 10 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • A small shatter-resistant mirror, or a baking sheet covered in foil
  • Cotton balls
  • 2 or 3 stuffed animals

Set it up

  1. Lay the mirror or foil tray flat as the rink.
  2. Ring the edges with cotton-ball snow.
  3. Pose the elf mid-glide, and sit one teddy bear on its bottom.

Tip Name the fallen bear “Bear” so it matches the letter.

In the letter The elf opened an ice rink, and Bear kept trying until he could spin.

Dec9Bedtime Story NightPraise5 min

Setup 5 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • A favorite picture book
  • A few stuffed animals

Set it up

  1. Open the book on the bed or a pillow.
  2. Sit the elf against the pillow as if it's reading aloud.
  3. Gather stuffed animals around as the audience.

Tip Let them pick tonight's bedtime book, just like the letter says.

In the letter The elf praises the kids for listening the first time.

Dec10Silly Mustache GalleryPrank10 minSafety note

Setup 10 min · Mess: Low

You’ll need

  • A window or dry-erase marker
  • Framed photos with glass

Set it up

  1. Draw curly mustaches on the glass of the frames, never on the photos.
  2. Stand the elf nearby holding the capped marker.
  3. Make one mustache extra large to match the letter.

Safety Test the marker in a corner first. Glass cleaner wipes it right off.

In the letter The elf drew mustaches on the family photos and asks which is best.

Dec11Gone FishingPrank10 min

Setup 10 min · Mess: Low

You’ll need

  • A clear bowl with a little water
  • Goldfish crackers
  • A candy cane or chopstick with string
  • A small cup or toy bucket for the “catch”

Set it up

  1. Pour a little water into a clear bowl to make the pond. A blue towel underneath makes it look deeper.
  2. Fill the cup with goldfish crackers and set it beside the bowl, not in the water.
  3. Sit the elf on the rim with the rod, a cracker tied to the string and dangling just above the water.

Tip Keep the crackers in the cup so they stay crunchy for snack time. Only the one on the string goes near the water.

In the letter The elf caught a bucket of goldfish and wants to share at snack time.

Dec12Blanket Fort CampoutActivity5 minSafety note

Setup 5 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • A dish towel or small blanket
  • Two cereal boxes or books
  • A battery tea light
  • A marshmallow on a toothpick

Set it up

  1. Drape the towel over the boxes to make a tiny fort.
  2. Sit the elf in the doorway with the tea light as a campfire and the marshmallow in hand.
  3. Stack the kids' blankets nearby. Building the big fort is their job after dinner.

Safety Battery lights only. The kids build the real fort that evening, so your part is done in five minutes.

In the letter It's campout night: bring pillows, flashlights, and a story.

Dec13Paper Snowflake BlizzardPrank10 min

Setup 10 min · Mess: Low

You’ll need

  • White printer paper
  • Scissors
  • Painter's tape

Set it up

  1. Fold a square in half three times and snip to make 6 to 8 snowflakes.
  2. Tape them on one window.
  3. Sit the elf on the sill with kid scissors (closed) and the scraps.

Tip A bag of pre-cut paper snowflakes skips the cutting entirely. Choose one ahead of time as the elf's favorite.

In the letter A paper-snowflake blizzard, and every one is different, just like the kids.

Dec14Brave SleddersPraise5 min

Setup 5 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • A toy sled or a box lid
  • Ribbon for a pull rope
  • A pillow
  • Cotton balls

Set it up

  1. Slant a pillow against the couch to make a hill.
  2. Cover it in cotton-ball snow.
  3. Put the elf at the front of the sled holding the rope, mid-ride.

Tip When you read it, name one brave thing each child tried this month.

In the letter The elf praises the kids for being brave and trying new things.

Dec15Candy Cane Treasure HuntActivity15 min

Setup 15 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • 10 mini candy canes
  • A big mitten

Set it up

  1. Hide the candy canes around the house: some easy, some tricky.
  2. Hide one near mittens or slippers to match the letter's hint.
  3. Put the elf peeking out of a big mitten on a coat hook, finger to its lips.

Tip Write the hiding spots down. You'll forget one.

In the letter The elf hid 10 candy canes and gives a hint.

Dec16Green Milk BreakfastPrank5 min

Setup 5 min · Mess: Low

You’ll need

  • Green food coloring
  • Milk and a clear pitcher
  • Cereal bowls

Set it up

  1. Stir 3 or 4 drops of coloring into a pitcher of milk and put it back in the fridge.
  2. In the morning, set the pitcher out with the cereal bowls.
  3. Stand the elf next to it holding the empty coloring bottle.

Tip Food coloring stains, so put the lid back on and keep it out of reach.

In the letter It's how elves drink milk at the North Pole. It makes you jump higher.

Dec17Gingerbread VillageActivity10 min

Setup 10 min · Mess: Medium

You’ll need

  • A gingerbread kit, or graham crackers
  • Icing
  • Gumdrops and candy

Set it up

  1. Lay out the kit pieces and candy on the table.
  2. Build one tiny starter house.
  3. Perch the elf on its roof placing a gumdrop on the chimney.

Tip Setup is 10 minutes for you the night before. Plan about an hour the next day with the kids for the building. Graham cracker houses are cheap and easy for little hands.

In the letter Village building day. The elf is the mayor.

Dec18Sticky Note SnowmanPrank10 min

Setup 10 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • About 40 sticky notes
  • An orange and a black marker

Set it up

  1. Stick three rough circles of notes on the fridge door, smallest on top.
  2. Draw eyes and buttons on a few notes and a carrot nose on an orange one.
  3. Sit the elf on top of the fridge.

Tip Short on notes? Three paper plates taped to the fridge work too.

In the letter Meet Frosty McFridge. Can you draw him a friend?

Dec19Super HelpersPraise5 min

Setup 5 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • A toy truck
  • Building blocks
  • A toy basket
  • Gold star stickers

Set it up

  1. Load blocks into the truck.
  2. Set the elf on top, driving toward the toy basket.
  3. Put a gold star sticker on each child's letter.

Tip When you read it, name the specific ways each child helped.

In the letter A gold star for being super helpers.

Dec20Marshmallow Snowman ArmyPrank10 minSafety note

Setup 10 min · Mess: Low

You’ll need

  • Large marshmallows
  • Toothpicks
  • Pretzel sticks
  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Paper and a toothpick for a flag

Set it up

  1. Stack two marshmallows on a toothpick for each snowman.
  2. Add pretzel arms and press on chocolate-chip buttons (a dab of water helps them stick).
  3. Line up five or six with the elf in front holding the flag.

Safety Take out the toothpicks before little ones eat the army.

In the letter The army protects the house from grumpiness.

Dec21Longest Night Dance PartyActivity5 min

Setup 5 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • Twinkle lights
  • Paper stars
  • A speaker or playlist

Set it up

  1. Turn on the twinkle lights and hang a few paper stars.
  2. Pose the elf mid-twirl on the coffee table.
  3. Leave a speaker or a written playlist next to it.

Tip December 21 is the winter solstice, the longest night of the year here in the north. Have the dance party right after dinner.

In the letter The longest night is for lights and dancing.

Dec22Wrapped Up SurprisePrank10 minSafety note

Setup 10 min · Mess: Low

You’ll need

  • One sheet of wrapping paper
  • Painter's tape
  • A bow

Set it up

  1. After the kids are asleep, tape one sheet of wrapping paper across the outside of their door frame at kid height.
  2. Stick the bow in the middle.
  3. Put the elf on top of the door frame holding the tape.

Safety Use paper only and never tape the door shut. Kids must be able to get out. For kids who wake at night, wrap a different door.

In the letter The elf got carried away wrapping and wrapped the kids' door.

Dec23Notes to the North PolePraise5 min

Setup 5 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • Paper and crayons
  • A big red envelope

Set it up

  1. Set paper and crayons at the table.
  2. Stand the elf on the table holding the empty red envelope.

Tip Keep the kids' notes. They make great keepsakes to tuck into next year's box.

In the letter The elf's report says the kids have been kind, brave, and helpful.

Dec24Christmas EveActivity10 min

Setup 10 min · Mess: None

You’ll need

  • An empty cookie plate
  • A glass
  • A carrot for the reindeer

Set it up

  1. Put the elf on the mantel near the stockings, hugging its knees.
  2. Set the empty plate, glass, and carrot on a small table nearby.
  3. Leave the letter by the plate.

Tip Set out the cookies and milk together that evening, before bed.

In the letter Just one more sleep. The elf thanks them for a wonderful month.

Dec25Merry Christmas, Time to Fly HomeGoodbye10 min

Setup 10 min · Mess: Low

You’ll need

  • The Day 25 letter
  • A trail of gold star confetti or sugar
  • Optional: a small gift from the elf

Set it up

  1. Put the elf away somewhere the kids won't find it.
  2. Make a sparkly trail from the tree to the window.
  3. Leave the letter (and small gift) where the elf last sat.

Tip Skip real glitter. Star confetti looks just as good and vacuums up easily.

In the letter Merry Christmas. The elf flies home and promises to come back next year.

Chapter 5

Forgot to move the elf?

It happens in every house. Here are the quick saves.

"Your elf got stuck in a snowstorm."

Leave the elf where it was, and put a little flour or a few cotton balls on the cap. Tomorrow's letter can arrive a day late.

"Someone touched the elf!"

Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon beside the elf. It's elf medicine. Say the elf needs a night to recover.

Morning save

If the kids are still asleep, do a quick 5-minute scene instead: day 2, 9, 16, or 19. Swap in the full one tonight.

Two letters at once

Leave both letters and say the elf was so busy that yesterday's letter got lost in the sleigh.

Chapter 6

Safety notes

Worth a read before December 1.

  • Choking hazards. Mini marshmallows, candy canes, gumdrops, and goldfish crackers are choking hazards for children under 4. Keep scenes on counters and supervise snack time.
  • Strings and lines. Run the zip line (day 5) above head height and away from walkways and doorways. Take it down after the morning reveal.
  • Doors. On day 22, cover the door with paper only, never tape it shut. Kids must be able to get out at night. For children who wake up at night, wrap a different door instead.
  • No real flames. Use battery string lights and tissue-paper campfires only.
  • Glass and markers. Use a shatter-resistant mirror or foil for the ice rink. Only draw on photo glass with a window marker, and test it in a corner first.
  • Food coloring stains. Put the lid back on and keep the bottle out of reach.

25 Personalized Letters from Your Elf

This guide comes with every collection, next to your own children’s letters.

$65 · Up to 3 children · Printable PDF, US Letter · Order by November 26 for December 1

Personalize your collection