Bell and Pitts told HuffPost that The Elf on the Shelf idea dates back to a family tradition from their childhood in Georgia in the 1970s. “We had an elf growing up for as long as we can remember.

Elf on the Shelf got its start with Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell’s 2005 children’s picture book, "The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition," which was illustrated by Coë Steinwart.

Elf on the Shelf is based on the book written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell. As the story goes, cute 10-inch tall elves, called Scout Elves, arrive in children's homes during the ...

Elf On The Shelf has become a household name in the UK over the years – to the point where there’s no escaping it come 1st December (there’s even an Elf’s Story movie and Tonie character.) While the ...

Shortly after, the book was discussed on NBC's "Today" show. In 2012, the elf got off the shelf and made his first balloon appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The magic reallt took hold in 2007 when Jennifer Garner was seen with the Elf on the Shelf book tucked under her arm. Soon after, The Today Show jumped on the story and the rest is history.

The elf moves when kids are asleep (to visit Santa on the North Pole and report if the kids were naughty or nice that day.) It's why kids find their elf in a different spot when they wake up.

Each of us invested personally in the company. From that, 5,000 units of "The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition" were printed. Each book also comes with a keepsake box and a Scout Elf.

When does Elf on the Shelf start? According to the official Elf on the Shelf Instagram, Scout Elves arrive in households anytime between Nov. 22 (Thanksgiving Eve in 2023) through Dec. 1.

Gary Hershorn/Corbis via Getty According to CNN, more than 11 million copies of the Elf on the Shelf book have been sold since it was launched in 2005, and it’s so popular that it will have its ...

Elf on a Shelf balloons are seen during the 90th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 24, 2016 in New York City. John Lamparski/WireImage/Getty Images ...