How to create Christmas elf magic without an elf doll

You do not need a physical elf doll to make December feel magical. In fact, leaving the elf unseen can make the experience even more exciting, because children get to imagine everything for themselves — what Alfie looks like, where he hides and what happens while everyone is asleep.

With The Elf Letters, children receive 25 printable letters from Alfie, an invisible Christmas elf from Sweden, from December 1st through Christmas Day. Instead of moving a doll every evening, the story unfolds through the letters. Some mornings there may be a clue, a tiny surprise or a little bit of mischief. Other mornings, the letter itself is enough.

A simple way to make Alfie feel real is to leave small traces behind. Tiny footprints, something moved in the kitchen, a missing battery, a sock in an unexpected place or a letter hidden between the books can be more than enough to make children wonder what happened during the night.

You can also add small miniatures that match the stories in the letters. If something tiny suddenly appears in the house, it is almost certainly Alfie’s doing. A little pair of skis, a tiny parcel or another miniature object can make the invisible world feel as though it has slipped into the real one.

And when Alfie writes about one of his curious friends, children do not have to imagine completely on their own. On meet Alfie’s Friends, they can see pictures of the characters they have been reading about and discover more of Alfie’s world.

The best part is that you can make the tradition as simple or as elaborate as you want. Some days you may create a small scene. Some days you may hide the letter. And on busy evenings, you can simply leave the next letter ready for the morning.

There is no elf doll to remember to move and no need to invent a new setup every night.

The story is big. The setup doesn’t have to be.

The Elf Letters turn December into one continuing Christmas adventure filled with imagination, little mysteries, playful mischief and Swedish Christmas traditions.

You never see him. But you know he was here.