The Elf on the Shelf® Santaverse™ brings holiday magic to Glover Park in Marietta, GA with a special movie screening and exclusive book signing
Yesterday, The Lumistella Company—the visionary creators of The Elf on the Shelf® and the imaginative Santaverse™—marked its 20th anniversary with a festive celebration at Glover Park in Marietta, Georgia, hosted in partnership with Marietta Parks and Recreation. The location was especially meaningful, as Marietta is where it all began with the company’s very first book signing at the Marietta Museum of History on September 25, 2005. To celebrate, the event culminated in The Lumistella Company donating $160,000 to local and national nonprofit organizations. The celebration highlighted two decades of growth, storytelling, and innovation for the Atlanta-based company as it gears up for its most exciting holiday season yet.
The memorable evening included a welcome from Marietta Mayor Steve Tumlin, a screening of An Elf’s Story and three Elf Pet® themed as part of Movies on the Square, meet-and-greets with characters from The Elf on the Shelf Santaverse, and a live reading and book signing for The Rise of Nicholas the Noble. The brand-new middle grade novel, just released on September 16, comes from Chanda A. Bell, co-creator of The Elf on the Shelf, and narrates an epic adventure of belief and bravery that reveals the untold origin of Santa Claus, expanding the Santaverse and introducing young readers to a world of destiny, courage, and magic.
Highlighting the night, four Lumistella Company luminaries took to the stage: Bell (co-founder and CEO), her sister Christa Pitts (co-founder and CEO), Carol V. Aebersold (co-founder and mother to twins Bell and Pitts!), and Coe Steinwart (illustrator of The Elf on the Shelf book). The quartet presented seven local nonprofits with grants of $20,000 each to honor 20 years of the company. Those organizations included:
- Chase the Victory
- Cobb Chamber – Give Our Schools a Hand
- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – Georgia Chapter
- Folds of Honor
- Must Ministries
- Path United
- University of West Georgia
The remaining $20,000 of the $160,000 will be dedicated to The Lumistella Company’s Employee Donation Fund, allowing its employees (90% of whom live in the Atlanta area) to give to charities close to their hearts.
Co-founder Christa Pitts said, “From the beginning, we’ve been committed to sharing joy with others, and tonight’s celebration shows how powerful that joy can be. We’re deeply grateful to our fans. Because of their support, we’re able to mark our 20th anniversary by giving back to local nonprofits in a meaningful way.”
Co-founder Chanda Bell added, “Our passion has been telling stories that spark imagination and bring families closer together. Seeing how those stories have inspired such joy over the past 20 years is humbling beyond words. Tonight reminds us that the magic of storytelling doesn’t end on the page. It lives in the love of our fans and in the good we can do together for our communities.”
Since its inception, The Lumistella Company has been dedicated to telling stories that create joy for families. From its original The Elf on the Shelf to new characters such as Noorah, Elf Pets, and the just-introduced Razzle, the snowman ambassador of the 20th anniversary, the Santaverse is dedicated to spreading joy and kindness through the holiday season and throughout the entire year.
About The Lumistella Company
CCA and B, LLC d/b/a The Lumistella Company is the company behind Santaverse™, the official source for the stories of the enchanted world of Santa Claus. Family-owned and women-led since 2005, the company’s portfolio includes a number of iconic Christmas brands, including: The Elf on the Shelf, Elf Pets, and Elf Mates. As a global company operating in 29 countries, on 6 continents with 100+ licensees, our purpose is to make joyful family moments possible around the world. To learn more about The Lumistella Company, please visit https://lumistella.com/.
