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.

For many families, the tradition of Elf on the Shelf adds to the magic ... Have Elf sitting by marshmallows that spell out: “I’m back.” Related: 72 Festive Christmas Games the Whole Family ...