The Elf on the Shelf is a timeless Christmas tradition, and children across households look forward to December first when their elf arrives back from the North Pole. Throughout the years, my elf, Eddie, has had some pretty funny hiding places, thanks to me (and the occasional help of my mom). From making a mess, to a classic hiding spot around the house, I sure know how to make finding him interesting. Here are my top five hiding places for my elf, Eddie.

5- On the Christmas Tree Eddie. 

This one is a classic, but will have to go at the bottom of the list due to lack of creativity. Eddie always looks cool on our tree, and his red outfit even matches with the bows, but still, this location is not my favorite. I feel as if it’s a little too basic. He has a tradition of always being in the tree on Christmas Eve, so I’ll continue to do that yearly. All and all, I’ll give this spot a solid 7/10.

4- Thrown in a Container Eddie.

What’s better than a last minute, totally simple idea? Thrown in a random container, out of sight, and with no effort is an Elf on the Shelf recipe for perfection! This will go towards the bottom of the list, because even though it is funny, it just doesn’t match the creativity of the top ones up next. However, sometimes the simplest ideas end up being the funniest. All in all, this is an 8/10.

3- Makeup Eddie!

I have to be honest here, the next two spots were my mom’s ideas, but they’re too good to not rate! Props to my mom for messing up her makeup here so that Eddie could leave a nice smiley face. It was hilarious to walk into the bathroom and see my elf with blush and lipstick all over him. Personally, I wouldn’t waste good makeup on Eddie, but for Christmas joy it’s worth it. A solid 9/10.

2- Quarantine Eddie.

During Covid-Christmas, my mom clearly had a lot of free time to think over this hiding spot. What’s better than making the elf his own quarantine spot? Also, it’s totally genius because then the elf doesn’t have to be moved for two whole weeks. It’s second to first, comical and perfect if you are feeling lazy, so it scores a 9.5/10.

 1- Sprinkle Snow Angel Eddie. 

Here’s my favorite spot Eddie has been! I’m not going to lie, this was a pain to clean up, but totally worth the mess and effort. Placing Eddie on a tray of sprinkles is totally more creative than just throwing him on the tree or into a container. I also believe bonus points should be given for my amazing elf handwriting, and for being able to make Eddie hold the pencil. For this spot, a well-deserved 10/10.

Hiding my Elf on the Shelf is one of my all-time favorite holiday traditions. After doing it for so many years, I still find so much joy in placing Eddie into bizarre spots and situations. I hope this list inspires you to try new, creative spaces to hide your elf in and, of course, have a joyous time while doing so!