Do you have plans for holiday travel this season? Do those plans include a Scout Elf? Holiday travel is stressful enough, but throw in an elf and that can add even more stress to your holiday travel plans.
Our scout elves, Jack and Snowflake, come to visit the day after Thanksgiving and stay until Christmas, thus hitting two holidays that often require travel.
Last year when we were planning to travel to Ohio for Christmas, Eden didn’t want to go because her elf, Snowflake, would not be able to find her. It was at this point I knew then the elves saying goodbye early wasn’t an option. She was eight at the time and I felt it could very well be the last year she believed in elf magic so I didn’t want to cut it short. Mom confession – I like the elves too!
Fortunately, we had previously had some experience with elf travel. Jack and Snowflake enjoy going along for adventures and love car rides, whether to see Christmas lights or pick Eden and Xen up from school on their last day before the holiday break. Holiday vacation travel is a totally different game though!
But how will my elf find me?
So if you decide to take your elf along on your holiday travels, it is quite likely your child will ask you the same question Eden asked me, “How will my elf find me?”
When Eden asked me that question I reminded her that just like elves find their home every night, they have the ability to find us anywhere we go. To ease her mind further I suggested she leave a note with her travel itinerary since we had several stops along our way.
Elf Transport
So here we were, getting ready for a seventeen-hour road trip to Ohio and I had to figure out how to bring along two elves. Elves that kids are not supposed to touch.
The easiest way to transport Scout Elves would be to have them travel back to the North Pole while on the road. They could’ve left a note of explanation saying they would meet us there.
I could’ve tucked them away hidden in a suitcase and not had to worry about them being touched while we were in a car for 17 hours.
Is that what I did? No!
On the day of our departure, our elves had prepared themselves and us for travel. Jack and Snowflake had made themselves a travel bed in a box with a note stating how excited they were about their trip. They had also left us some accessories including mittens, scarves, and hats to keep us warm. We do live in Florida and we were after all headed to the Great White North.
Although this wasn’t the easiest mode of transportation, it really added for the typical extravagance you would expect from our silly elves. Plus, Eden and Xen loved having them as travel companions, often having conversations about what they were seeing and sharing about their family.
Inform Your Family
Speaking of family, on our last Christmas trip we were staying with two different family members, neither of which have small children or know about the Scout Elves.
Be sure to inform your family members about the elves and fill them in on the back story so they don’t accidentally ruin the magic. Eden and Xen’s aunts even got in on the fun helping us hide Jack and Snowflake.
What to do with the Elf after the Holiday
The tradition of the Scout Elves is when Christmas is over the elves return to the North Pole. Unfortunately, if you are traveling, you still have elves and they can’t magically disappear.
On our trip, we were going to be in Ohio through the New Year, that was a really long time to keep Eden and Xen from finding their magical friends.
I had my aunt keep Jack and Snowflake tucked away in her closet until we moved on to our next destination, but I was doing a bit of elf juggling, and always worried someone was going to discover the elves and the gig would be up!
Next time I will simply mail the elves back home. If this isn’t an option for you than be sure to have something to hide them in that will not be discovered by the kids.
The other option is to have your child ask Santa for your Scout Elf to have an extended visit with your family. Since the elf would now be off duty, you would not need to keep up with elaborate pranks and could simply have your elf hang out.
What if it isn’t an option to bring the elf along on our travels?
Have your child leave a note of explanation. This note could state that their elf duties prevent them from being away on a vacation this time of year. It is a very busy season for the elves!
You could still incorporate some of that elf magic into your travels by having your elf send some selfies via email or text, leave mysterious treats and notes stating they flew by or had one of their Scout Elf friends deliver the messages. This will still take a little planning but less work than bringing an elf along for your trip.
What about the rest of the Elf Season?
I hope this helps you prepare for traveling with your Scout Elf this holiday season. But what about the rest of your Scout Elf’s visit? Be sure to download my Parent’s Survival Guide to Elf on the Shelf below.