where did elf on the shelf originate

The "Elf on the Shelf" was created by the author Carol Aebersold in 2005. The idea behind the story is that Santa Claus sends a little scout elf to families to watch over the children and report back to him whether they've been naughty or nice. It has since become a holiday tradition for many families to adopt their own elf and hide it in different places around the house every night. The original story was published as a children's book and has since spawned a whole series of books, toys, and other products.