Keeping the magic of Christmas alive?

Reindeer food on the doorstep. (Dry porridge oats with glitter, which is the magic which helps them to fly.)

A letter from Santa in disguised handwriting to say thank you for the mince pies and sherry. A stocking full of handmade doll's clothes hanging on the end of the doll's pram. Eating the bloody carrots for the six reindeer at three o'clock in the morning after decorating the tree and sitting room on Christmas Eve once absentdaughter was asleep.

My 12 year old grandson still thinks Santa is real. I quite often have to hiss at people who talk about Santa as if he isn't, then explain afterwards that they will be in trouble if they spoil it for him. He still sends letters to Santa. I think his seven year old sister might be humouring him this year, as she keeps giving him strange looks, although she did insist that they wrote letters together.

Sooty footprints in the hearth, the end of the carrot with large tooth marks in it (I kept the rest of the carrots to use for the dinner). The empty sherry glass and mince pie crumbs on the plate with a note saying Thank You in Santa's handwriting.
My DD puts out "reindeer food" on the lawn, and does all of the above. Christmas is magic!

My contribution is to agree with whatever the Parents come up with and to have a crib in a conspicuous place . I even got a nativity Advent Calendar that they take turns opening the drawers and adding figures to the Crib making sure the Infant is in the last one !

Glitter sprinkled around footprints made from cardboard cut out. A bite taken out of the mince pie. A large wooden key sprayed silver (made by DH) which is magic and let's him into the house as there is no chimney at DD's house.

him being Santa of course.
DH made a nativity scene when DC were young. Jesus was never added until Christmas day. I'm hoping DD will display it this year as DGSx2 are older now.

I also used to pull out the chest of drawers in absentdaughter's bedroom and loosen the board that blocked the opening to the chimney to make it easier for Santa to climb through on Christmas Eve.

I forgot to say that traces of soot on the bedroom carpet didn't have to be faked.

Tracking Santa on the computer to see where he is and to make sure he's on his way! Plus the reindeer food and mince pie etc.!!

Glittery footprints left in the fireplace, crumbs where the mince pies have been and eating the carrot left for Rudolph. Standing outside hidden in the barn freezing while jingling bells threaded onto old green ribbon as the children settle down (or not) for sleeping. Doing it now for grandchildren and great grandchildren just as I did when their dads were little boys. Reassuring the little ones that the fire will be out before Santa arrives and telling them the story of his magical powers to quench the fire if needed. I love the magic of christmas and the simple pleasures that make it special for the family. I don't think I've ever quite stopped believing in Santa myself.

Oh forgot to add the joy on Christmas morning when they tell me how they heard Santas bells jingling as his sleigh flew over!

That's what Christmas is about, isn't it? The sheer magic of the reindeer and Father Christmas driving through the star-lit skies to make sure children receive their gifts - there is also, of course the story of the Nativity, whether you believe it or not, it has survived 2000 years of telling and again it still entrances the children. It is indeed a wonderful time of year, and I do so enjoy the carol signing.

Christmas fairies visit our house as emissaries of Santa to check up on behaviour. You have to be quick to see them - just a fleeting shadow or a little bell ringing perhaps.

And they DO exist as the 4-year old pointed one out sitting on the (mock) chandelier yesterday. Sadly it flew away before I could turn round.

Christmas fairies visit granddaughters house too, they leave a note in the pocket of her advent calender, commenting on what gd has done that day and encouraging her to be a good girl as she will be reporting back to santa. The fairy also leaves a small chocolate or sweet treat in the advent calender.

A few nights ago daughter in her hurry to leave the note and a chocolate left one of the chocolates on gd,s bed. When gd found it daughter thought there would be difficult questions, but no, gd gasped and was delighted, she said the fairy had visited her bed in the night to check up on her. Another Christmas tradition has now started - that of accidently leaving a little treat on the bed.

Thank you GN. I have received an email, sending the ebook in two formats, one for iPad and other for Kindle. Sadly neither can be found in my iBooks or on my Kindke. Will keep looking as I don't normally have a problem with downloads.

Tried the old trick of turning device off then on again, and happily it is now appearing in my iBooks! Many thanks

Congratulations to the three winners

This must be the shortest GN competition thread ever! What happened to all the unfamiliar names who usually enter... (Not that I'm complaining)