15 Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Delivering Your Family's Christmas Pajamas

If a scout elf lives in your house, sooner or later it gets handed a delivery job, and new christmas pjs are the easiest parcel it will ever carry: soft, unbreakable, and something the kids can put on the same night. Below are 15 setups we would actually use, each with a short list of what you need and a setup that takes about five minutes after the kids are asleep, plus notes the elf can leave and the safety checks that matter with strings, small parts and batteries.

The short answer

Pick the night first, then the idea. For most families the delivery works best as one of three moments: the night the elf arrives, a quiet weeknight in mid-December when the novelty has worn off, or Christmas Eve. Choose a setup by the age of your youngest child, keep anything with string or small parts above their reach, and have the pajamas in the house before you plan anything, since they are the one part that has to ship.

Your situation	Start with	Why
Toddler in the house	Ideas 3, 10 or 12	No string, no small pieces, and nothing to climb for
Kids about 4 to 8	Ideas 6, 8 or 13	A clue or a glow reveal gives the morning a little drama
Older kids who still play along	Ideas 7, 9 or 14	More story, and they can read a longer note
Short on time	Idea 1 or 12	Under five minutes, using things already in the room
Christmas Eve delivery	Idea 15	The elf says goodbye and the pajamas go straight on

The sets below are a good fit for an elf drop because each listing covers women, men, kids and baby on one page, and all three had pet sizes in stock when we read them. We sell these pajamas, so treat the picks as editorial suggestions.

When Should the Elf Deliver the Christmas Pajamas?

Any night works, but the delivery lands differently depending on where it falls in the season. The Elf on the Shelf™ company's own guide to the elves' return says every elf has its own schedule and that they may turn up around Thanksgiving, on December 1 or later in December. Your pajama night can sit inside whatever schedule your family already uses.

Delivery night	What it does well	What to watch
Arrival night (Thanksgiving weekend or December 1)	The elf arrives with a gift, so the kids are delighted from the first morning	The pajamas need to be in the house by then, which means ordering this month
A school night in mid-December	Revives interest when hiding spots start to repeat	Mornings are rushed, so choose a setup that takes a minute to discover, not a long hunt
A Saturday in December	Time for a scavenger hunt and a family photo in the new sets	Weekend plans can push the photo back, so keep the camera charged
Christmas Eve	Pajamas go on straight away and stay on for Christmas morning	Competes with every other Christmas Eve tradition, so keep the setup simple

Today is November 11 and Thanksgiving falls on November 26, so an arrival-night delivery leaves about two weeks. Orders take one to three days to process and two to five business days to reach the lower 48 states, and both are estimates that can stretch in peak season. If the elf is bringing pajamas on arrival night, order this week. For Christmas morning only, the latest sensible point is the third week of November. Our guide on what size to order and when walks through the dates.

Measure without giving the game away

Kids notice a tape measure. Measure a pair of pajamas that fits them now instead, lay it flat, and compare it with the PatPat size chart. Keep the list in your phone, not on paper the elf might "accidentally" leave out. If a child's pajamas are labeled snug-fitting, order their true size and don't buy a size up to last two winters.

15 Elf on the Shelf Pajama Delivery Ideas, Each Set Up in Five Minutes

Each idea lists what you need, a five-minute setup and the ages it suits. Times assume the pajamas are already unwrapped, folded and hidden somewhere you can reach quietly. Take tags off only if you are sure of the size; returns need tags and original packaging.

1. The elf fell asleep on the pile

You need: the folded pajamas, one small pillow or folded washcloth.

Five-minute setup: Stack everyone's set on the couch, largest at the bottom. Lay the elf on top with its head on the washcloth, as if it ran out of energy after the delivery. Tuck one sock half under the elf.

Best for: every age, and the fastest option on a tired night.

2. The ribbon zip line

You need: a length of ribbon, two sturdy chair backs or door handles, a clothespin, one rolled pajama top.

Five-minute setup: Tie the ribbon tight between two points at adult chest height. Clip the elf to the ribbon with the clothespin and hang the rolled top below it, as if the elf rode in with cargo. The rest of the set waits on the floor beneath. Take the ribbon down as soon as the kids have seen it.

Best for: ages 5 and up. Skip it with a toddler or crawling baby in the house; see the safety section for why.

3. The cocoa counter

You need: one clean mug per person, the pajamas rolled tightly, a cocoa packet per mug.

Five-minute setup: Roll each set into a log, socks in the middle, and stand it in a mug. Line the mugs up on the counter with a cocoa packet leaning on each. The elf sits on the canister or in the biggest mug. The mug and gingerbread print set above makes this one obvious, since it already has mugs on it.

Best for: all ages. Make the actual cocoa later, with kids seated at the table.

4. Mantel clothesline

You need: a string of clothespins or a thin garland, the tops of each set.

Five-minute setup: Pin the tops along the mantel or a bookcase edge in family order, dad to baby. The elf hangs off the end with one clothespin in its hand. Pants and socks wait folded underneath.

Best for: ages 3 and up. If you use the fireplace, choose a bookcase instead; fabric and an open fire do not belong together.

5. Laundry day at the North Pole

You need: a laundry basket, the pajamas, a sock or two left on the floor.

Five-minute setup: Put the folded sets in the basket with the elf sitting on the rim, one sock in hand, as though it got halfway through folding. Drop a second sock on the floor to start the trail.

Best for: ages 3 to 8, who enjoy the elf doing a chore they are asked to do.

6. The glow-in-the-dark reveal

You need: a glow-in-the-dark set, a sunny windowsill the day before, a dark room at bedtime.

Five-minute setup: This one runs in the evening, not overnight. The listing for the navy reindeer set says to let the clothes absorb natural light before wearing them in the dark, so hide the folded set near a bright window that afternoon. At bedtime, lay it on the bed with the elf on top, turn off the lights and let the kids find it by the glow.

Best for: ages 4 to 10. Younger kids who dislike the dark may prefer the lights dimmed, not off.

7. A parcel from the North Pole

You need: a plain cardboard box, brown paper or packing tape, a marker.

Five-minute setup: Pack all the sets in one box and write a delivery label in the elf's handwriting: "Fragile: holiday uniforms. Deliver before bedtime." Seal loosely so small hands can open it. Sit the elf on top holding a pen.

Best for: ages 6 and up, who like reading the label.

8. Three-clue scavenger hunt

You need: three index cards, the pajamas hidden in one spot, a pen.

Five-minute setup: Write three short clues, each pointing to the next spot. The first sits with the elf. The last points to the pajamas. Keep the trail on one floor and away from the stairs. Sample clues: "Where the cold milk lives." "Where the boots wait by the door." "Under the cushion where Dad always sits."

Best for: ages 5 to 10. Pair a reader with a non-reader so nobody is left out.

9. Socks first, pajamas second

You need: the socks that come with the set, two nights.

Five-minute setup: Several of the sets we read, including the gingerbread, reindeer and Fair Isle prints, list a pair of buffalo plaid socks with each pajama set (pet sizes excluded). On night one, the elf leaves only the socks with a note: "The rest is coming." On night two, the sets appear. Two nights of anticipation from one order.

Best for: ages 5 and up, who can wait a day without despair.

10. The elf tried them on

You need: one pajama pant leg, the elf.

Five-minute setup: Lay a small child's set flat on the floor, arranged like a person. Push the elf partway into one pant leg so only its head and arms stick out, as if it got stuck trying them on. Everyone else's sets sit folded alongside.

Best for: toddlers to age 7, who find this very funny.

11. Place settings at breakfast

You need: the breakfast table, one folded set per chair, name cards.

Five-minute setup: Put each person's set on their chair or plate with a name card on top. The elf sits in the middle of the table near the cereal. This also keeps sizes private, since each child sees only their own label.

Best for: all ages, and families with kids who compare sizes.

12. Under the tree in a stocking

You need: one stocking per person, the pajamas rolled.

Five-minute setup: Roll each set and slide it into that person's stocking, then lay the stockings under the tree. The elf sits in the branches just above, holding the end of the last stocking. A tree print set makes the setup look planned.

Best for: every age. With a toddler, keep the elf on a high branch and the stockings flat on the floor, not hung.

13. The elf's size report

You need: a soft tape measure, a notepad, the pajamas.

Five-minute setup: Leave the tape measure unrolled across the floor with the elf at one end and the notepad beside it, covered in made-up elf measurements: "Kid #1: taller than the cookie jar." The pajamas sit under the notepad. It is a joke about how the elf knew everyone's size, which is a handy cover story if a child caught you holding their old pajamas up to the size chart.

Best for: ages 6 to 10. Roll the tape away in the morning.

14. The dog got one too

You need: the pet size from a set that offers one, the dog's bed.

Five-minute setup: PatPat's pet pieces are bandanas, not full dog pajamas. Leave the bandana folded on the dog's bed with the elf beside it and the family's sets nearby. Put the bandana on the dog only while someone is in the room, and take it off if the dog keeps pulling at it.

Best for: all ages, in houses where the dog is part of the photo.

15. Christmas Eve goodbye

You need: the pajamas, a farewell note, a small box.

Five-minute setup: On the morning of December 24, the elf sits with the boxed sets and a note saying this is its last delivery until next year. The pajamas go on that evening and stay on for Christmas morning. If your family also does a Christmas Eve box, the pajamas can move into it; our Christmas Eve box guide covers what else goes inside.

Best for: every age, and the one to choose if you only do a single delivery.

Which Elf Pajama Idea Fits Your Child's Age?

Age matters more than cleverness. A setup that delights a seven-year-old can frighten a two-year-old or bore a twelve-year-old. These bands are our editorial judgment, not research findings.

Age	What works	What to skip
Under 3	Ideas 1, 3, 10, 11, 12: everything visible at a glance, at floor or table level	Ribbon, string, clothespins within reach, paper clues, small treats
3 to 5	Add 5, 6 with dim light, 14	Long hunts; they lose interest after one clue
6 to 8	Add 2, 7, 8, 9, 13	Anything that requires them to wait more than one night
9 and up, still playing along	Longer notes, idea 7 with a "customs form" to fill in, idea 8 with harder clues	Babyish setups in front of siblings
Older kids who know	Make them the elf's assistant for younger siblings	Pretending they still believe if they've said they don't

The assistant role is the most useful thing on that list. A ten-year-old who gets to write the clues or hide the socks stays inside the fun instead of watching it from outside, and you get a second pair of hands at 10 p.m.

Shop the look

For a house with a toddler and an older child, the glow set suits a bedtime reveal, and the dinosaur onesie gives an older child a funny costume-style option. Each is one listing, where you choose each member and size.

Two details from the listings. The navy reindeer top has short sleeves with full-length pants, so add a long-sleeve layer in a cold house. The dinosaur onesie zips up the front and has a hood; when we read it, it had no pet size in stock, so pick another set if the dog is part of the plan.

Elf Notes to Copy: What Your Elf Can Write With the Pajamas

A note turns a pile of clothes into a story. Keep it short enough for your youngest reader, and write in tiny letters or capitals to separate the elf's handwriting from yours. Here are notes for different nights, ready to copy onto a small card.

Arrival night

"I'm back! I flew all night and my bag was heavy, because I brought something for everyone. Put them on tonight and I'll be watching from the shelf."

Mid-December

"Santa's workshop ran a pajama test this week. You passed. Wear these to bed and tell me tomorrow if they kept you warm."

With the socks only (idea 9)

"Socks today. Something bigger tomorrow. No peeking in the closets, I'll know."

For a sibling who is the elf's assistant

"Thank you for helping me with the deliveries. Your little brother didn't suspect a thing. You've earned the first pick of the cocoa mugs."

With the dog's bandana

"Even the dog made the list this year. Please help him wear it nicely, and take it off if he gets fussy."

Christmas Eve goodbye

"This is my last delivery until next year. Wear these tonight, sleep well, and remember: I'll be reporting how cozy you looked. See you next season."

Two writing tips. Use the child's name once, because kids reread notes and love seeing it. And don't promise anything the morning can't deliver, such as a specific toy, because the elf's credibility is the whole game.

Elf Pajama Setup Safety: Strings, Small Parts and Batteries

Most of these setups are harmless, but three things show up in elf scenes that need care around young children: cords and ribbon, small decorative pieces, and button batteries in fake candles or mini lights.

Ribbon, string and garland

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says that when children become entangled in window covering cords, strangulation can occur in less than a minute, and that about nine children age 5 and younger die each year in corded window coverings. A decorative ribbon tied across a room is not a window cord, but the hazard is the same kind: a loop at a child's neck height. Our rules for elf setups:

• Tie ribbon zip lines at adult chest height and take them down as soon as the kids have seen them.
• Never tie anything across a doorway, a crib, a bed or the top of the stairs.
• Don't leave loose ribbon or curling string on the floor in a house with a toddler.
• Keep the elf's own scenes away from blind cords; it is tempting to have the elf "rappel" down them, but it teaches kids that cords are toys.

Small parts and treats

CPSC's 2025 holiday guidance says to keep small balls and toys with small parts away from children younger than age 3, and deflated balloons away from children younger than 8. The AAP's HealthyChildren.org choking page lists balloons, balls, marbles and small button-type batteries among the items to keep away from infants and young children, and notes that coin batteries can also cause internal burns if swallowed. In elf terms:

• Skip the mini marshmallows, candy pieces and tiny props in any setup a toddler can reach.
• Battery tea lights look great in an elf scene, but check that the battery cover is screwed shut and keep them up high.
• Count the clothespins when you take a scene down. One left on the floor is a toddler's next discovery.

Candles and heat

CPSC also says never to leave candles unattended. An elf scene is by definition unattended overnight, so no real flames, ever, and keep pajama fabric away from heaters and lit fireplaces. For the kids' pieces, the listings we read describe the kids' and baby sizes as flame-resistant; the US rules behind that are in our guide to children's sleepwear rules. That does not make a candle next to a sleeping child acceptable.

Choosing Christmas Pajamas the Elf Can Deliver for the Whole Family

An elf drop for the whole family works only if every person's size is in the bag. That sounds obvious until you discover on December 10 that one print never came in the dog's size or Dad's 3XL. Start with the hardest size in your house and filter from there.

Set (as listed)	Adult sizes in stock	Kids	Baby	Pet	Socks listed
Mug and gingerbread, light blue	XS to 4XL	2Y to 12-13Y	3-6M to 12-18M	S and L	Yes
Christmas tree, dark green	S to 4XL	2Y to 12-13Y	3-6M to 12-18M	S and L	Not listed
Snow globe, dark green	S to 4XL	2Y to 12-13Y	3-6M to 12-18M	S and L	Not listed
Reindeer glow, navy	S to 2XL	2Y to 12-13Y	3-6M to 12-18M	L only	Yes
Fair Isle, red	S to 2XL	2Y to 12-13Y	0-3M to 12-18M	L only	Yes
Christmas village, white	S to 2XL	2Y to 12-13Y	3-6M to 12-18M	S and L	Not listed
Frosty the Snowman, blue fleece	XS to 2XL	2Y to 8-9Y	0-3M to 18-24M	None	Yes

Sizes are what was in stock when we read the listings in November 2026, across the women's and men's options combined; check each member on the product page, since sizes sell out one at a time. 4XL appears only on selected prints, as the table shows.

A few things to know about how these listings work, so the delivery goes smoothly:

• One listing, many members. For each print, you pick women, men, kids, baby or pet and a size on the same page, and add each size to the cart separately.
• What's in each piece. The listings say each size is one set (top and bottom), one romper, or one pet bandana.
• Fabric. Most of these are polyester and spandex stretch knit. The Frosty set is listed as 100% polyester fleece, which suits a colder house. The Christmas pajamas fabric guide compares them.
• A baby under 12 months. The Frosty and Fair Isle sets had 0-3M in stock, and few prints do.

Shop the look

For a family that wants the elf's delivery to double as the Christmas card photo, everyone wears the red Fair Isle print, with the dog in the L(Pets) bandana: one listing, choose each member and size. If your youngest still fits baby sizes and you want a character print, the Frosty set runs to 18-24M. For a different look on the same order page, the village print has a button-front collared top.

If the elf delivers on Christmas Eve, kids who wake up in their matching PJs Christmas morning are already dressed for the group photo, so take it before the wrapping paper comes out. If you are planning more pajama nights after the elf's drop, our pajama exchange dice game and the Christmas pajama party games both work with sets you already have, and the elf can deliver the instructions too.

One last planning point: if a size turns out wrong after the family Christmas PJ drop, PatPat's refund policy treats an exchange as a return plus a new purchase, and it does not accept returns on sale items. Check sizes the day the parcel arrives, tags on, before the elf gets its hands on them.

Frequently asked questions

What night should the elf bring Christmas pajamas? Arrival night, a mid-December weeknight or Christmas Eve all work; Christmas Eve is the easiest because the pajamas go straight on and stay on for the morning.

How early should I order pajamas for an elf delivery? Order before the delivery night with shipping time to spare; for a Thanksgiving-weekend arrival that means ordering in mid-November, and for Christmas morning by the third week of November.

Is a ribbon zip line safe for an elf setup? Only at adult chest height, away from doorways, beds and stairs, and taken down right after the kids see it; skip it with a toddler or crawling baby in the house.

How do I get my kids' sizes without them noticing? Measure pajamas that fit them now, compare with the size chart, and keep the list on your phone.

What if the dog wants to be in on it? PatPat's pet pieces are bandanas, so the elf can leave one on the dog's bed; let the dog wear it only while someone is watching.

What should an older child who knows the secret do? Make them the elf's assistant: they can write clues, hide the socks or take the photos for younger siblings.

Christmas pajama sizes sell out one at a time, and the hardest sizes, such as 3XL, 4XL, baby 0-3M and pet sizes, go first. Pick the print by checking your hardest size before the elf's delivery night.

About this article

Written and fact-checked by the PatPat Editorial Team. How we research, source and review what we publish is set out on our editorial standards page.

Method. Product details, sizes in stock, fabrics and included socks were read from PatPat product pages in November 2026. PatPat is the seller of these pajamas, and we did not wear-test them. The 15 setups, the age bands and the sample notes are our editorial suggestions, not research findings. The Elf on the Shelf is a trademark of its owner; PatPat has no partnership with it, and we mention it only to describe the tradition.

Sources. The Elf on the Shelf, guide to the scout elves' return. US Consumer Product Safety Commission, window covering cord safety and 2025 holiday safety tips. American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, choking prevention. PatPat shipping policy and refund policy.

Last updated 11 November 2026 · Next review November 2027