The holiday season may be over, but two local kids want to keep the spirit of giving alive with their Elf on the Shelf clothing business.

The “Elf on the Shelf” tradition came from a 2004 children’s book of the same name, which includes a plush elf toy for children to set on a shelf in their homes. Echo Unick said her son Jacob, 12, came up with the idea to outfit the now-iconic Christmas creatures three years ago. Though he and his sister Mikaela, 6, started with simple cut-out scarves, they have expanded to superhero capes and mermaid veils.

Unick said Jacob comes up with the ideas, while Mickaela picks out the fabrics and coordinates the colors.

“Jacob gets these wild ideas, and it’s something … we are trying to keep simple, while encouraging him,” Unick said. “Mikaela has been good about picking out fabrics. … She is also in charge of the velcro on the capes.”

Half the proceeds goes towards a charity of the children’s choice, while the other half goes towards Christmas shopping. The first year, Unick said, Jacob donated the proceeds to Children’s Hospital of Boston, because Mikaela, has been a frequent patient since her infancy for various medical issues.

“Jacob has always been a very generous child,” Unick said.

This year’s charity half went to the Shriners Hospital for Children, a nonprofit charity that cares for children who need special procedures, regardless of a family’s ability to pay.

“Jacob was really touched by that, and decided they would [donate to] that this year,” Unick said.

After their shopping had been completed this year, the children also chose some gift tags from the tree at Walmart, and bought toys for other, less fortunate children.

According to the book’s lore, once the elf is named, it gains magic to fly to the North Pole and tell Santa the children’s holiday wishes. However, if the elf is touched, it will lose its magic.

But not to worry: Unick said Jacob took that particular issue into account. In much the same way parents act as Santa Claus, they also become the elves.

“They are supposed to leave the clothes out at night, so the elf can choose their own clothes,” Unick said.

This year, Unick said, the two raised $156 for the Shriners. Jacob said next year’s goal is $300 for a charity.