We have a few Christmas traditions in our house – festive music while we trim the tree, a family trip to a the singalong at the Liverpool Philharmonic, plenty of sloe gin for me – but this year, we’ll have a new one to follow. It’s an advent calendar with a difference, a box of 24 letters from one of Santa’s elves, just for Sam and Flo.
Now it’s pretty safe to say I’m not really looking forward to the festive season all that much, and knowing that, the lovely lady behind International Elf Service decided to bring a little magic to our house herself.
She kindly contacted me and said she’d like to send me something for the kids to enjoy, the first Christmas without their dad is bound to be strange for everyone, after all. Understatement of the year, right?
Anyway, I was so touched and really excited when the letters were delivered a few weeks ago. They arrived in an inconspicuous-looking box, tied up with red and white stripey string, and inside were the letters along with two bundles of empty envelopes with their names on, for me to put the letters in and hide them in the house on each day in December.
There was also a certificate to say they had been chosen to receive the notes and a map drawn by Elfie, showing his village in the North Pole.
Each letter forms an installment in Elfie’s story about the run-up to Christmas, and I know it will be something we can read together each day and get a little bit more excited every time.
Much as I would like to skip Christmas – well maybe the whole of winter – and go straight to spring, the one thing that will save it for me this year is spending time with the kids and focusing on the happiness and magic they will have over the coming weeks.
I know this little package from Elfie will make that just that little bit easier.
So thanks Emily and International Elf Service, I’ll keep you posted on how it goes!
x Julia
5 Comments
International Elf Service
November 9, 2015 at 11:57 pmThank you so so much for writing about Elfie. It really is very kind of you and totally unexpected. I do hope that Elfie brings you all some wonderful Christmassy sparkle and lovely one to one times while you read together and chat about life in the North Pole!
International Elf Service recently posted…Peppermint Bark!
Mackenzie Glanville
November 10, 2015 at 2:40 amOh that is sweet, yes it must be so hard with Christmas approaching without Rog to share in all you guys get up to. Look after yourself and know so many people and sending you love xx
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Kat | Beau Twins
November 10, 2015 at 10:03 pmThat is adorable! How lovely. Thinking of you gorgeous. I really want to get the girls their letters but I will definitely look at this instead! We have various traditions too. Big love huni! Xxx
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Caro | The Twinkle Diaries
November 11, 2015 at 7:53 pmAww this is SUCH a lovely idea! The twins are *just* starting to understand about Christmas— and there’s been a lot of chat about Santa recently. I think they may be a bit young this years but I’d be keen to do something like this next year!! TOTALLY with you re the Christmas music whilst decorating the tree!!!! I LOVE that!!!! 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up to #TwinklyTuesday xx
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Rachel @ The Ordinary Lovely
November 11, 2015 at 10:26 pmThis is such a wonderful idea. I love how traditional the packaging is and the drawings are adorable. I hope the children like it. I’m sure they will 🙂
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