One in a MILLION! On the cover
This week, we’re celebrating the festive spirit of Kerry Boland, 34, from Manchester. She said...
Fastening my red cloak and putting on my round spectacles, I embodied the cheery spirit of Christmas. Walking into my son’s bedroom, I tried not to laugh.
Lifting a huge Elf head, Lucas, now 15, took a deep breath and prepared to fit his own head inside of it.
‘I’m going to look ridiculous, Mum!’ he protested.
But I knew we were dressing up for a good cause.
In 2021, I decided to organise Christmas home visits in the local area to get families in the festive spirit.
With locals paying for Mrs Claus, Elf on the Shelf and Santa Claus himself to turn up on their doorstep, all the money raised would go to domestic abuse charities.
And I knew all too well the struggles faced by survivors of domestic abuse after breaking free from an abusive relationship in August 2020.
My personal experience inspired me to push forward. I never wanted other survivors to feel alone.
So, I started searching for the perfect Christmas costumes for Lucas and me.
And finding an Elf on the Shelf costume for him, I paid £400 online to get it shipped from America.
Knocking on the doors of households around Stockport, Lucas and I relished the reactions we got.
‘Have you been good this year?’ I asked one little boy, putting on my Mrs Claus voice.
And running upstairs to fetch his primary school awards, my heart swelled with joy.
The reactions from the children brought a smile to my face – and knowing that I was making a difference for a cause close to my heart made it all the sweeter, too.
We did back-to-back home visits which helped us raise £300 for The Freedom Project, a local domestic abuse charity.
While I didn’t dress up last year, I still spread festive cheer by filling up my supermarket trolley with gifts, Christmas dinner essentials and sweet treats for struggling families.
Delivering the festive packages, I felt just like Mrs Claus, spreading the real message of Christmas – joy and kindness to others.
This year, I’m planning on hosting a Christmas bash, helping to raise money for domestic abuse charities, too.
While domestic abuse can often occur around the festive season, I think it’s important to raise awareness all year round.
So, why not do so with a little festive cheer and magic?
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Lucas even dressed up as Elf on the Shelf