Serving Others with Elf On The Shelf

Yes, I know Christmas has passed, but wanted to share a cute idea we did with Elf on the Shelf this year!
 This was our first season with Elf on the Shelf. I watched others play the game with their kids for several years and this year we kind of joined in. 

While shopping with my mom, (the kid's call her "Nana") she bought the kids an Elf. 

To be honest...I am not a very good Elf mover and he didn't move very often.  

We have never played Santa with our children. They know about Santa and we watch the movies and read the books, they just know that it is a game that some people play. Our kids view Santa how they view a Disney Princess or the magic of Peter Pan. It is still fun, but they know he is not real.

We chose to focus on Christ's birth during Christmas. We exchange gifts as a reminder of the gift that God gave us sending Jesus to earth to give us life.

SO…..that said, our Elf Freddie, gets stuck in the same spot and my kids don't blink an eye why. Lol

Eli even asks me why I keep forgetting to move it. Opps!

We were at Chick-fil-a a few weeks ago and got these awesome Shuffle it Forward cards in the kids meals! Each card has a challenge to do something nice or an act of service for someone else.

I loved the idea! Chick-fil-a has impressed once again! 

As the hubby and I were marveling at such a wonderful concept, we had a fun idea! 

We thought these Shuffle cards would be great to do a spin off for a 30 day challenge of service. (I plan to do after the new year!) 

Then we thought why not use Freddie the elf??

He can bring a new Shuffle card each morning for the kids to do that day. 

Instead of having them focus on being good so they get what they want for Christmas, they are focused on a new way to serve others each day.

It would be easy to make your own service cards too. Either print off or hand make some colorful cards with acts of service on them.

As a family we try to find ways daily to serve others and put others before ourselves. Even with us reminding our children daily, we still struggle with self serving attitudes. We do live in a fallen world and these little hearts need much direction!

With the Shuffle it Forward service card idea (however it is incorporated), I feel gives the kids an idea of what serving others looks like. We can tell them all day long, "serve others before yourself", but what does that look like?
Now they can have fun with the Elf tradition while learning ways to serve others!


Do you have Chick-fil-a's Shuffle it Forward cards? How are you using them in your home?