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How to Create Christmas Eve Magic

If there’s someone who knows how to celebrate Christmas Eve with a generous sprinkling of magic, it’s Charlotte Wood, post mistress and founder of Polar Post. This bespoke letter-writing service wings messages to and from Santa Claus, with the help of a troupe of elf scribes who frank, stamp and hand address every envelope with exquisite swirling calligraphy.

Charlotte, who is mother to Rose, seven and George, four, set up Polar Post when she had her daughter and couldn't find any beautifully written letters from Father Christmas. 

 

Seven years later, she now sends thousands of messages and parcels full of treats to children all around the world, stopping only on Christmas Eve - her favourite date of all. “Christmas Eve is really special because it’s a night when you know something that should be impossible is about to happen,” she tells us. “It’s a night when everything is on the cards - angels, miracles, fairies..."

Tingling with festive excitement, we chatted to Charlotte about her essential Christmas Eve rituals, what makes a good stocking and her favourite classic sleepwear to impress Santa Claus.

5 Dec 2022

What do you love about Christmas Eve?

I’m all about the anticipation. It’s all quite frantic up until Christmas Eve. Everyone’s running around, especially when there’s so much going on at school and you’ve got to get all the presents and do all the shopping. Then you get to Christmas Eve and it feels like everyone’s where they’re supposed to be and there’s a sort of stillness and you think, "Yes, this is what it’s all about.".

You work flat out until Christmas Eve. Does that mean decorating gets put on hold until then?

I’m always watching everyone putting up their Christmas trees and trying not to feel really jealous because I’d love to be doing that, but I am also a horrible control freak so there’s no way anyone’s putting up a Christmas tree without me being 100% in attendance. We have been buying our Christmas tree on either the 23rd or on Christmas Eve for a while now and it works out really well. My husband always tries to reason with me to get a smaller tree but at that point there’s always only one tree left and it’s the one that’s too big for everybody else so I’m like, "Oh dear we’re going to have to get this enormous one!".

Is there a tree dressing ritual that you like to follow?

We love decorating the tree on Christmas Eve in full Dickensian style and I actually really like waiting until then. There’s something very special about it because you’re dressing this tree for the big day, and it looks absolutely fabulous for Christmas Day. I have quite a set pattern when I’m doing the tree and It’s a Wonderful Life has to be on in the background. That’s my favourite Christmas film. It embodies Christmas spirit for me.

What are your favourite Christmas Eve family traditions?

I do love a Christmas Eve Christingle service (A church service where children are given oranges wrapped in red ribbon, studded with sweets and a candle in the centre). There’s this moment in the service, which is so lovely, where all the children go up to get their orange and all the candles are lit and there’s a slight gasp from the parents as they switch the lights off and the children sing Away in a Manger, I’m welling up just thinking about it! After the service, it's back to my mum’s house for a viewing of 'The Snowman' and a glass of bubbles and a fish platter. Apparently, it’s a well-known tradition, as it used to be the last chance to have some fresh fish before the Christmas holidays.
 

The other tradition that the children love is lighting a candle in the window on Christmas Eve. My mum has always done that, so it’s been passed down from her. It’s supposed to be a candle that’s lit for Mary, so that she knows that there is room in our inn, and we leave that burning until we go to bed. I thought it was just something our family did, but I found out recently that it’s an Irish tradition, which makes sense because my great grandmother was Irish.

What is your children’s bedtime routine like on Christmas Eve?

I have a slight obsession with Christmas Eve baths. There’s something so nice about putting those Christmas pyjamas on and getting them all ready for bed. I usually get them new Christmas nightwear. 

Personally, I don’t think you can beat a smocked nightie – I’m a big fan of the Wendy, Peter Pan look - just keep it classic. We've had the velour Petit Bateau PJ's in the past and they are the cosiest things I've ever seen, I loved wrapping the children up in those. And I adore the nightdress from AMIKI (below). If you can't go to bed feeling like a princess on Christmas Eve when you're little, when can you?

Beau KiD - Blue Striped Cotton Pyjamas | ChildrensalonBeau KiD
£37.00
Turquaz - Boys Navy Blue Striped Cotton Pyjamas  | ChildrensalonTurquaz
£35.00

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After they're bathed and ready for bed, it’s hanging-up-the-stockings time. I'm obsessed with my own childhood stockings and I haven’t ever found anything quite as perfect, so I’ve had some stockings made for my children based on my old one. They’re just the right size, so you can fit a lot inside them. That’s really important. I have to say getting them to go to sleep is really quite a challenge. Especially my daughter. There was one night when she was awake until half past midnight and she was only four!

And lastly, as someone with the inside track on Father Christmas, what do you leave out for him on Christmas Eve?

Well, I hear the big man is fond of a whisky. We have little bottles labelled Christmas Spirit at Polar Post, so we leave him one of those with a glass and just keep it simple: a carrot with a green top and a mince pie.

 

 

All images by Polar Post

You can find out more about Polar Post at polarpost.co.uk

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