For an Elf on the Shelf kitchen idea, place the doll on top of a muffin ... Grab those ripe bananas that no one wants to eat and draw some Minion-esque faces on them. Even Gru would approve.

Christy Heins, of North Aurora, Illinois, shared her exit strategy for getting out of the Elf on the Shelf routine in a ... A few years ago, I had a great idea and wanted to try using scout ...