Shhhhhh… if you’re very quiet and listen very closely, you can just hear the sound of sewing machines whirring, scissors snipping and parents quietly cursing as yet again they prick their finger on a pin…

Yes, it’s that time of year when mums and dads the length and breadth of the country are furiously beavering away to create fabulous World Book Day costumes for their kids!

World Book Day falls on Thursday, March 2 this year, but if you’re still looking for some inspiration for your little one’s costume, Elf for Christmas is here to help.

Inspired by our magical children’s book Elf’s First Adventure, which has won the hearts of thousands of children around the world, you can create your very own Elf costume for World Book Day!

What you’ll need for your Elf World Book Day costume:

Our adorable little elves have pretty simple taste in clothes.

A red and white stripy top and some stripy tights are the basic undergarments for any self-respecting elf. You’ll also need some green dungarees for our boy Elf, or a green pinafore dress and red scarf for our girl.

Then of course there’s the dinky little elf hat and distinctive pointy ears to add.

To make a really simple, no-sew elf hat, we’ve put together this easy how-to guide.

Don’t forget to add some lovely rosy cheeks to your little Elf – we find rubbing a little bit of pink lipstick on to the cheeks makes for the best effect.

Send us your World Book Day pictures

We’d love to see what your little ones get dressed up as for World Book Day! Join in the fun and send us your pictures – you could win a pile of brilliant children’s books, including a signed copy of Elf’s First Adventure!

See our competition blog for details on how to enter.

And if you’re looking for more inspiration and ideas for World Book Day costumes, take a peek at our Pinterest board.