Christmas

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17 Hilarious Elf On The Shelf Memes To Get You Through The Final Stretch

Better to laugh than cry.

by Lauren Schumacker, Christina Petruzzi and Ashley Ziegler
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

Every year, it seems like more and more families are "adopting" their very own Elf on the Shelf. Kids tend to get pretty excited whenever their family's elf comes back to town after spending much of the rest of the year at the North Pole, but when it comes to parents, it appears most either love it or hate it. Regardless of if you happily trot that elf out every year and plan all kinds of hijinks for it or think it's terrifying and won't let one in your home, you can appreciate these funny Elf on the Shelf memes.

The best part of Elf on the Shelf season is the hilarious antics. As these Elf on the Shelf memes show, parents get super creative every day with the way their family's elves greet their kids in the morning or when they arrive home from school. While those staged scenes aren't exactly effortless (and by that I mean that they can be a real pain), they can provide endless entertainment for kids and even get a few laughs from adults. Funny memes, tweets, and photos of (or about) what parents have coaxed their family's elves into doing leaves everyone laughing and nodding, because clever Elf on the Shelf ideas are the gifts that keep on giving all season long. It's a tiring trek through the holiday season each year, which means you can and should embrace the clever, funny antics that come with making your family's elf's visit magical for your kids. You may not anxiously anticipate your kid's elf's arrival each year, but you can at least have a little fun while it's here with these Elf on the Shelf memes.

1

Are You Keeping Up?

Is it even December if you haven’t sprinted out of bed at least once to make sure the Elf on the Shelf is strategically placed in a different location from the night before? Probably not. No one likes waking up in a panic, but anything for that holiday magic.

2

A Meme Inside A Meme

Seriously, this cat really gets around, doesn't he? (Also this totally takes a not-so-appropriate elf pose and turns it into something kind of hilarious.)

3

I Wish This Started On Like Dec. 21

Seriously, I can barely figure out what to make for dinner. How can I be expected to come up with 24 different Elf on the Shelf ideas every year (ideally, without repeating from the previous years)? It’s all so much.

4

Channeling Miley

Miley Cyrus' infamous "Wrecking Ball" music video featured her swinging around on a wrecking ball (in case you haven't seen it). Your kid's elf transforms itself into a Miley wannabe when it cleverly hitches a ride on the chandelier. Kids won't appreciate it (unless maybe they're a little bit older), but the adults will surely chuckle.

5

So Simple, Yet So Hilarious

Okay, even though this trend is a bit overdone at this point, you have to hand it to the person who made this one. I mean, Obama on a llama? That’s some good rhyming. Plus, I’d pay money to watch the former president ride a llama.

6

I Meant The Makeup, Not The Creepy Doll

Strongly anti-Elf on the Shelf? Then this tweet is so relatable. This one is the only Elf on the Shelf I want to see this holiday season. ELF makeup? Yes. Elf doll that watches your family and reports back to Santa? Maybe not. You have to hand it to the many clever shoppers who keep pointing this out.

7

Secret Ingredient

Is this why a lot of adults can’t seem to get enough of this drink? It makes sense. Who would want a regular beverage when you can opt for one made from Christmas “magic” with a sweet cinnamon taste? (Personally, I’ll stick with some spiked eggnog.)

8

Poor Elf

This right here is why you always make a plan. Both parents have to be on the same page beforehand. Don't leave either parent to fend for themselves with Elf on the Shelf ideas. At least your husband found another use for that industrial-sized bottle of ketchup he bought at Costco. You can't say he's not creative.

9

It’s a Commitment

Children take Elf on the Shelf pretty seriously. When you purchase an elf, you’re making a month-longish commitment to moving the holiday doll around your home in different places, every day. Even though you’ve got a laundry list of things to do during the holidays, this daily task is probably one of the most important to your children, and they may not be very forgiving if you flake on them.

10

These Dogs Have A Point

I’m not sure what I’d tell my kids if I came home to this massacre, but I’d be secretly celebrating my dog’s dirty work. These good boys were scared of the creepy elf and did what they had to do to keep the family safe. Some might call them heroes.

11

Why Isn’t This Creepy?

It is rather peculiar that kids aren’t freaked out by the fact that this inanimate object is creeping around their house while they’re fast asleep. Whatever it takes to keep the Christmas magic alive, I guess?

12

Breaking The Internet

This Elf on the Shelf took a few pointers from Kim Kardashian’s iconic 2014 Paper Magazine cover shoot where she pops a bottle of champagne that magically pours into a glass placed on her bum. With a few cookies and a glass of milk, your elf, too, can #breaktheinternet. Kudos to you if you can recreate this elf scenario without photoshop.

13

Intruder Alert

Here’s how it goes: you’re either fighting over whose turn it is, or you’re fighting because your partner’s setup is all wrong and you have to go behind them to fix it. Then, once tempers have cooled, you snuggle up to watch a holiday movie together knowing you’ll have the same argument tomorrow.

14

For The Big Kids

Are you feeling frustrated because your big kid is too old for Elf on the Shelf, so you’re not able to use it as leverage to get them to behave? Well, Chucky in a Chair totally has your back. Tell your kid that if they don’t behave, he will stand watch in their room overnight and watch them while they sleep.

15

This Meme Isn’t Wrong

Are there worse things to happen to parents than the Elf on the Shelf? Of course there are, but in the month of December when things are super busy already, it’s truly one of the worst things about being a parent. Not to mention, that elf’s eyes are always on you while you’re at home and no one likes the feeling of being watched.

16

Poor Mr. Potato Head

I’m torn with this meme. On one hand, I feel really bad for the beloved Mr. Potato Head toy. On the other, I can’t help but laugh and get a sudden craving for some waffle fries.

17

A Throwback

Do you remember the music video for Drake’s “Hotline Bling” and how the ridiculous dancing started a new viral tweet trend? Well, here’s the Elf on the Shelf version. Honestly, I think they nailed it.

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