what year did elf on a shelf come out

Elf on a Shelf was first published in 2005. It was written by Carol Aebersold, her daughter Chanda Bell, and her sister-in-law Wendy Wiseman. The idea for the book was inspired by their family's Christmas traditions, including the annual visit from their mother's friend "Mrs. Claus." In the book, Santa's elves are assigned to families to help keep an eye on the children during the holiday season.