How do I make an elf arrival letter?
Type who the elf writes to (one child, “Emma and Noah” or a whole class), the elf’s name and the day it arrives. The letter fills itself in: the elf introduces itself, says how many nights it will stay, lists the elf rules and tells the children to look for it in the morning. If the elf brings something, a mug of hot cocoa or a new book, type it under Something the elf brought and the letter mentions it.
Then choose how the elf writes and the paper look, and download the PDF. The preview is exactly what prints.
Arrival, return or goodbye: which letter?
| Letter | When it appears | What the elf says |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival | the elf’s first night with you | who it is, why Santa sent it, the rules, the nights until Christmas Eve |
| Return, “I’m back!” | the first night of a second or later year | it is home again from the North Pole, the rules once more |
| Goodbye | Christmas Eve | it flies home with Santa, what it saw, see you next year |
The goodbye letter can ride along as page 2 of an arrival or return letter, so both are printed and ready before the first morning.
What should an elf arrival letter say?
Short and specific works best. The child should hear their own name, the elf’s name and one rule they can remember, and nothing that sounds like a threat. Pick the voice for who will hear it:
- Short, for toddlers: five short lines in large type, three rules at most, read aloud in under a minute.
- Warm and classic: the elf introduces itself, gives the rules and the number of nights, and says it can’t wait to be found.
- Funny, for older kids: the elf boasts about its hiding, complains about the reindeer and admits it is bad at staying quiet.
For a classroom, choose “in a classroom” and the elf talks about the class and the classroom instead of the family and the home.
How many nights does the elf stay?
The letter counts from the arrival night to Christmas Eve, both nights included:
| Arrival day (2026) | Nights until Christmas Eve |
|---|---|
| Friday, November 27 (the day after Thanksgiving) | 28 |
| Tuesday, December 1 | 24 |
| Sunday, December 6 | 19 |
| Monday, December 14 | 11 |
A Christmas countdown paper chain with the same number of links lets the children tear one off each morning when they find the elf. If the elf arrives on December 1, it can bring the photo advent calendar with it.
Delivering the letter
Roll the letter into a scroll with a ribbon, or fold it in thirds, and leave it with the elf on the first morning. The goodbye page goes in an envelope you keep back until Christmas Eve. For the rest of the season, a letter from Santa answers the children’s own Christmas wish list, and the Christmas page lists the other printables and when to start each one.
Print at 100 percent, “actual size”, so the border sits evenly. Plain printer paper works; slightly heavier paper (about 120 g/m², 32 lb bond) feels more like real mail from the North Pole.
Questions
Is the elf arrival letter really free?
Yes. Type the names, look at the preview and download the PDF: no account, no email address, no watermark. The letters are drawn in your browser.
When should the elf arrive?
Whenever your family starts the tradition. Many families pick the day after Thanksgiving or December 1. Type the day under Arrival day and the letter counts the nights to Christmas Eve: from December 1 that is 24 nights, from Friday, November 27, 2026 it is 28.
Can one letter go to siblings or a whole class?
Yes. Type everyone in the first field, for example "Emma and Noah" or "Mrs. Lee's class", and choose "in a classroom" under The elf stays. The letter then talks about your classroom instead of your home.
What are good elf rules?
Four are filled in to start: don't touch the elf, it flies to the North Pole every night, it hides somewhere new each morning, and children can tell it their wishes. Change them, delete them or add your own, one per line, up to five.
What does the goodbye letter say?
It says the elf flies home with Santa on Christmas Eve, counts the nights it stayed, lists the good things it saw (the ones you type) and says it is all right to give the elf a hug goodbye. It prints as page 2 of the same PDF, so you can hide it away until December 24.
Does it work for a returning elf?
Yes. Choose "Return, I'm back!" and the elf writes that it is home again from the North Pole and asks if the children remember the rules.
Can I print it in black and white?
Yes, choose "Ink saver (black and white)" under Paper look. The border, the holly and the hat are drawn as outlines on white.
Is anything I type uploaded?
No. The words are put together and the pages are drawn inside your browser, and the PDF is assembled on your device.