The book officially states - in rhyme, of course - that children aren't allowed to touch the elf during the day or it will lose its magic. Kids must be on their best behavior or risk a bad report to Santa when the elf returns to the North Pole each night. For adults, it's fun to come up with creative new places for the elf to hide each morning. While there are myriad unique places to hide an elf around the house, many families also take the elf on the road during a vacation for special poses. Journaling the elf 's location each day also is part of the tradition for adults. Take a quick scroll through Facebook or Pinterest during the holidays and you'll likely find someone posting a picture of their elf in a fun new location. "(Our elf has) been in the freezer with ice, gone fishing in the fish tank, painted the dog's hair pink and hung from the ceiling fan while it was spinning," Menefee said. "Our elf is crazy busy!" Even though it's still a new tradition, you and your family can make memories that last a lifetime with Elf on the Shelf this holiday season. MAGAZINE 53