Petalite Polly flies gracefully to her door, pink body shining in the winter sun. The door is red and covered in miniscule bells. They ring softly as she opens it.

A tiny wooden sleigh is inside, bedecked with bells and mistletoe. It is red and has red crystals – rubies, garnet – encased in its sides.

Polly is delighted. She takes the toy sleigh and then places it gently on the frosty ground. The other fairies gather round, excited.

Polly strokes the smooth wood with appreciation. At her touch, the sleigh begins to grow, wood groaning, until it is the right size for the fairies to climb in.

Several jump in straight away: Jasper Jim, Herkimer Harry, Iolite Ina, Moonstone Marina and – of course – Petalite Polly.

The sleigh takes flight, high over the trees and further in to the forest. Then it descends in to another glade.

“Gemstone Glade has a sister!” gasps Jasper Jim.

The glade is full of statues of animals: a fox, an owl, a badger, a cat, and several reindeer.

In the centre is a hole in the ground, with steps descending down beneath the glade.

The fairies jump from the sleigh and rush down the steps. (Fear and caution is not a fairy trait.) They reach a stone corridor with soft red lighting. At its end is a red door covered in bells – just like the door on the advent calendar.

But this door is man size. It looms over the small fairies. Petalite Polly knocks at the door. It opens as if by magic.

Inside is a cave full to the ceiling with toys. The fairies gasp. At the back of the cave is an old man with a clipboard, ticking off names and whistling under his breath. He wears a red coat and black boats, and he looks like – or is he? – Father Christmas.

He turns to the fairies. “Welcome my friends! I have fairy gifts here too!”

The fairies spend an hour choosing crystal bracelets and necklaces, until they are bedecked like princes and princesses. Then it is time to go home. “I will tell you a secret,” confides Father Christmas. “There is a secret tunnel that connects my cave here to your Gemstone Glade. I challenge you to find it!”

The fairies laugh, they love a challenge. The sleigh is waiting for them, and when they arrive back the other fairies rush to greet them. There are presents to share for all.

Christmas has come early to Gemstone Glade. It begins to snow, and the day is complete.