Idea to teach a Christmas lesson has become a Stanton success

A Stanton woman who started a present hunt to teach about the art of giving has seen it become the talk of the village.

Amy Fulcher, 32, had the idea to show her daughter, Lilly-May, six-and-a-half, and niece, Ava, four, that there was more to Christmas than them just getting presents.

She said: “I wanted to show them that it is so much better to give than to receive, I saw the idea online about painted stones being left around towns and villages and thought why can’t we do it with gifts instead?”

Since the first week of December, the trio have left an elf decoration once a week somewhere in Stanton.

The girls then draw a map and post it, on their ‘The Gift of Giving’ Facebook page, to show the other children of the village where it is hidden.

Once a child finds the elf there is a message with it asking for an adult to message Amy to receive their gifts.

But that is not where it ends, as Amy explains: “The gifts are for pre-school children all the way up to the last year of primary school.

“When they have their gifts, there is a message and wrapping paper in the bag from the elf asking for the winner to give one of their presents to someone else, to pass on the gift of giving.”

The idea has been so popular around the village in its first year that Amy said that grown ups and even the pre-school have asked for hints on where to find the elf.

“It has just been brilliant so far, everyone in the village seems to be talking about it and taking their children outside every week to find him.

“In a time where most children are on their iPads and things it is just so nice to do something that gets families out in the village looking for it.”

On top of doing their usual weekly one next week they will also be hiding one last elf on December 22 as well. so that the lucky winner can receive their gifts on Christmas Eve.

Amy said: “The girls have really enjoyed sorting out where to put the elf and getting presents to give to other children.

To be honest, for me, it has been such a laugh that I am really thinking about doing it again next year.”

For more information about the Stanton elf hunt and how it has been going so far, go to www.facebook.com/The-gift-of-giving-260940484599245