Our elf has made a row of Christmas surprises. Each little cup has a tissue-paper lid and something to discover inside. 🎁
The note says “Choose a cup!” He is keeping the contents to himself for now.
This easy elf idea makes a small surprise game from paper cups and a few handwritten slips.
What you’ll need:
- One official Elf on the Shelf doll (paid link)
- Six small paper cups (paid link) and a shallow tray
- Thin red and green sheets from an assorted tissue-paper pack (paid link)
- Tape, paper slips and a note
Setup:
Write a different joke, kind message or short family challenge on six paper slips. Put one in each cup and cover each rim with a single layer of thin tissue, securing it with small pieces of tape. Stand the cups upright in two rows of three on the tray, with red and green covers alternating if you like. Keep the covers gently taut and use tissue that tears easily. Sit your supported elf behind one corner and add the “Choose a cup!” note. In the morning, an adult can help a child press through the tissue with a fingertip and take out the paper surprise. Read it together before choosing another cup. You can let different family members each have a turn or save the remaining covered cups for another morning; the slips do not have to be prizes.
Make it cheaply:
Use cups and tissue left over from a party or present. For an even simpler version, fold the six slips into little paper parcels and put them in a bowl. The children can choose and unfold one, with the same surprise waiting inside and no extra containers to buy.
Try the kindness-note cupboard or the Christmas joke club for another elf scene.
