Elf on the Shelf is a wildly popular Christmas phenomenon that not even the leaders of Christmas (AKA Santa and Mariah Carey) could have seen coming. Opinions about Elfie are pretty polarizing ...

Parting with your Elf on the Shelf doesn't have to be a sad occasion. In fact, just like your Elf on the Shelf's return, his or her departure can be a celebration filled with joy and creativity.

My kids are 14 and 16 now, but they held onto their belief in Elf on the Shelf for over a decade. When they were preschoolers, I'd set up elaborate displays showing Jingle and Garland (each kid ...

The couple tapped into their cheeky Christmas spirit to make some fun for their sons Phineas and Silas Zoey Lyttle is a Society & Culture Writer-Reporter at PEOPLE. She covers influencers and ...