Some people have a pet elf so if you are new to having an elf this is how you do it. 

you would wake up to maybe  a giant mess, so first you would clean up the mess and then get something sweet to give your elf and also a sweet drink. After that you would need to put them in a room you don’t really use or somewhere that no one will go in so then the elf can eat its food. 

Second, after it ate, you would play with your elf until you get tired and the next day you repeat until christmas day.