Have YOU been Elfed? Or are you hoping to Elf a neighbor, friend, or coworker? Either way, I’m here to help you out! Elfing didn’t become popular in the U.S. until the early 2000s, as a natural extension of the popular ‘You’ve Been BOOED!’ tradition that began in the 80s. You could also say you’ve been Kringled, as some areas use this term rather than you’ve been Elfed.
Similar to the (holiday) spirit of paying it forward, Elfing is a simple game usually occurring amongst residents of a neighborhood. Someone kicks it off by Elfing a neighbor and hoping they continue the chain. If you want to start up this game with your neighbors or friends, I’ve got lots of printables and templates to meet all your needs! However, if you’ve just discovered you’ve been Elfed and want to find out more about it, I’ll start from the beginning.
What it Means if You’ve Been Elfed
Being Elfed is a very good thing and not something meant to stress you out! It means someone close to you (either literally in your neighborhood or socially in your life) has chosen to give you holiday gifts without wanting anything in return. There’s a good chance they’re hoping you’ll turn it into a PIF and choose someone else to Elf, but nothing is required of you.
If you’ve got too much on your plate already or just aren’t feeling the holiday spirit, enjoy your goodies and go about your business. But please do put a “We’ve Been Elfed!” sign on the front of your residence (which should’ve been included in your Elf basket). This way any other neighbors participating in the game will know to spread the joy to someone else. Didn’t get a sign with your gift basket? Write a simple note in bold marker and tape it to your front door (or window).
The Rules of Being Elfed
Would you like to give the gift of surprise and happiness to someone else? Yay! Elfing will be fun for you because you can get crafty or go shopping. The person you Elf will be delighted by the gesture. These are the unofficial “rules” of continuing (or starting) the Elfing.
Enjoy Your Jollies
If someone else started this by Elfing you, keep all your gifts and enjoy them! That said, if you received something you know you won’t use or get the most out of, you can pass it on in the Elf basket you give. Re-gift unused items to reduce your spending and possibly find them a better home.
Make Sure You’re Not Elfed Twice
Whether you were given one or need to DIY one, hang a “We’ve Been Elfed!” sign somewhere clearly visible to your neighbors. On the other hand, if you’ve decided to start this treat train yourself, don’t put a sign on your door! Give yourself the opportunity to have some good karma (and Christmas candy) come back to you.
To make things easy for your giftee, though, print out some signs to include with the gift basket you give. There are two musts: a “We’ve Been Elfed” sign for your neighbor to hang on their door, and a “You’ve Been Elfed” explanation sheet tucked in the goodie bag. The good news is this doesn’t have to be difficult – I’ve got free printables you can request below that cover both of these pages!
Feel free to go the extra mile and include multiple copies of each of these among your gifts. This will make it super easy for your recipient to pass the fun along. At a minimum, you can include a note reminding your neighbor to make photocopies of the ones you provide so they don’t have to come up with their own designs.
Fill an Elf Basket (or Stocking)
Round up some Christmas gifts or treats and fill a small basket or stocking. Try to do so within a couple of days of receiving your own Elf basket so the game has time to spread through the neighborhood! You can also reuse the container your gifts came in.
If you’re doing DIY to save money (and add a more personal touch), be sure to stick to crafty projects. Since the idea is for your recipient to not know who gave them the gifts, it’s safe to assume they’re going to throw out any homemade baked goods or candy. However, prepackaged store-bought foods and Christmas candy are a great idea! Stores like Dollar Tree and Five Below are great places to look for decor and small holiday trinkets as well.
Sneak in Your Gifts
Did you ever play “ding dong ditch” as a kid? I didn’t either (I was a rule-follower) – but now is your big chance! Try to wait till it’s dark and drop your gifts onto an un-Elfed neighbor’s front porch. Ring their doorbell or give a sharp knock and run away as fast as you can! Be sure to cover your face if you know they have a doorbell camera.
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Gift Ideas for Your Elf Basket
If you’re drawing a blank on what to include in your stocking, that’s okay! Check out my ideas below, including holiday-themed items and yummy treats even a Grinch would love to have.
Candy
There’s a good chance your neighbor has run out of Halloween candy by now and is starting to feel withdrawals. Grab some festive Hershey kisses, red and green M&Ms, or Reese’s trees to include in your gifts.
Holiday Snacks
Even though I don’t recommend homemade food, you can get pretty close by purchasing from the bakery section at the grocery store! You’re likely to find employee-made cookies, cupcakes, and more. Just make sure they have a clear seal that hasn’t been ripped open! Another idea is going to the snack cake aisle. Little Debbie is always a big hit with Christmas tree cakes and soft gingerbread cookies.
Homemade Crafts
If you know how to crochet, paint, or make jewelry, put those skills to use! Making a Christmas-related project for your Elf stocking could save you money over buying small gifts – and it’ll mean more to the person you give it to. I’m not super crafty, but I used to be really into plastic canvas projects, so one year I gave out Christmas magnets I’d made with that medium.
Christmas Activity Kits
Instead of ready-to-eat foods, why not put a gingerbread man cookie kit in the basket? For neighbors with children, it’s a built-in family activity AND safe treat. Another great idea is a modeling clay snowman kit!
Winter Warm-Ups
A bigger, squishy item is a great way to fill in all the available space in a basket or bucket. Cover the bottom with a cozy throw blanket and add a cute Christmas plush to go with it.
Unique Christmas Decor
Look to your neighbor’s front yard for clues on what they like and find a special Christmas decoration to include in the gift basket. Is there a Rudolph inflatable out there? They’d probably love a new Rudolph ornament! Don’t see a speck of holiday cheer in their house? Perhaps some seasonal window clings would be better appreciated.
More Fun Gifts
Here are more of my favorite Elf gift ideas I’ve come across on Amazon!
![OHOME Xmas Giant Coloring Poster/Tablecloth-Christmas Crafts for Kids-30 x 72 Inches Jumbo Paper Coloring Banner Kids Gifts Activities Toys Party Classroom Christmas Decorations[Kids Games]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61uI2Hi0IjL.jpg)
Free Printable Sign and Instructions
There are are to printable items you really need to have when Elfing someone: a fun instruction page explaining what it is and what to do next, and a sign the recipient can hang up for everyone to see. As one of my readers, you can get both of these for FREE! They’ve been designed as full-page printouts, but you can shrink them down to any size you prefer when printing.
In addition to instructions, the explanation sheet includes a sweet poem that indicates the basket was, in fact, left for your intended recipient – by an “elf”!
Extra “You’ve Been Elfed” Printables
On top of the free sheets above, I’ve actually put together a whole set of matching printables to really add some sparkle to your Elfing! Everything listed below is included, all editable to look exactly how you want:
- “We’ve Been Elfed!” door sign
- “We’ve Been Elfed!” door hanger
- “You’ve Been Elfed!” instruction sheet with poem
- “You’ve Been Elfed!” gift tags in two sizes
- “You’ve Been Elfed!” pennants to make a double-sided flag
- “You’ve Been Elfed!” foldover tags that perfectly fit Great Value square snack bags
If you want to use these items exactly as shown above (and don’t need to edit anything), there’s a ready-to-print PDF as well. If you have a Cricut or other cutting machine with a Print-Then-Cut feature, there are also PNG files of the door hanger, gift tag, and pennants! You can get ALL of it in my shop.
More Christmas Ideas
Check out these other articles for fun Christmas activities to do with your kids!
