Christmas is around the corner, and with it comes many festive holiday traditions. Our family started a new tradition this year, surprising neighbors by secretly leaving Christmas gift baskets at their door, a tradition called “Elfing,” “You’ve Been Elfed,” or “You’ve Been Jingled.”
If you are looking for great “You’ve been Elfed” gift ideas that your neighbors will love, check out this list. These gifts are perfect for adding to an elf basket because they’re small, easy to find, and best of all, affordable!
Christmas Snacks and Treats
Christmas foods are a great addition to an elf baskets because there are so many delicious treats that are only available this time of year. Here is a list of my favorite festive Christmas foods, drinks, and treats.
- Sugar cookies
- Chocolate chip cookies
- Gingerbread cookies
- Shortbread cookies
- Biscotti
- Cake pops
- Candied apples
- Candy canes
- Chocolate bars
- Peppermint bark
- Hot cocoa packets
- Hot cocoa bombs
- Marshmallows
- Jar of hot fudge
- Apple cider spices
- Holiday coffee blends
- Chex Mix
- Moose Munch
- Chocolate covered pretzels
- Caramel popcorn
- Fruitcake
- Candied nuts
- Roasted nuts
- Popcorn
- Popcorn seasoning
- Dip seasoning mixes
- Spice blends
Christmas Baking & Kitchen Gift Ideas
Odds are good that your family, friends, and neighbors will be spending more time cooking in the kitchen during the holidays. With that said, here’s a list of baking ingredients and kitchen tools that will make the job easier!
- Sugar cookie mix
- Red velvet cake mix
- Can of frosting
- Cake decorating kit
- Food coloring set
- Cupcake liners
- Cookie cutters
- Vanilla extract
- Sanding sugars
- Sprinkles
- Peppermint extract
- Oven mitts
- Festive Spatula
- Whisk
- Measuring cups
- Sponges
- Holiday-scented dish soap
- Christmas-themed dish towels
- Cookbook
- Serving utensils
- Cutting board
- Serving tray
You’ve Been Elfed Gifts for Kids
Perhaps the most excited to find a surprise on their doorstep will be the kids in the neighborhood! Here are a bunch of great “You’ve Been Elfed” gift ideas for kids!
- Christmas light necklace
- Santa hat
- Dress-up Rudolph nose
- Red or green glow sticks
- Funny Christmas glasses
- Small plush toy
- Bouncy balls
- Bubbles
- Christmas stickers
- Sidewalk chalk
- Crayons
- Play-doh
- Pop it fidget toys
- Christmas storybook
- Bath crayons
- Bath color tablets
- Hot wheels car
- Christmas coloring book
- Temporary tattoos
- Water Wow! Activity pads
Christmas Fun and Games
Kids young and old will love these fun activities and games! Be sure to also check out our printable Christmas games! You can print several copies to share if you’re making multiple baskets!
- Printable Christmas Scattergories
- Printable Christmas Bingo
- Printable Christmas Family Feud
- Printable Christmas Who am I?
- Printable Christmas Taboo
- Uno card game
- Skipbo card game
- Phase 10 card game
- Playing cards
- Farkle dice game
- Qwixx dice game
- Travel size Battleship
- Rubik’s Cube
- Jigsaw puzzle
- 3D puzzle
- Word search puzzle book
- Sudoku puzzle book
Christmas Gift Ideas for the Home
Everyone is getting their homes ready for the holidays, so why not include some festive decorations and home goods to your elf basket! What I love about these gifts is that they last longer than the candy canes and popcorn!
- Christmas ornament
- Picture frame ornament
- Candle holder
- Holiday-scented candle
- Christmas figurine
- Christmas gift tags
- Nightlight
- Coasters
- Christmas-themed notepad
- Pens and pencils
- Christmas Magnets
- Holiday-scented air freshener
- Christmas-themed hand towels
- Coffee mug
- Thermos
- Acrylic drink cups
- Miniature Christmas tree
- Small throw blanket
- Throw pillow cover
Beauty and Bath Gift Ideas
If you’re planning to give a “You’ve Been Elfed” gift to a female friend, coworker, or neighbor, include one of these pampering products!
- Holiday-scented hand soap
- Handmade bar soap
- Holiday-scented hand lotion
- Sugar scrub
- Bath bomb
- Bath salts
- Loofah
- Exfoliating gloves
- Body brush
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Leave-in conditioner
- Lip balm
- Makeup sponges
- Makeup brushes
- Sparkly eyeshadow palette
- Cozy socks
- Nail polish
- Nail file set
- Hair ties
- Velvet scrunchies
- Hair clips
- Cosmetic travel bag
- Essential oils
Don’t Forget the Printable “You’ve Been Elfed” Poem!
Make sure that once you’ve packed up all your goodies in your elf basket, that you include the “You’ve been Elfed” Poem with instructions! This is an important step because not everyone who is being visited by the Christmas Elf is familiar with the tradition!
Get our You’ve been Elfed printable below!
I hope you enjoyed this list and if you have any more great ideas that we missed, let us know!
Merry Christmas and Happy Elfing!
