In these nameless days between Christmas and New Year, surrounded by Pringle crumbs and chocolate wrappers, I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on this years grotto.
This year really showcased that we have become a Christmas tradition for many families. It is utterly heartwarming to see familiar faces walking through the doors, and to genuinely be astounded by the growth of our little believers, or to meet new siblings who’ve arrived during the year. To see social media posts showcasing years worth of “little things” tree trinkets, rosettes and postcard invites, proudly displayed on your mantle pieces or Christmas trees is such an unbelievable feeling. Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your children’s childhood, for keeping these items as keepsakes and reliving each years memories with us, it is very special for me.
We added our “Little Memories Keepsake Package” to our offering this year and we were delighted with the results. Jodie jingles, was the perfect photography elf, and the images and videos I have seen from our visitors during this time were so much fun and timelessly beautiful. My own family also enjoyed this experience and our keepsake video makes me cry laughing every time I watch it! We hope to see the return of Jodie Jingles and bring more Little Memories to you again for 2024.
Our early, mid and high season tiered pricing system was much simpler to navigate compared to last year, and seemed to be well received. It was interesting to see and hear the reasons behind your date choices and we were pleased to offer an extended range of dates by opening earlier in November.
Unlike previous years, I’m pleased to say that the vast majority of visitors understood that all children and adults were to have a ticket, and also respected their visit times. We managed to stay “on time” pretty much every day and even managed to enjoy our allocated break times, which has been unheard of in previous years!
Being tagged in your social media posts and reels always makes my day! The effort you guys go to to document your visit is just gorgeous and I love getting to witness the magical moments you have experienced with Santa and the gang. We emailed a feedback form out to our mailing list and I am grateful to all of you who have responded and left such kind words, and there’s still time to compete it if you are able to! It’s also really helpful to hear about any ideas or changes you’d like to see implemented (however please remember we’re a small business and aren’t looking to complete with the likes of Lapland UK!). Thank you for the time you’ve taken to do this, it’s important to us to be the best we can be and your feedback gives us a good insight. As always we’d love to receive your reviews on Google/Facebook as we think it really helps new families understand what we’re all about!
Compared to 2022 this years grotto was a breeze. I think we’ve found our feet with the growth of the grotto and how to manage the happy madness that comes from Santa visiting us, and importantly we all stayed healthy and well. However our team only consists of 4 human (ish) beings. Just 4. Santa Claus of course, Mrs Claus, Twinkle the Elf and me, “Clarey Fairy”. Occasionally we have an extra pair of elf hands (did you meet sprinkles or buttons?) or hot chocolate makers, but generally it’s us 4. And for the wider part of the business, it’s just me.
We work tirelessly throughout the Christmas period to bring as much joy and festive magic to as many children and families as humanely possible and we LOVE it but it can be incredibly intense. For 2024 we are considering doubling our team to ensure our one small team doesn’t burn out. If we did this, it would mean that we’d would have to find a way to ensure Claus continuity for our previous visitors as that it HUGELY important to me! But anyway, at the moment it’s just a thought but one I’d like to explore. I’m not sure what else is on the horizon but I do know that I’d like to spend more time thrifting and crafting this year as that’s how it all began and I don’t want to lose sight of what I love and the authenticity of what the little things mean to me.
We love you guys and all little moments of joy we share with you. I am forever grateful to every single person who books and our many loyal, hardcore families who really are now a part of our “Little Things” family, and those who will join us in future years. You’re all magical ✨wishing you all a wonderful New Year full of all the little things that make your heart happy.
Clare x
