Santa’s sneaky elves donned in red suits with crisp white collars have been making chocolaty messes on kitchen counters and dangling dangerously from Christmas tree branches — all while unsuspecting ...

For nearly two decades, elves have been sitting on shelves (or hanging from ceiling fans) in homes across the world in an effort to figure out which children have been naughty or nice this year.

In less than two decades, the Elf on the Shelf book and kit has become as ubiquitous as—dare we say it? OK, we’ll say it—Santa Claus. The cheerful elves (or weird elves, depending on which camp you ...