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.

Selenite Sue flies swiftly to her door, muttering under her breath, “Please be something good.”

The door is pure white. Quickly she opens it, then her mouth falls in disappointment.

A ball of frozen snow confronts her. Gingerly, she takes it in her hands, then returns to the ground. The other fairies look at it quizzically.

Sue runs her hand over the smooth ball, wondering why her door is so boring.

Suddenly she feels a vibration beneath her hand. She steps back. The ball of snow is growing. It doubles then trebles in size, taking on a form: a head, arms, a body! Why it is a snowman!

“I am a magic snowman,” murmurs the creature through his ruby crystal mouth, staring round the glade with obsidian eyes.

He shakes everyone’s hand politely. The fairies giggle, unsure how to react.

Then he strides over to the fountain: and gets in to have a swim! The fairies gasp.

He is still changing. As he swims, huge white wings emerge from his back.

He flaps them several times, as if trying them out. Then he is flying! Like an angel he swoops over the glade.

Then he is gone, high over the trees and away.

That night, as the fairies watch the stars in the clear frosty air, they imagine they see him there: an angel in the sky, looking for Christmas and finding the heavens instead.

Calum looks out his window, in a house in another world. There is a snowman in his garden. It waves, then it is gone. Calum smiles. Now he knows he need never be alone. He looks up at the starry sky, and can almost see his wishes coming true in the beauty of the cosmos.

Back in Gemstone Glade, snow begins to fall. There will be more snowmen tomorrow.

Fluorite Fiona glimmers with green, purple and blue light, the prettiest crystal fairy you can image. She is so excited that it is her turn today! She hopes her surprise will be really special.

Door twelve is covered in real pine needles. Fiona laughs. Behind the door is an inch high Christmas tree, complete with tiny baubles and a star on top.

She lays it on the ground and the other fairies gather. The tree begins to slowly twirl, baubles sparkling. Then the tiny Christmas decorations rise in the air, and fly swiftly to the fountain, landing in its shining waters. Suddenly the fountain is full of baubles all growing in size, until they are the right size for the real Gemstone Glade Christmas tree.

The fairies laugh happily, and fly to the fountain to help the enlarged decorations on to the real tree.

The star remains on the tiny tree. It too flies up – but towards Fluorite Fiona. She gasps as it touches her chest, and a magic chain emerges from either side and forms a necklace. Fiona fingers the fragile little star, golden and bright. This is the best Christmas present ever.

The little tree then spins again, and takes flight, high in to the air and over the trees in to the forest.

Somewhere far away, a boy called Calum wakes on a frosty winter morning. Looking out the window, he is surprised to see a tiny tree on the windowsill. He opens the window and touches it. A smile forms on the face of the bullied little boy, dreading school: for now he has a friend. The tree goes in his pocket, and he feels confident all day long. That night, he dreams of a glade with a fountain and a tall Christmas tree, and in his dreams he is at peace.

Citrine Cindy claps her hands. “Time to play!” she cries as she flies to door number eleven, sparkling with tiny crystals and golden spirals.

The door opens easily, to reveal a small jewelry box: just the right size for a little fairy.

Clutching it to her chest, she returns to the ground bearing her prize with a smile of joy. The other fairies gather.

It is a carved wooden box, with a picture of a fountain on its lid and stars on its sides. Cautiously, Cindy opens the box, her sparkling yellow body glowing with curiosity.

The inside of the lid hides a gold rimmed mirror, and a wind up ballerina takes pride of place beneath. Cindy laughs as she turns the metal screw. Beautiful music drifts through the glade as the tiny ballerina rotates, pink tutu glinting in the winter sun.

Necklaces, bracelets and rings confront the fairies, in all colours and sizes. With much laughter the girls try on the jewelry, and the whole glade shines silver and gold as they dance.

The jewelry party has begun, and will now last for hours.

The golden dove returns, and looks down from the trees approvingly.

Lepidolite Lucy flaps her tiny purple wings with eager anticipation. Her turn today!

Door number ten is white with golden snowflakes that shine in the soft winter light.

As she opens it, yesterday’s golden dove reappears in the glade, perching on top of the fountain. Lucy pauses, then pulls the door wide.

A sleek snow quartz crystal confronts her, polished to a fine shine, an inner light dancing within. Lucy gasps in delight.

It slowly moves towards the door, growing in shape. Then it is airborne, points of a star growing from all sides until it looks like a perfect snowflake. It rises to high above the glade, and spins there.

Smaller snowflakes begin to fall from it: all different colours, a colour for each of the crystal fairies.

Excited, the fairies jump up and down then fly to catch their own colour. They are beautiful star-shaped crystals, the perfect early Christmas present.

The snow quartz then falls to the fountain, where it spins above the flowing waters as they bubble with different colours.

Slowly it rises again, then disappears over the trees. The golden dove follows it.

A few minutes later, real snow starts to fall.

The fairies squeal with festive merriment.

Yesterday’s tiny fairies are flying around the advent calendar, laughing to themselves. Kyanite Kim is waiting for her fairy friends to gather so she can open door number nine. Slowly they all assemble.

“My turn now!” she cries with delight.

Door nine is gold with pictures of feathers. It is beautiful.

Kim strokes the door. Gold dust sticks to her fingers.

The tiny coloured fairies (born yesterday from an advent calendar vial of crystals) surround her as she opens the door, squealing with delight.

A golden dove ornament confronts her. It shines with an inner light. The tiny fairies fly inside the door and begin to stroke it. The dove closes an eye, reopens it and then begins to move.

It looks out the door, blinking in the winter sunlight. Slowly it flaps its wings then flies out the door, followed by the tiny fairies.

It flies around the glade, then lands on top of the fountain statue. The fountain waters turn golden.

The dove flies up in to the trees, and a golden feather falls down to the glade. It sparkles with Christmas cheer, then magically begins to multiply. A series of feathers stick together and after a few minutes have formed a tree shape, a small tree to rival the main Gemstone Glade Christmas tree, shining gold in the winter light.

A unicorn enters the glade. The dove flies back down and lands on its horn. The unicorn neighs softly. It has found a new friend. Dove magic is at work as a pair of golden wings sprout on the unicorn’s back. It flaps them cautiously. Then the dove and the unicorn fly away together, high over the trees and out of sight.

For once, the fairies are all speechless. Real magic has taken place today.

Howlite Hilda smiles with delight. It is her turn to open a door!

Door eight sparkles with tiny quartz crystals, aligned in the shape of a tree.

Laughing she opens it, closing her eyes in anticipation and then slowly opening them.

A tiny glass vial confronts her. Nervously she picks it up. Tiny crystals of all colours are inside.

She opens it and tips a couple of crystals out – blue and pink. They are warm. She rubs them in her hands.

Suddenly they begin to grow! Slowly they extend, form head and legs and then sprout wings and fly out of her hands. They are tiny crystal fairies! Happily, they fly around her head, enjoying a taste of real life.

Hilda shares out the remaining crystals, and the other fairies begin to rub them, joy in their faces at the birth of new life.

A couple of the new tiny fairies fall in to the fountain – and emerge with mermaid tails.

Hilda rubs her hands in glee. Her door has been the best yet!

Day seven already! Jasper Jim is jumping up and down with excitement. The seventh door on the advent calendar is golden and depicts a reindeer. What can be behind it?

He opens the door quickly, giggling. A red Christmas cracker falls out, with pictures of reindeer on it. It is twice the size of Jim.

“Who will help me?” he cries. A team of fairies gather, pulling each end. A crack echoes through the glade. Tiny red antler hats fall out, and tiny red noses too. It is time for some reindeer fun! Pretending to be deer, some of the fairies dance while the others fall about laughing.

Then they stop as the sound of hooves approaches. They stare hopefully at the forest. He arrives – it is Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer!

His nose shines a deep ruby red. Slowly he approaches the fountain, and drinks. His nose shines brighter. Then he leaves the glade as quickly as he came.

The waters of the fountain glow red, as the fairies begin to dance again, breathing in the reindeer magic all around.

It’s day six of the advent calendar. Danburite Dawn is so pleased to be chosen for today’s honour. She glows white in the winter sun, her shining crystal body the poetry of perfection.

She flies towards the little green door, covered in painted snowflakes. Anxious anticipation prickles her skin. Will her surprise exceed expectations?

The door creaks. She closes her eyes. Then opens them to behold a snow globe. Slowly she picks it up. A miniature snowy Gemstone Glade is pictured inside, complete with a unicorn drinking from the fountain. She shakes it and inside snow falls all around.

Dawn looks up. Clouds have gathered and it is now snowing in Gemstone Glade for real! The fairies cry with pleasure. They love the snow.

Dancing begins. It is time to party like a fairy in the snow.

It is already day five of the advent calendar! Morganite Meg smiles, flying towards the little red door that sparkles with clear quartz crystal points in the shape of a star. Meg glows pink, with the biggest, most generous heart. It is now beating with excitement.

The door creaks open to reveal a tiny red and white santa hat. It is just the right size for Morganite Meg.

Laughing, she dons the hat. “Give us a gift!” shout the fairies. “A board game of Gemstone Glade!” cries Jasper Jim.

“The Gemstone Glade boardgame!” laughs Meg. An object falls from the sky. The fairies gasp.

It is a boardgame! Gemstone Glade is written on the box in loud green and gold.

“I would like a quartz goblet!” sighs Sapphire Sue.

Another object falls from the sky, a beautiful shining goblet bedecked with jewels.

“This hat is a manifestation tool!” cries Meg. She takes it off and throws it high in to the air. “Go where you are needed magic hat!”

A Christmas angel catches it and flies away.

The fairies giggle, then open the Gemstone Glade boardgame. It is time to play!