Thanks to the lovely people at Lakeland Limited, Flea and I have the most gorgeous advent train this Christmas. It’s a proper Santa’s workshop style train with 24 little cargo drawers, which can hold a small treat or sweets.
Being a TOP-NOTCH Mummy, I spent the last weekend of November scouring ELC for tiny dinosaur figures that would fit into the little drawers of the advent calendar. Come December 1st, each drawer contained a single dinosaur and a chocolate coin.
Flea was really excited to open the first drawer when she got home from school. She was thrilled with her little pterodactyl – dinosaurs are one of her very favourite things. I left her playing and went to make dinner.
When I came back into the lounge 10 minutes later, I found my daughter playing schools with 24 little dinosaurs. “You’ll never guess what Mummy… there was a dinosaur in EVERY drawer!” she said.
Ah.
It felt somehow anti-Christmas to be cross, so I just said, “Oh, that’s nice, but you know you only have one chocolate a day, right?”
The next day, I trekked back to ELC and bought another 24 mini dinosaurs (see? Total top-notch Mummy conduct). While Flea was at school I carefully re-filled the drawers. When she came home and opened drawer number 2, her eyes were like saucers. “Wow,” I told her. “Father Christmas must have put another one in there.”
Then, we cuddled up on the sofa together under a blanket to watch Flea’s favourite DVD of the moment – Alvin and the Chipmunks. Obviously, I fell asleep. When I woke up, Flea was still snuggled under the blanket next to me. Bless. And on top of the blanket? Were 48 miniature dinosaurs, all riding in the back of a toy lorry.
Brilliant.
Just FYI, I’ve told Flea that due to supply chain issues, the elf-store won’t be getting any more deliveries of dinosaurs until January.
