Our elf has left a little heart to keep. It is considerably easier to look after than a mischievous elf. 💛
His note says “See you in December”, so the heart can stay behind while he heads home.
This elf goodbye idea is a gentle farewell for children who will miss their little visitor.
What you’ll need:
- One official Elf on the Shelf doll (paid link)
- Blank wooden hearts for a little farewell keepsake (paid link)
- Plain paper for a pouch and a note
- A pen, tape and a folded cloth
Setup:
Choose one of the larger wooden hearts from the pack, around 4–5cm wide. Leave it natural as in our picture, or write your elf’s name and the year on the back. Fold a rectangle of paper into an open little pouch, turn the side edges in and tape them underneath. Write “For you” on its flap. The linked hearts are plain craft shapes in several sizes, rather than ready-made elf gifts.
Sit your elf on the folded cloth against a low support, with the pouch alongside him and the heart resting near a mitten. Add a separate “See you in December” note. You could include a short message about one happy moment from this year’s visit. After saying goodbye, keep the heart in a Christmas memory box and bring it out next December. For very young children, keep the wooden piece with the grown-ups.
Make it cheaply:
Cut a large heart from the back of a cereal box or an old Christmas card and write the same message on it. Fold the pouch from a used envelope with its blank side showing. The thoughtful note is what makes this special, so a wooden keepsake is entirely optional.
Browse more elf goodbye and leaving ideas for your next scene.
