Ten years ago, an unsuspecting romance author sat down to write a charming Christmas tale. She imagined snow drifting over the Pocono Mountains, a lonely house sitter named Marcy, a mischievous little dog named Ginger, and an antique Christmas elf waiting on a shelf.
It should have been a sweet holiday story.
It was not.
Instead, the elf in her book became the kind that watches with unblinking eyes—the kind that knows more than it should. Marcy can sense something is off. Ginger barks whenever the elf appears. And hiding inside that little toy? A modern camera planted by a stalker determined to claim Marcy as his holiday prize.
That dark twist sparked the beginning of To Catch an Elf: Pennsylvania Fighter Pilot. And it sparked something else entirely—
A decade of real-life elf mischief.
The First Hint of Trouble
Back then, the author planned an online party to celebrate the story—a fun event with decorative elves as prizes. Feeling festive, she left the elves at home while she set sail on a Christmas cruise with family.
When she returned, her writing office looked as though a blizzard of books and candle wax had blown through. They’d gotten into the champagne candle she saved for new releases, and her new books were strewn everywhere. The elves looked suspiciously pleased with themselves, though each claimed, “it wasn’t me.”
She cleaned up the mess, wrangled the elves back into their boxes, and mailed them off as prizes. But the story wasn’t done. And apparently, neither were the elves.
A Tradition Is Born
Every December since, the Twelve Days of Elf Party has returned—twelve days of games, laughter, and absolute elfin chaos inside Debra’s Facebook group and private Discord.
Each year follows a familiar—and increasingly unruly—pattern:
- The elves discover sugar.
- The elves become ungovernable.
- The pets fight back.
- All-out warfare erupts between pets and elves.
- Tiny green army men and GI Joes mobilize to restore order.
- Santa himself arrives to settle the final skirmish and order is restored.
- Prize winners are announced once the smoke clears.
The elves create mischief. Readers cheer them on. And Debra, somewhere between delight and exasperation, keeps the tradition alive.
In 2023, To Catch an Elf: Pennsylvania Fighter Pilot finally released in eBook and paperback. The party had already taken on a life of its own, so the celebration continues each year with gusto.
Enter Twinkles McShimmy
Of all the elves in Debra’s world, one refuses to be given away. One refuses to stay home. One refuses to behave.
His name is Twinkles McShimmy, and according to Debra, he has stowed away with her more than once—most notably on a Caribbean cruise, hiding in her luggage like a tiny fugitive.
He has lived with her ever since, residing in a cozy cabinet in her RV writing corner. And Twinkles, as it turns out, has… quirks.
Meet Twinkles: A Few Things You Should Know
- He won’t wear shoes. Flip-flops or nothing.
- He never takes off his island shirt and swim trunks. Ever since the Caribbean, he insists he is “a tropical elf.”
- He was kicked out of Santa’s workshop. Upon returning from vacation, he refused to put on his elf uniform. The other elves nearly went on strike. Santa labeled him an “instigator,” which Twinkles mistakenly thought was an award.
- He wears a Santa hat anyway. Christmas spirit, yes. Shoes, no.
- He adores twinkle lights. One Fourth of July, Debra caught him climbing the flag lights in the RV window—thus the name Twinkles.
- He dances constantly. Especially if there’s limbo involved, earning him the name McShimmy.
- And above all… he loves sugar. Once he gets into it, chaos is guaranteed.
The Magic Continues
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Twelve Days of Elf Party, and Debra promises the elves—especially Twinkles—are already plotting.
From December 1st through December 12th, the doors open again in her Facebook Group and private Discord. Games, stories, mischief, and surprises await anyone brave enough to join.
Twinkles McShimmy will be there too, no doubt shimmying under a string of lights or sneaking sugar when no one is looking.
The only question left is—
What kind of trouble will he cause this year?
Debra Parmley is a multi-genre author who after living for 23 years just outside Memphis, TN, sold everything to live full-time in a 43-foot motorhome with her Air Force veteran husband. She writes as they travel the U.S.
She has written military romantic suspense, contemporary romance, historical romance, dystopian romance, holiday romance, fairy tale romance, urban fantasy romance, poetry and nonfiction.
Debra travels widely, reads widely and writes widely. You will find danger, action and adventure, and romance in her stories. In her Tales from the Trailer articles, she shares the RV lifestyle and travel adventures in the U.S.
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