Spring may have only just begun, but so has the Christmas countdown – yep you read that right! As Londoners braced themselves for a potentially unlucky Friday the 13th, they were instead met with something far more magical this morning – a group of cheerful Elves travelling across the capital.
Seven elves from the UK’s magical Christmas world of LaplandUK were spotted hopping between Tube carriages at central London stations, visiting London landmarks and spreading good cheer among commuters during the morning rush hour – as part of a special mission from the big man himself (Father Christmas). The elves were tasked with finding some ‘Human Folk’ to add to the Good List ahead of this year’s Lapland invitations being sent, and to spread some much needed good fortune across the capital.
Bleary-eyed passengers making their way through the Friday morning commute were left rubbing their eyes in disbelief as the Elves, dressed in their beautiful attire (plus their curly-toed boots, of course), including fan-favourites Wish and Conker, were spotted navigating escalators, turnstiles and doing general “Human Folk tube stuff” as they journeyed across the city. The Elves were also keeping an eye out for what they call “Grumpalumps” their cheeky term for particularly grumpy Human Folk, a species most often spotted during the London morning rush hour.
Elf Zauber, Head of the Lapland Elf Council, said: “We have travelled all the way from the Elven World of Lapland to see how the Human Folk of London are behaving this year. It is our very first adventure on what the Human Folk seem to call ‘the Tube’, and we are ever so amazed by it all. The Human Folk move around Elftastically quickly here compared to how they do when they are in Lapland. We can barely keep up! But it is a wonderful place for Elves to observe. In the middle of the bustle, we watch carefully for the little moments that truly matter. A Human Folk giving up their seat, helping someone find their way, or offering a kind smile to a stranger. Those are the magical moments that catch our eye.
And on a morning where getting a seat on the Tube is practically impossible, several passengers were stunned to see the elves offering their seats to tired commuters, showing us Human Folk exactly how achievable it is to be good.
One tired commuter, Christina, 41 from Bicester said “At first I thought I was still in a dream. You never get a seat on the Tube at that time of the morning and suddenly there’s an elf offering me one”
Within minutes, videos of the unusual rush-hour moment began circulating online, with baffled commuters sharing clips of the Elves riding escalators, magically tapping through ticket gates with ‘Lapland passports’ and turning ordinary Tube carriages into an impromptu Christmas Carol sing-along.
Another passenger Arlette, 46 from London, on her way to a meeting said “I’m actually very superstitious and was a bit nervous travelling in on Friday the 13th, but seeing elves on the Tube and having a sing-along has completely turned my morning around.” With others saying “Honestly if elves are offering seats on the Tube they should ride the network every day” and “It’s the strangest thing I’ve seen on the Tube and that’s saying something!”
The surprise appearances come as the festive countdown quietly begins, with the date for tickets to go on sale for LaplandUK’s renowned Christmas experience announced on Monday, and dropping on 27 March. Fans and families who have attended in the past were quick to share the news on social media. With people commenting “We went last year and it was genuinely an amazing day and a thrill for my grandson. Definitely recommend but be quick, this sells out in a flash!” and “The most magical experience ever. I had the best time last year. Memories I’ll never forget.”
Often described as the “Glastonbury of Christmas experiences for families,” the hugely popular event sells out in hours every year, as hundreds of thousands of hopeful guests race to secure tickets. Last year saw such a high-demand that a record-breaking 750,000, more than double the previous year, joined the virtual waiting room and this year it’s expected that over a million people will join the queue to get their hands on tickets, which are yet again set to sell out fast.
For now, though, the elves appear to be continuing their mission across the capital, quietly observing Londoners and deciding who might just deserve a place on Father Christmas’s famous list. And cheering up the occasional Grumpalump along the way.
So if you spot a pair of pointed ears on your next commute, it might be worth minding your manners.
After all, the good list has already begun.
