who invented elf on a shelf

The concept of an elf who helps Santa Claus monitor the behavior of children and report back to him was actually invented by an author named Carol Aebersold in 2005. She published a book called "The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition," which quickly became popular and inspired parents to buy the Elf on the Shelf dolls to use as part of their holiday traditions. However, the concept of a "Santa's helper" has been around for much longer, with different cultures and countries having their own versions of the legend.