I had the pleasure of spending the day as an elf at Hamleys – and it was much harder than I thought.
When my editor asked me if I fancied swapping out my suit and tie for the vibrant green and red outfit of an elf, I didn’t think twice. That’s basically a day off work, I thought.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I’ve been a kitchen porter, a shelve stacker and now a journalist, but my three hours spent dancing around Hamleys seven floors on Regent Street were more tiring than any of my ‘proper’ jobs.
As a Londoner of less than three months, you’ll probably be shocked to hear that I had never actually stepped foot in the famous old toy store before my recent visit.
But I have to say, even as a 22-year-old man, I was wowed when I walked into an empty Hamleys before opening time.
Ten-year-old me would have loved it even more. It’s quite literally a kid’s dream – toys and fun everywhere.
I didn’t have much time to admire the world’s oldest toy store though, as the leader of Hamleys’ legion of elves quickly whisked me away to get ready. The fun was about to start.
I awkwardly emerged back onto the shop floor ten minutes later donning my outfit – green and red leggings, trousers and a button-up top along with my hat and classic curly-toed elf slippers.
It was at this point, much to my shock, that I had the news sprung on me that I was going to be an integral part of the elf team’s opening ceremony outside the shop-front.
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I’m not a particularly nervous person in most walks of life, but what I am is a terrible dancer and an even worse morning person. So, surrounded by ten of Hamleys’ most enthusiastic elves, it’s fair to say I felt quite out of place.
But when the shop’s big old doors opened, I just threw myself into the deep end.
With kids and their parents watching on on a frosty November morning, the Hamleys opening ceremony entailed us dancing jollily, doing the limbo and the conga, and throwing up a whole heap of jazz hands.
To my surprise, I actually really enjoyed it – mainly thanks to my elf companions, who it’s fair to say carried me through the performance.
Oh, and by sheer coincidence, I bumped into a Harlem Globetrotter out the front who also taught me a few tricks.
We then headed inside for what was my favourite part of the day – surprising kids with presents.
Accompanied by another elf, I strolled around the shop-floor with blusher on my cheeks and a smile on my face to try and bring some lightness to the kids’ days.
And we certainly did so – the look on their faces when I pulled a teddy out of my Christmas bag for them was priceless.
Oh, to be a kid again!
My morning shift at the toy store concluded by helping the children write out their Christmas list and asking them the age-old question, have you been naughty or nice?
What a shock – they’d all been nice.
Then, the time had come to call a day on my brief stint as an elf.
As I pulled my leggings off and removed my hat, absolutely shattered after three hours of constant dancing, singing and general silliness, I wasleft with a new-found respect for the Hamleys elves.
To keep up that level of enthusiasm all day is really impressive, trust me – I struggled to last a few hours.
So, if you’ve got a couple of toy-loving kids, and even if you don’t, get yourself down to the famous store on Regent Street.
You’ll have a great time.
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