The best £7.25 you'll spend this Christmas!

I know, I completely get it - we're all finding ways to curb spending this Christmas. Every one of us. It's a real balancing act at this time of year, isn't it? But I honestly think this little treat for your children will not only charm and delight them, it'll charm and delight you too - and I think if you can do that for under a tenner at the moment you're onto a winner!

I've been working with Santa for years now, helping him to send out these very special personalised Letters and Telegrams to boys and girls up and down the country (and in other countries too). When my own daughter was little she would receive one of these Santa Letters every December, and I remember the sheer joy and wonder in her face when she would open the big red envelope to see what Santa was writing to her that year. Every year he wrote something different, remembered her important moments over the past year, knew exactly what she was wishing for most of all to find under the Christmas tree!

As a parent it's moments like this that remind you what Christmas is all about. It's about that magical, excited, thrilling feeling that Christmas is coming. Seeing your little boy or girl reading their Santa Letter makes you feel nostalgic for you and full of festive wonder for them, all at the same time! It sounds daft, but honestly it does! 

The innocence of a magical, enchanting Christmas moment, helping you to put aside the gloomy news and your worries, and share a wonderful moment in time that you'll both remember. You and your child won't fail to full of festive cheer. And the best part? The price - starting at just £7.25 (including delivery, no nasty surprises!) you can share this magical moment with your children or grandchildren!

Santa is sending special Telegrams along with his ever-popular limited edition Santa Letter Gift Packs. And of course he'll also be leaving lovely personalised letters for children to discover on Christmas morning after his visit too. Beautiful quality, and with amazing attention to detail, these Letters & Telegrams are incredible value too.

I'm sure if you spend 5 minutes on the internet you'll quickly find all sorts of personalised Santa Letters on offer - but just remember, not all of them are real. They won't be signed by the actual Father Christmas. They'll probably be printed off in a factory somewhere by someone who doesn't even work for Santa and hasn't really thought about who'll be opening that letter. The PhotoFairytales ones are very, very different. Santa writes and signs every one himself. He cares very deeply about every Letter or Telegram he writes.

The icing on the Christmas Cake every year is that Santa likes to use his Letters & Telegrams to help UK charities too. Every year Santa and I support a different cause, and this year we'll be making a 50p donation for each one sold to the Be Kind Movement. It's may not be a charity you know, we like to support charities big and small, but it's a fantastic organisation that really needs help at the moment. With more children than ever experiencing high levels of anxiety, Be Kind Movement delivers school workshops to promote kindness values. Run entirely by volunteers, their aim is to entertain, educate and empower children and young people with emotional intelligence skills for life.

Don't leave it too late to book your Santa Letter or Telegram this year. Let's make Christmas 2022 extra magical - I think we all deserve a little magic right now, don't you?

Sarah x

They've arrived! The 2017 Santa Letters & Telegrams are now on sale...

Too early to talk about Christmas? Not when you realise there are only 9 weeks left before the big day! So, it's undeniably 'that time of year' and it's been feeling incredibly festive this week at PhotoFairytales HQ as Santa and I have been having lots of last minute meetings to organise this years' official Santa Letters and Telegrams.

And I'm delighted to announce that they went on sale today - the 2017 Santa Letters & Telegrams are now available to buy on the PhotoFairytales website.

Many of you will know that every year I donate a share of the proceeds from sales to a UK charity. A few days ago I asked my Facebook fans to nominate a charity to support, and you didn't disappoint! A lovely list of suggestions came through - making it impossible to choose. So I did it the only way I could: by asking Santa to draw a name out of a (red) hat (with white fluffy fur on).

The 2017 charity we'll be proudly supporting this year is The UK Sepsis Trust. This fabulous organisation seeks to save lives and improve outcomes for survivors of SEPSIS by instigating political change, educating healthcare professionals, raising public awareness and providing support for those affected by this devastating condition.

So, every single Letter and Telegram that you buy will support this hard working charity - how brilliant is that?!

The PhotoFairytales Santa Letters and Telegrams are truly special. Each and every one is written uniquely by Santa himself - and he personally signs each one individually too. He's been using PhotoFairytales as his official Santa Letter supplier for 9 years now, and it's a true honour to have been selected by him.

If your baby is celebrating their first Christmas this year why not mark the moment with a special 'First Christmas' Santa Telegram - a lovely memento to keep in their memory box!

His personalised Santa Letters are EXTREMELY rare - he only produces a very limited number of them every year. If you know someone who deserves to receive one of these special letters he advises you to reserve one now - every year they sell out! His Santa Telegrams are equally special and a great way of letting the recipient know that their good works and behaviour this year won't go unrewarded. (Although, if you know someone who's been a bit naughty he's got a special version for them too to help them back on track before the big day!).

Remember, if you get a PhotoFairytales Santa Letter or Telegram you'll know that Santa has actually handled it himself, written it himself, and signed it himself. He even writes the envelope himself! Forget those cheap horrible fake Santa letters: they're fed into a database, someone hits the 'print' button, and every letter comes out exactly the same as the last. But not these - oh no, these are genuine!

Visit the PhotoFairytales site now and reserve your Letter or Telegram - don't leave it too late in case they all go! Don't worry though, they won't get posted until the beginning of December when everyone is seriously in the Christmas mood!

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Sarah & Santa x

2013 Letters from Santa: now on sale!

Eep! Has it really been that long since I paid any attention to my poor, neglected blog? Shocking behaviour!!

OK well, without further ado, let me launch straight in and tell you the latest news from PhotoFairytales HQ: the new Letters from Santa are NOW HERE! As always, these are limited edition and there's only a certain number available - and with almost 20% reserved already it's time to act quickly if you'd like Santa to write to your little boy or girl (or big boy or girl - there's no age limit!).

I'm delighted to say that every letter sold raises money for a wonderful charity too: Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity. Founded by Mrs Dahl shortly after the death of her husband, this great organisation raises much needed funds for seriously ill children.

For just £5.99 including UK delivery, Santa will send a fabulous letter - written and prepared to order, and each one signed individually by the big man himself. Along with the letter there's also a quality personalised certificate awarded for making it onto the Nice List, plus 4 lovely little gifts. Take a look at the website now by clicking here to see full details of what's included.

• "I cannot thank you enough for the letter from Santa, my daughter was so excited that she had a certificate to say she had been put on the nice list that she has phoned everyone to tell them. Thank you again for letting me be able to make the magic of Christmas alive."

The last order date to order your letter is December 16th unless they sell out first (they sell out every year, so don't leave it until the last minute!). Overseas orders are very welcome - the last order date for deliveries to the EU is December 8th, and the Rest of the World is December 2nd.

• "We had ours a couple of days ago - my son was absolutely thrilled and couldn't believe the detail - best thing I've ever done! Thank you so so much :) I'm happy to give you any testimonials - I wish Santa had written to me like that when I was little."

These great value letters are a wonderful way to keep the magic of Christmas alive, and at under £6 they are a lovely surprise gift in the lead up to the big day. And with some great little gifts too, they'll give you some quiet time while they get busy playing!

Sarah x

How to keep your child believing in Father Christmas: 10 tips

It’s a sad fact, but it does seem as though children are growing up far quicker than ever before. And a casualty of this is often that their belief in Santa disappears sooner than it did for you when you were a child. So I’m handing this blog over to a VIP guest who might be able to help a little….

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you: Santa Claus!:

Ho, ho, ho! Thank you for allowing me to write a little message on your blog. I won’t keep you long because I am rather busy. 

Right, so, it would seem that the subject of this message is: how to stay believing in me. Well, let me tell you something. There will come a time when your child does stop believing - it doesn't mean that I've gone away of course, it just means that they are growing up and looking at new things. One of the problems parents often ask me is: What happens when their friends stop believing, but my own child still does? I tell them that just because their friend no longer believes doesn't mean that they have to stop. All the while they believe, I will keep visiting. Every year, no matter what. And don’t worry about hurting my feelings if you don’t believe in me any more, I know its just a part of growing up. But it doesn't mean I don’t still expect you to be nice all year though - I don’t like naughty people, no matter what their age!

I often ask parents to help me keep the magic alive, and here are a few tips I like to share:

• Rule 1 is obvious and I'm sure you do it already: Christmas Eve is the time when you must get everything ready for my arrival. Put out your stocking (or whatever it is you like to use) and always leave me a drink and snack. I am partial to mince pies, but anything you can spare is gratefully accepted. Leaving a carrot or two for the reindeer is always a nice touch too (although they are messy eaters, so expect chomped carrot ends to be scattered around!).
  
• Rule 2 - everything I leave is always wrapped in different paper to the rest of your presents because I don’t buy wrapping paper from the shops that Mums & Dads go to. Mine comes from the North Pole and is very different.
  
• Rule 3 - many children worry about how I enter their home if they don’t have a chimney. Please tell them that this is not a problem, I have adapted my entries and exits over the years to accommodate this problem as many newer houses don’t have chimneys. If necessary, I am able to use a special magical key to enter a door - or if push comes to shove, I can sprinkle magic dust over myself and simply sparkle my way in. Don’t worry, it doesn't hurt and I quite enjoy it! I can also enter through cat flaps, lofts, windows and even letter boxes. No present goes undelivered because I can’t gain access, I know every trick in the book!
  
• Rule 4 - hiding presents before the big day is a very important task that parents must adhere to. Enough said.
  
• Rule 5 - I can sometimes forget to wipe my feet when I enter a house, and it has been known for me (and the reindeer) to leave footprints. Not always, but sometimes. I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to parents for this - and for anything that I may knock over, inadvertently move, dislodge, or crease.
  
• Rule 6 - if you have been very good during the year (and I mean exceptional), I will write to you. My letters are very special, I only send 100 a year to the children who have shown the very best behaviour throughout the year. If you think that your child should be near the top of my Nice List, click here to let me know and I promise I’ll write to them (and send them some early presents too)!
  
• Rule 7 - the Santa’s that you see in shops, etc (eg, in a ‘Grotto’) are not always me. There, I've said it. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't  If you are in the least bit doubtful as to whether it is the real Santa that you are meeting in a shop, then the chances are it’s one of my helpers. But don’t worry, they are all fully authorised and everything you say to them is relayed directly through to me. Sometimes I wire Grotto’s up with CCTV so that I can listen in and find out exactly what you are hoping for. So don’t worry, I never miss a thing!
  
• Rule 8 - if you spot a helicopter or low flying plane in the sky between October and December, it is me. I’m just keeping tabs and updating my Naughty or Nice List.
  
• Rule 9 - whilst most of the gifts that I leave on Christmas Eve are made by the Elves, sometimes I do have to add things that have come from normal shops. I only ever use suppliers that have passed rigorous tests and have full Santa Approval however.
  
• Rule 10 - a wonderful way to experience my journey on Christmas Eve is by tracking me at http://www.noradsanta.org/. Norad is the North American Aerospace Defense Command. They are a proper military organisation, working to protect the air space over North America. Honestly, they’re real, check them out: http://www.norad.mil/Home.html. Every year they use their specialist equipment to track my movements as I travel around the world.

 There will eventually come a time when boys and girls reach an age where they question if I really exist. But even old, grown up people know that I do - but not always in the way that you think. The spirit of Santa changes as we get older - I can change from the lovely jolly man in my red suit into something that is even more magical: the spirit of Christmas. I may stop visiting after a while, but my spirit lives on. You know that magical feeling you have on Christmas morning that everyone feels no matter what their age? And that wonderful feeling when you give someone a gift? That’s the spirit of Christmas - and me!

Ho, ho, ho - Merry Christmas to you all!

Santa Claus

They're here... Letters from Santa now on sale!!

I'm so pleased to let you know that the personalised Letters from Santa have just gone on sale - as ever, they're fantastic value at only £5.95 including delivery, and they include 4 great gifts and a hand signed certificate too!

This is the third year that I've sold these letters, and for the last two years they completely sold out so I have high hopes for them this year too - especially as I'm going to donate 50p for each letter sold to Action for Children, a UK charity that works with children and families to tackle issues such as neglect and abuse.

Each letter is created individually (they're not just generated by a computer programme like most letters you see), and they are also hand signed in ink by Santa himself! He prints all his letters on lovely parchment style paper, and pops everything into a jolly big red envelope (along with a few sparkly sprinkles from his workshop) - he even handwrites the address on the envelope for you too. They make a fantastic surprise for any little girl or boy in the lead up to Christmas. All the letters are posted in December so that they arrive close to the big day, and the gifts inside will certainly keep little ones busy!

If you ordered a letter last year, don't worry because Santa always varies his letters from year to year. And if you have siblings and need more than one letter, each one will be slightly different (because it would be odd if Santa wrote identical letters to both children, wouldn't it?!). The letters are packed with detail, and no child will be left in doubt about whether Father Christmas truly exists after reading one!

Reserve your letter now before they sell out - you can find out more by just clicking here.

Ho, ho, ho!

Sarah x

Letters from Santa - now on sale!

Last night I added the latest new listing on PhotoFairytales: Personalised Letters from Santa!

These sold very quickly last year, and I'm hoping the same will happen again - especially as I'm going to be making a donation to Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK for every letter sold.

The letters are packed with loads of detail about your child, making it a really magical little treat in the run up to Christmas. Your child will know for sure that Father Christmas is real: how else would he know so much about them?! The letters are printed on parchment style paper and are handsigned by Santa himself - and there's more...!

Not only will they receive a wonderful letter, but also enclosed in the big jolly red envelope will be a personalised quality card certificate to reward them for their "nice" behaviour. Plus there are four lovely little craft gifts that will keep them busy during the exciting lead up to Christmas. And its all finished off with a touch of genuine North Pole sequins plus a North Pole label on the envelope!

The letters only cost £5.50 which includes UK delivery - and for every letter sold I will donate 27p to Make-A-Wish on your behalf. You can find full details, or place an order, by clicking here. Be quick if you want to place an order as the letter are only being sold in limited numbers and they all sold out last year!

Best wishes, Sarah

A new decade begins...!

Where do the hours go every day? No, I'm serious, where exactly do they go? I can't believe we are now more than half way through January already!

Christmas in our household was snowy and perfect - by Christmas Eve I had so much food (and a worktop covered, it seemed, in cakes of all variations: Yule Log, Mince Pies, Christmas Cake, Stollen, etc) that I wondered whether we would get through it all. But - er, well - we did! Then just four days later we added another cake to the dwindling collection - a birthday cake for Amy to celebrate her 7th birthday. My little girl is seven!!!! Now that really does leave me wondering where time goes, and how it moves so quickly. It seems like only a year or two ago that we were taking her to playgroup and asking her to say the word "flower" ("ferwah") just because she sounded so cute!

Towards the end of last year I started work on a new item for PhotoFairytales - once again inspired by Amy Rose. After she lost her first tooth, I wrote a special little letter from the Tooth Fairy for her - just a little thing, hastily put together. But it's something that Amy has always treasured, and when she lost yet another tooth last Autumn it gave me the idea of perhaps adding a Tooth Fairy item to the website.

With such great feedback and lovely responses to my personalised letters from Santa, I decided to work along the same lines - offering a letter packed with details about the child, and with extra gifts and surprises too. And so I am now pleased to announce that the Tooth Fairy letters are now available and on sale - plus, as an introductory offer, if you quote the order code "10BLOG" you can claim a 10% discount on your letter! For more details just click here.

I'm still working on even more new items - so watch this space for more news and offers!

Happy New Year and very best wishes,
Sarah x


(PS: There are versions of the letter available for both boys and girls!)