Could it be true? Anthony Mennella captures footage of his Elf on the Shelf seemingly coming to life.

For many families, the tradition of Elf on the Shelf adds to the magic. Social media is full of his shenanigans as the Elf meanders throughout the house, finding his way into winter boots ...

Christy Heins, of North Aurora, Illinois, shared her exit strategy for getting out of the Elf on the Shelf routine in a hilarious Facebook post on Dec. 3 Dave Quinn is a Senior Editor for PEOPLE.