Dave - An Unexpected Elf Journey : Part 1

Thanksgiving is done and so on we trot to the next holiday...Christmas. I know it's still November and usually I don't even think Christmas until December 1st....I like to give each holiday their fair turn. But as most of our family was together for Thanksgiving and won't be for Christmas we kind of sprinkled it in and began Thankmas. The day after Thanksgiving Dave our minion elf returned from the North Pole to watch over our boys for Santa.

A little elf history. I had seen many many Elf on the Shelf posts on Facebook and Pinterest, and thought they were funny, but kind of expensive for a 6" doll and a book for ~$30. It's a relatively new tradition where a scout elf reports back to the North Pole each night so Santa knows if you've been naughty or nice each day. Then you find him or her in all kinds of crazy situations in the morning. So last year while leaving the grocery store I played one of those claw machines for 50 cents and actually won. But not just any toy, a Despicable Me minion in an elf costume.Now this version I could totally see causing some mischief in our house. We watched the Elf Story on CBS together as a family and then the next morning they met Dave our Minion Elf. We all love Dave, the monkeys can't wait to find him, and between me and pinterest he gets into some funny situations.

Day 1 - Welcome back breakfast
Our thoughtful elf made breakfast, hot cocoa with marshmallows with fun crazy straws, and red and green waffles with trees or swirls, sprinkles, and powdered sugar. He also gave each child a notebook with a little pen so they could write down what they want to ask Santa for this year.

 Dave of course got thirsty and hungry so he drank his cocoa and saved a waffle for himself.

Day 2 - Locked out!
Poor Dave forgot his magical key, and he didn't want to get all dirty going down the chimney because he was carrying a very special package from Santa. So he rang the doorbell like crazy until all 3 kids came running down the stairs to answer the door. Covered in snow from the North Pole he brought a gift, inside were a set of Angry Bird Christmas PJs for each of them.

Day 3 - Graffiti 
It's hard being good all the time, especially for an elf. Looks like he got a hold of the kids markers and had some fun with their pictures.

Day 4 - Cereal Offender
Dave left a little message in their cereal. What a nice gesture to send them back to school after Thanksgiving break.
* Bonus feature, I also themed green monkey's lunch featuring Dave so he could bring him to school and show his friends.

Day 5 - Bending Space and Time
Our little whovians were most pleased to find Dave had his very own TARDIS and it was here! Dave dressed up in a very nice bow tie, because bow ties are cool. He rappelled down a cord as the TARDIS was having trouble landing.

To make the TARDIS I covered a shoe box that conveniently had been sitting next to my couch since ... ok awhile, covered it in blue construction paper. Printed up some police box signs and with some glue and scotch tape a TARDIS was born. The monkeys loved it so much it is still hanging from the ceiling fan and Green monkey has requested to save it for his birthday party. They even equipped it with a hanger so he can get out easier on a zipline.

I wonder what Dave will do next?