December is now three days old, so it's time to get into the spirit, right?

'Tis the season to hang your stockings, drink your eggnog, sing your carols and ... threaten a mall Santa while dressed like an elf?

A metro Atlanta shopping mall was evacuated Wednesday night after a man dressed as an elf allegedly told the mall Santa that he was carrying dynamite.

But when the GBI bomb squad examined three packages left near Santa, the incident was declared a ho-ho-hoax.

The bad elf, William C. Caldwell III, was being held without bond Thursday in the Clayton County Jail, charged with having hoax devices, making terroristic threats, false imprisonment, simple assault, reckless conduct, disorderly conduct and false public alarm.

The 45-year-old Caldwell apparently waited patiently in line to get his picture taken with Santa and then twice declared that he was in possession of explosive materials. Authorities quickly detained the 5-foot, 108-pound workshop-helper-wannabe.

Police said that despite his attire, Caldwell had no connection with the mall's holiday presentation.