11 Printable Elf On The Shelf Goodbye Letters

This sweet goodbye letter from your elf from PuffPaperCo. on Etsy can be personalized with the name of the kid(s) and elf(ves). The illustration is sweet and beautiful and you can select the elf image in the upper right hand corner to be a boy or girl elf to match yours. It’s not free, but the sophisticated design is a lot more intricate than most of the other options you’ll find out there.

It’s one of the golden rules of owning an Elf on the Shelf — you’re never allowed to touch them. But according to this sweet goodbye letter from A Worthy Read, your child can embrace their elf just this once. Don’t believe us? The sweet printable Elf on the Shelf goodbye letter reads, in part: “For today only, you can pick me up and give me a hug. Be gentle since I’m fragile, but don’t hesitate to hold me snug.” Be sure to snap a pic of your child finally getting to hold their elf, but be prepared for some waterworks (from all of you) as they say goodbye.

It’s been weeks of do-gooding, and gosh darn it, your kid wants to know if they’ve been naughty or nice enough to have earned a truckload of presents come Christmas. Well, this goodbye letter (from Everyday Shortcuts) isn’t giving any answers. The elf says, “I will give my final report to Santa to let him know if you’ve been naughty or nice.” And if that weren’t a kick in the pants, it then goes on to read, “Remember we are always watching, so continue being good and helping others.” It’s a reminder being nice is not just for Christmastime, but all year long.

This cute goodbye letter from Make Life Lovely shows just how much your elf cares for your kid. The simple letter reads, “I love you so much and will miss all of our fun times together.” You can use that opportunity to talk about what your child’s favorite elf antics were. And, for the kid who might be crying that their elf is leaving to go see Santa, the letter also states, “I can’t wait to see you again next year! I will never forget you.” We dare you not to shed a tear, too.

Does the Elf on the Shelf ever really go away? Maybe, maybe not. But according to this goodbye letter from The Petite Planner, they’re probably always watching from a distance: “Next year I’ll be back in the blink of an eye. So be good and keep your eye on the sky!” This could be a fun activity to do with your child. As the days start getting shorter next year, you can always look up at the sky and see if your child can spy their elf headed on the way towards your house, making it the unofficial kickoff to the return of the Elf on the Shelf.

When your Elf on the Shelf has to make their way back to the North Pole (or a decorations box in the basement), you need to know just what to say. Well, you can get two printable goodbye letter templates from the Elf on the Shelf website so that you always write the right words, every time. The free download comes with two blank goodbye letters; one that reads “See you next year!” and “I will miss you!” on the top. It’s up to you to decide which one strikes the right emotional chord with your kid. (And if your child is old enough, be sure to disguise your handwriting so that you don’t have an elf-tastrophe on your hands.)

As a kid, it’s so cool to get official-looking letters. (As an adult, not so much.) That’s why your child will love this goodbye letter that comes straight from the North Pole. This letter is great because it acknowledges that both your elf and your child are sad that they’re going to be apart for a while. Still, your elf is encouraging your kid to make sure that they practice kindness all year long — and hey, doing a few chores wouldn’t hurt. But it’s the last line — “And while I’m gone, don’t grow too tall!” — that is the real tear-jerker for parents.

After weeks of engaging in all things Elf on the Shelf, you’re tired. And done. That’s why this easy goodbye letter from I Think We Could Be Friends is a sweet one — literally. Just make sure that you have extra ink for this colorful goodbye letter. It would probably look pretty on glossy photo paper, which would make the colors pop even more. And perhaps your child won’t mind their elf’s exit if there are, ahem, some doughnuts sitting on a plate alongside this letter for them to munch on, too.

For older kids who are into emojis, they’ll love this Elf on the Shelf goodbye letter that is strictly *crying face*. Many other emojis are represented in this letter (like kissy face, surprise, happiness, snoozing, and, everyone’s favorite emotion — meh. But this one is cute because it captures exactly how the elf feels about leaving your kid. It also reinforces the idea that they’ll be back, (i.e. “But of course I’ll be back next year, you already know!”), and this sentiment is something that younger sibs might find reassuring. Until then, it’ll be *frowny face* until it’s time to welcome your elf back home again.

If you don’t want to print out more than one goodbye letter for your kids, this letter from Homemade Gifts Made Easy does the job for you. For starters, the letter is addressed to the elf’s “friends”, which includes all your kids. It’s also pretty darn festive, what with the green and red stripes as well as the lettering, too. Your kids might laugh at the elf’s shoes, since their Elf on the Shelf doesn’t technically have feet, do they? All in all, a fun, vibrant goodbye letter that lets your kids know that their elf will be back again next year.

No matter how hard you tried, it seemed like you were scrambling every single day to come up with cute ideas for your Elf on the Shelf. So it’s no surprise then that, even on the last day, you need a fast and easy Elf on the Shelf goodbye letter. Enter this elf-tastic one from Mom Envy, which only requires you to print it out, fill in the date, your kid’s name, and put a check mark next to the “Ready to return to the North Pole” option. It even has a stamp so that your child will know that this letter came special delivery straight from the North Pole.