My husband just bought, with no prompting from me, an Elf on the Shelf.

Word-of-mouth took over and families began asking local stores if they had the "Elf on the Shelf" in stock.

The Elf on the Shelf explains that scout elves get their magic by being named.

“My kid ran upstairs this morning saying the elf on the shelf isn’t real and that parents hide it in the middle of the night!!!

Pitts offered some advice for others who think they might be sitting on their "Elf on the Shelf" idea.

But Elf on the Shelf has clearly surpassed its status as local curiosity and become a must-have for millions of people.

Also making an entrance this year are Papa Smurf and Elf on the Shelf.

"Elf on the Shelf," on the other hand, is bogged down in reverence, which is too bad because it has a back story worth celebrating.

The picture hit all the entertainment sites, spiking sales for "The Elf on the Shelf," and helped further boost the brand.

They are not nurses or strangely-named doctors but Elves on the Shelf who have come to the well-known children’s hospital to spread Christmas cheer.

The trio said the doll moved around their apartment (think: an evil Elf on the Shelf), leaving behind cryptic notes - and occasionally scratch marks.

Friday), the latest product from the Georgia-based family business built around the children’s book “The Elf on the Shelf.”

But the one thing that's distinctive about all of these elf-lovers and elf-detractors is this: They all possess an "Elf on the Shelf."

Timetoplaymag.com toy expert Jim Silver posits that Elf on the Shelf has filled a previously untapped niche.

As you surely now know, what that family possessed was an "Elf on the Shelf," who observed the two children of the house and reported back to Santa.

The Elf on the Shelf was written in 2004 by Carol Aebersold and daughter Chanda Bell over a cup of tea.

Like the elf's magic, these "Elf on the Shelf" owners have created some business magic of their own, selling over 4 million copies since the company's inception.

Seattle pediatrician Wendy Sue Swanson says several of her patients' parents have asked if using The Elf on the Shelf is good parenting.

The Elf on the Shelf has introduced a 3-D animated Web site (www.elfontheshelf.com), giving children of all ages a glimpse into Santa's snow-filled wonderland.

ABC’s “GMA” nearly killed Christmas during a morning segment on the children’s toy “The Elf on the Shelf.”

In 2004, Pitts" mother Carol finished writing the Elf on the Shelf story, created a proposal, and began pitching the idea to literary agents in New York.

In 2012, "Elf on the Shelf" is going global, with mom Aebsrsold hosting readings and book signing in Australia, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Last year, CBS debuted "The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf's Story," an animated Christmas special based on the book.

The Elf on the Shelf comes in a keepsake box that features a hardbound picture book and a small soft toy in the form of a pixie scout elf.

The success of "Elf on the Shelf," however, was not a result of magic, but rather the focus of three women who strategically built their brand and reinvested in their business.