Other cities have tried to lay claim to the title, but the North Pole truly is the city that never sleeps. Between managing the toy shop, overseeing the stables and getting the sleigh ready for Christmas Eve, Santa and his Scout Elves have been busier than ever this year readying for the coming holiday season.

In order to tend to all of the hustle and bustle at the North Pole, Santa asked me to embark on a tour in his stead to support the first sequel to The Elf on the Shelf®: A Christmas Tradition, and I knew it would be no small task! By the time I return home, I’ll have stopped in six states in support of The Elf on the Shelf®: A Birthday Tradition, the second book I wrote with my daughter, Chanda A. Bell.

Santa is passionate about birthdays, and Scout Elves love to celebrate birthdays too. So, it’s fun to share in the magic of creating special memories for families year round. One thing though has made this long journey truly exceptional—hearing personal stories from the fans of Santa’s Scout Elves. It seems that each time I meet somebody new along the road, they have kind words to share about their elf, which in turn blesses me with a new memory of my own.

I continue to be amazed that the tradition my mother started with me when I was a child lives on today in so many households across the United States, helping the magic of the Christmas season last an entire month instead of just one day.

During my latest travels, I met so many new people, including a precocious elementary school student who asked me to be her best friend. Then, she unabashedly asked me to seal the deal with a special book inscription: “To my very best friend Avery.” Which of course, I did. I also had the privilege of meeting countless teachers who have welcomed Scout Elves into their classrooms.

During one stop, a father showed me a life-sized wooden replica of a scene from the birthday tradition book he had manually constructed with his daughter. The structure now stands in his daughter’s school library where all the children can enjoy it. More than just building a scene, the project brought the man closer to his daughter, who learned how to use a power drill under his tutelage. It’s the first time I’ve heard of one of Santa’s Scout Elves inspiring a family to create such an adventuresome construction project!

When I am on the road and unable to be with my own family, I am refreshed each time a fan shares a tale about their family and the impact The Elf on the Shelf® has made in their life. I owe a big thank you to all of these people who continue telling me their stories, because they inspire me to keep telling mine.

There’s still time to catch Carol! Click here for her book tour schedule and be on the lookout for future tour stops from Carol’s daughter and the co-author of The Elf on the Shelf® books, Chanda A. Bell, who will hit the road in mid-November.