Keeping the Magic Alive: New Traditions as Christmas Evolves

As my sons grow older, I find myself reflecting on what makes Christmas truly magical and not just another date in the diary. For me, it’s not about perfectly wrapped gifts under a perfect tree (does that even exist outside Selfridges?) but more about creating a sense of connection and memories as the years bring change.

Now car-driving teenagers, I still think back to when my boys were little. The excitement was almost tangible: the twinkling lights, the thrill of pillowcases stuffed full of, well, stuff, and the unmistakable sense that something magical was just around the corner, because it was.

“Father Christmas has been!” would echo through the house at totally ungodly hours, met with wide-eyed grins and endless curiosity as pillowcases were tossed aside and carefully wrapped gifts were glanced at briefly before the next one was torn open.

It was easy to make it magical back then, with the wonder of Santa as the cornerstone of every December.

But now, as they grow older, I find myself wondering how to keep the spirit of Christmas alive in new ways. How do we hold onto the joy and magic of the season, even when they’re no longer searching the skies for reindeer, and I no longer have to stay awake until 2am to deliver pillowcases and eat the mince pies carefully set aside for the big man?

This is why Kirsty-Louise Garbutt’s work resonates with me on such a personal level, as well as professionally. Her beautiful children’s books, like Santa’s Lost Buttons and The ELF.B.I and Santa’s Stowaway, remind us that magic doesn’t have to disappear, it can simply evolve and this is so beautiful.

Her heartfelt stories bring an interactive element to Christmas that bridges generations, helping parents and children rediscover the wonder of believing together. Whether it’s hiding Santa’s wooden button for little hands to find or learning about traditions from other cultures, these books create moments of connection and joy that linger long after the last page is turned.

“Santa’s Lost Buttons was a dream of mine, inspired by my own childhood encounter with Santa,” Kirsty-Louise explains. Santa’s Lost Buttons, my debut children’s book, has been a dream of mine for many years. My only wish, going forward for generation after generation, is for one and all to feel the magic as they read this wonderfully festive story together whilst enjoying a cup of warm cocoa.”

For me, Christmas now is about making new memories, just as it was when my dad would come with me and the boys to see Santa at the garden centre, something I miss even more now that he’s gone, but I treasure those memories deeply and know that somewhere he is still with me making a cup of tea and looking for the biscuits.

This year, it’s about finding new traditions that grow with us as a family. Whether it’s still going to the garden centre together, watching feel-good movies, enjoying coffee at The Clipper by the sea on Christmas Eve, or attending carols at Exeter Cathedral to mark the end of school, these moments mean the magic continues and that’s so comforting.

I love working with Kirsty-Louise because her stories reflect exactly this: the power of creating traditions that speak to where we are now while still honouring the magic of the season and watching her appear in the press as well as taking her books out to hundred of kids is another tradition I intend to help with each year.

Her work inspires me to think creatively about how to make Christmas special, not just for my sons but for future generations, and because she writes from the heart, her stories pack even more of a festive punch.

Christmas doesn’t have to stay the same to feel magical.

It can grow and change, just like we do, and perhaps the greatest gift of all is the chance to reimagine and rediscover the magic, year after year, in ways that feel fresh, joyful, and true to who we are as we change.

For more about Kirsty-Louise Garbutt’s enchanting books and how they can bring magic to your Christmas, visit Perfect Reasons Publications.

Always believe in the magic of Christmas.

Natalie