EXTRA HOLIDAY CASH: BE AN ELF THIS YEAR

With the holidays coming up, everyone is looking for a little extra money. A few years ago I stumbled on a little holiday business idea that helps me make extra money at the holidays and creates fun items for children and adults. A few years ago I became one of Santa's elves.

Santa Letters

Do you remember when you were a kid and wrote your yearly letter to Santa telling him how good you had been and asking if he could bring the toys on your list? Well, maybe you were lucky enough to get a letter back from Santa. Only, it probably wasn't written by the jolly man himself. He usually has his elves take care of the letter writing, especially when he gets busy. So, I joined the elf ranks and began writing letters from Santa.

Start Early

If you take on the role of one of Santa's elves, you must start your work early. It is important to get your name out there so that parents know what you are offering before their children write their letters to Santa. Each letter I wrote was personalized for each child and having the actual letter they wrote makes it a lot easier to write a letter that addresses their questions. The best time to get started is in September.

Get Creative

Letters are a lot of fun to write and the initial cost is minimal. I usually use preprinted holiday stationery and print the letter from my computer. The final touch is a Santa signature. Writing the letters is your time to have fun and get into the spirit of the holiday. I love making up stories of the reindeer and Frosty the Snowman.

For an added treat, I usually include small holiday coloring books or pencils with the letter as a special little gift from Santa. For each letter, my cost is usually about a dollar or so and I sell the letters anywhere from $7 to $10. Depending on the season and how much marketing I do, I can usually make around $500 to $1000 writing these letters. It makes for a busy month or so, but it is a great way to get into the holiday spirit.

By doing these letters, I can usually assure myself of at least having some extra money available for the holidays. While the extra money helps me, my biggest reward is knowing the smile it is bringing to a child.