[Margaret Pilkington]

Our Christmas tradition was that the elves and fairies visited the house on Christmas Eve before Santa came......and they put the tree and decorations up.
This went on for almost a decade......then one year my daughter was looking for something in the built in wardrobe in our bedroom......she climbed up to the top shelf and hauled down a very large bag with decorations, baubles and tinsel in it....and then the tree followed it.
She was buried beneath all the festive decorations.
I had to tell her that the fairies and elves had got so busy that they no longer had time to bring the stuff with them.....so they had left it in their 'secret place' ready for the next Christmas.
I think we only managed one more year of believing....but the tradition of not putting the tree up until Christmas Eve remained.

I don't put many decorations up these days.....And they come down as soon as possible once the festive season is over......no waiting for twelfth night.