Last week Baby and I were at a loose end, so we decided to pay a visit to a very special character. I have been really busy recently and haven’t started to think about ‘our’ Christmas, the one away from the gift guides and giveaways. I yearned to feel a little festive and share some special moments with Baby, so we set off to John Lewis. Rumour had it, Monty was there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iccscUFY860
Here is the wonderful John Lewis video (in case you have been living in a hole for the last couple of weeks!)
We were not disappointed. Monty was there in his own icy den, providing a perfect opportunity for parents to snap away. I apologise now as I know these pictures aren’t the greatest quality, they are hasty phone snaps, in less than idea lighting. However, to me they are wonderful, so I hope you will forgive me.
She was keen to get on the little podium and meet Monty.
Even if she did tell him off a little! I am not sure why. I think this is a great idea from John Lewis, our ordinary day was made quite special and it didn’t cost us anything. For children (and adults!) meeting characters, such as Monty, is wonderful and it certainly made me feel festive. I also thought back to last year when Baby was 8-9 months old and wasn’t walking. Now she is climbing up to meet this wonderful character. Such a lot has happened in the last year.
We decided to go for a little wander around the Christmas decorations department, it was wonderful! (Oh and I do realise I have her reins on back to front, it had been a challenging morning!). Baby was taken with everything, the lights, trees, stockings and most of all the decorations. I am not really 100% sure why, but watching her looking at the decorations and pick some out felt very special indeed. I realised that this year our little girl will have so much more awareness of Christmas and will begin to really enjoy it. I vowed then to make this a very special Christmas.
It took her quite a while to pick her favourite decorations. She did change her mind a few times.
Then got quite distracted by the ones hanging on the tree. I think our tree at home might end up stripped bare!
Eventually she settled on a reindeer and a little fox with a bell in it. Standing in the queue (before Baby handed the lady her decorations to pay for them, so cute!) I decided that this was going to be a tradition for us. A simple trip to the shop was quite magical and each year we will go back and Baby will be allowed to pick two new decorations.
I love these simple family traditions, which all contribute to a very special Christmas for all of us.
The only slight disappointment for both of us, was that after falling in love with Monty, we learned that John Lewis has sold out both in store and online. The only option would be to buy an extortionately priced one from Ebay (which we are not doing).
Do you have many Christmas traditions?
I am linking up with the following fabulous bloggers and their lovely linkys.
Katie from Mummy Daddy Me for #OrdinaryMoments
Jaime at The Olivers’ Madhouse for #MagicMoments 
Charly at Podcast Dove for #What’sTheStory 
Disclosure: This post is not sponsored content, I simply love the advert and the shop!
Comments 34
Oh how cute!! So funny she told him off- I so wish babies came with an interpreter or mindreader sometimes!
We don’t have a JL near us! Boooo!!! x
Author
Thanks hun, she is so funny! x
So cute, I’ve seen the ad a few times and couldn’t work out the connection with the store. Now it makes more sense! #MagicMoments
Aww! How adorable! It looks like you had a lovely day!
Gorgeous photos! I do love that Penguin! hehehe
Author
Thank you, it was a lovely way to spend some time x
I love this idea! We have something similar where we get a new decoration for the girls each year to unwrap on the day we put the Christmas tree up 🙂 its fantaaric to start up some traditions makes the holiday much more special xx
Author
I love making new traditions xx
Such a lovely tradition, i cannot wait for christmas too.
Author
Nor me 🙂 x
Love the photos! She looks so adorable, especially in her pink-boots! My daughter will be envious 😉 #whatsthestory.
Author
H&M’s finest 😉 Thank you x
I totally love the advert and these are gorgeous photographs.
#MagicMoments
Author
Thanks so much x
I cried like a baby first time i saw this ad lol. What fab pictures made me smile
Author
Thank you x
I love the John Lewis advert. It is amazing. This looks like the nicest Christmas trip. I might have to do something similar with Little Miss H. I really haven’t thought about Christmas either but I know I should. Hugs Mrs H xxxx PS Those photos of Baby with Monty are fantastic and I think the fact that she told him off is hilarious. xx
Author
I can’t take her anywhere! 🙂 xxxx
So So so cute! I love the one of her pointing at Monty- what a lovely photograph. It is such a lovely advert and you can guarantee on John Lewis to make me feel super christmassy- I love going in there during the festive time. x
Author
Thanks hun, she loved it, but did sneak beside the set and turn the plug socket off! Trust Baby! x
Awww its so cute watching little ones look impressed at things like Monty and I love how she had a good explore around the shop at all the xmas things 🙂
Author
She had such a fun time x
Ah that made me get all teary! I’m so excited about Christmas with Arthur this year – he’s a couple of months older than Baby but still wasn’t really aware of what was going on last year. This year’s going to be lots of fun 🙂 And I seriously love Baby’s boots. They’re like little pink DMs! Oh, and I haven’t actually watched the JL ad yet… (I know, I know…) Arthur’s asleep on me now but I’m going to play it as soon as he wakes up! xx
Author
Aw thanks hun! We are both going to be super excited this year then 🙂 I got her Docs and they were £40 and she wore them about 3 times, so these are from H&M but almost identical xx
Yes, we do this very same thing! In fact, we’ll be off to John Lewis this weekend so the kids can select their decorations, and no doubt, they’ll look for Monty, too! Baby looks adorable x
Author
Thanks hun, it is great fun isn’t it x
I love that ad. Normally I have such a cold heart when it comes to adverts, but I actually had a tear in my eye. Love Monty. Can’t wait for Christmas!
She is just adorable!
Last Christmas, our little miss was just 5 weeks old. This year will be wonderful because she will understand more and could possibly even sit still long enough for use to read the night before Christmas to her (daddy’s tradition) and watch father Christmas – another blooming Christmas (mummy’s tradition).
I will admit that we were so excited for baby’s first Christmas last year that we put out a mince pie and a carrot…
Author
Oh I would have done that too! Thanks hun x
I am that person who has been living in a hole – thanks so much for sharing the advert, Aby, soooooo sweet and I’m not ashamed to say I had a tear at the end :’)
I’m now feeling suitably christmasy, thank you lovely xxx
Aww this is SO cute! I’m lucky enough to work for John Lewis so get to see Monty all the time. I love the idea of getting them to pick a decoration, I may have to steal it haha. Oh and Monty and Mabel should be coming back very soon! 🙂 xx
Awwwwww! Too cute. What a lovely Christmas tradition. We went to paint baubles at a pottery place last year and will do again this year I think. It’s these little things that make it such a special time isn’t it?
Author
It is so exciting! I love the idea of painting baubles x
awww she is so blooming adorable! – i hope you have all had a super Christmas x
Thanks for linking up with #MagicMoments – Sorry for the very long delay in getting to you x
Author
Thank you huni. I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas xx