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Our Letters from a Christmas Elf

November 2, 2015 //  by Uju//  9 Comments

 
Letters from a Christmas Elf
 
It was an ordinary day last year, the first of December, when something strange started happening at Babes HQ.

‘Mum! Jed!’ Ezra yelled, ‘come and read this!’

A brown envelope had been waiting on our doormat when we got home from school, addressed to Ezra and Jed. Ezra had torn open the envelope and we found him staring at its contents, a confused grin on his face.

‘It says it’s from one of Santa’s elves!’

‘Let me see!’ Jed piped in.

‘Don’t snatch, you’ll tear it!’

Quickly retrieving the letter from squabbling boys, I scanned the message signed by ‘Elfie’. It explained that she (or he, as the boys decided Elfie was a boy) was going behind Santa’s back to write to Ezra and Jed about what was happening at the North Pole in the build up to Xmas.

 
Letter from Elfie
 
‘Is it a real elf?’ Jed’s eyes were sparkling.

‘Sounds real,’ I said.

‘It’s very mysterious, isn’t it?’ Ezra mused. ‘I wonder if we’ll get another one tomorrow?’

And so the letters kept coming, one day after the next. The boys raced to find them and I’d hear Jed shouting from their bedroom or Ezra whooping because he’d spotted one balanced on a door. Elfie could be quite inventive and finding the envelopes became a daily treasure hunt. Each letter helped build up a more colourful (occasionally fart-ridden) picture of the goings on in Santa’s workshop, with the other elves and reindeer.

The babes were mystified as to why Elfie had chosen them. Ezra had quizzed all his friends at school and nobody else was getting mail stamped ‘International Elf Service’.

‘Maybe you won some kind of Christmas good behaviour lottery!’ I suggested. Ezra nodded wisely. ‘We have been VERY good this year.’

Two weeks before Christmas, we travelled to Nigeria and the boys were certain that would be the last they’d hear from Elfie. Imagine the squeals of excitement when they found an Elfie letter in their suitcase.

 
Jed in Nigeria at Christmas
 
Even in their granddad’s village, where we spent Christmas, Elfie’s letters kept popping up. My little niece (the Christmas fairy) got into hunting for them too!

 
Nuli Christmas fairy
 
Some days the thrill of cousins, food, sunshine and football in the garden kept the babes too busy to scout for elfin mail. Otherwise, our letters from a Christmas elf were a constant source of fun and wonder, and — at a time when the Babe Papa couldn’t be with us — a small reminder of home in England.

It was a bittersweet moment on Christmas eve when they discovered a letter in our Christmas tree and we guessed it was the final one. We still have the first letter we got from Elfie pinned to the fridge.

‘Will she write to us again this year?’ Ezra wonders.

I hope so, as Elfie’s letters were way more exciting (and better for their teeth) than a chocolate advent calendar. Less than one month to go until we find out!

Have your kids been getting letters from Elfie? They can take a @SelfiewithElfie on Instagram too!

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Category: KidsTag: Christmas, family fun, gifts, holidays

About Uju

Uju Asika is a writer, blogger and creative consultant. She is the author of Raising Boys Who Do Better: A Hopeful Guide for a New Generation (DK/Penguin Random House), Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World (Yellow Kite/Hachette UK) and the delightful picture book A World for Me and You, illustrated by Jennie Poh (Hachette Children's Group). Uju's books are available at Bookshop.org, Amazon, Waterstones and other good bookshops. Follow Uju @babesabouttown on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Laura Vogel

    November 6, 2015 at 10:50 am

    These are beautiful!! What fun getting ready for Christmas

  2. Honest mum

    November 6, 2015 at 11:26 am

    We loved the letters too and now Oliver can read, these will be enjoyed even more, I hear you about the chocolates too, Xander ate every window by December 2nd last year! Yay for freeing kids imaginations through the magic of Elfie’s letters-gorgeous post and photos too. How cute is your niece-beautiful x

  3. Ebabee

    November 6, 2015 at 12:42 pm

    The letters are such a magical idea. Imaginative and so fun – makes me want to be a kid again! And as you say, so much better than sweeties. x

  4. Uju

    November 6, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    Very magical experience Laura, hoping for Elfie letters this year x

  5. Uju

    November 6, 2015 at 12:58 pm

    My niece is edible, you would gobble her up V ;-) And I remember Xander eating all the chocolates, so funny. Boy after my own heart x

  6. Mirka Moore @Kahanka @Fitness4Mamas

    November 6, 2015 at 1:58 pm

    You know we love these letters, loved the idea last Xmas and hoping for some for my girls this year too. So magical and unique!

  7. Uju

    November 9, 2015 at 5:05 pm

    I’m getting excited for December already :-)

  8. Jacqui @ Mummy's Little Monkey/MLM Life & Style

    November 11, 2015 at 11:41 am

    Awww, I LOVE these letters! The girls received them last year, but Big Sis was only just starting to read then so I know she’d appreciate these even more this time round. xx

  9. Uju

    November 11, 2015 at 9:43 pm

    They’re so great aren’t they? And yes very good for Jed’s reading, he’s come along with that this year so hopefully it will be more fun for him too! x

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I’m Uju, author, blogger, screenwriter. I curate cool finds and experiences for city families. Read more…

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