A mum has promised to make Christmas extra special for her family after finding her daughter's heartbreaking letter to Santa.
Maria Davies came across the note Faith had written to Father Christmas in her bedroom.
During the short letter, the nine-year-old questioned whether the elves will still be coming this year because of Covid, reports Manchester Evening News.
Like many families, they follow the Elf on the Shelf tradition, which involves placing an elf in different places throughout December.
Maria, who has just finished breast cancer treatment, says the letter made her realise how much Covid has taken over her daughters' minds.
And she is now determined to 'bring Christmas cheer not fear' to their home in Newton, over the coming months.
The letter reads: "I'm wondering if the elves are going to come because of Covid-19. But I think they should because they are in our bubble ! Right?"
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Maria, 39, said: "This saddens me to think my child is thinking this. Will she be thinking Santa won’t come at the most magical time of the year?
"I was having chemotherapy last year and was in bed most of last Christmas. This year I was shielding from March to September, with the children trapped indoors, so there’s no way Christmas is being about Covid."
Mum Maria spent much of last Christmas in bed as she underwent chemotherapy treatment (Image: Manchester Evening News)
Hairdresser Maria, who lives with her partner Mark Haughton and their other daughter Skyla, five, says she has seen some jokey posts about elves wearing masks and trapped inside quarantine jars, but she's planning the exact opposite with their annual visitors Elfie and Sparkles.
"There will be a letter from Santa to say the North Pole is Covid free and the elves tradition has changed this year," said Maria, who is also stepmum to Frankie.
"Normally you can’t touch the elves because they lose their magic, this year mine will be coming with hugs where the kids can touch them and get Christmas cheer, not Christmas fear.
"Mine will be arriving in a hug jar giving love out. Covid is completely controlling their little minds, but I'm not having it in this house."
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Maria, who lost her hair while undergoing chemotherapy, rang the bell to mark the end of her treatment at the end of last month. She'll now have annual check-ups for the next five years.
