Sleeps To Christmas - A Sleep Story For Children

This story within a story, within a story, gently calms an over-excited little mind and uses deliberate language patterns to coax the character in the story ... and the listener ... to settle down a go to sleep.

Transcript

Christmas was getting closer.

Halloween had been and gone.

The lights in the town were twinkling.

And the shop windows were full of Christmas trees and baubles and Santas and elves.

At this time of year,

Little children everywhere were counting the days until Christmas.

Jo was so excited that she found it hard to go to sleep at night.

How many sleeps till Christmas?

Asked Jo excitedly.

Is it nearly Christmas now?

Nearly,

Smiled Daddy.

I think someone might be a little excited.

The time will pass a lot quicker if you go to sleep and dream about Christmassy things.

Shall I read the Sleeps to Christmas story?

Oh,

Yes,

Please,

Said Jo.

It's one of my favourites.

OK,

Said Daddy.

And I wonder if you can get to the end without falling fast asleep first.

Now,

Get yourself comfortable.

Snuggle up and just listen to my voice.

As you make the pictures in your head.

Are you ready?

Jo pulled her duvet up tight under her chin and Daddy opened the book.

Sleeps to Christmas by Rachel Martin A very special Christmas story just for you.

Christmas was getting closer.

Halloween had been and gone.

And children all over the world were beginning to get excited.

Little Squidgy was really excited.

So excited that he found it difficult to drift off to sleep.

Daddy looked up from his book.

Just like you,

Jo,

Eh?

Jo murmured a little,

Hmm.

But she was far too comfy to say an actual word.

Daddy continued the story.

Little Squidgy lived with Mummy Squidgy and Daddy Squidgy.

And they were called Squidgies because they,

Well,

They were squidgy,

All soft and fluffy.

The best way to describe a squidgy is that they are a bit like a marshmallow.

They are very friendly and very well behaved and just like you,

They love Christmas.

It was bedtime in the squidgy house and Little Squidgy was still really excited.

How long till Christmas now?

He asked his mummy.

Mummy Squidgy smiled and squeezed Little Squidgy and they squidged together.

Not long now,

She said in a soft and soothing voice that made Little Squidgy feel all tingly inside.

Would you like to know how you can make the time pass even more quickly?

She said.

Little Squidgy squidged his shoulders as if to say,

Of course.

And Mummy began to explain the secret.

First of all,

You must imagine a line that starts today and ends on Christmas morning,

Said Mummy Squidgy.

You can do it too,

Said Daddy to Joe.

And then he continued to read the story.

It might help to close your eyes,

Little Squidgy,

Said Mummy.

Then you can imagine a line,

A bit like a path,

That starts today,

Right now,

And takes you all the way to Christmas morning.

As you see the path in front of you,

You can tell it's going to be a lovely walk and you can start walking towards Christmas in your mind right now.

And with each step you take,

You feel yourself getting a little squidgier and more able to forget about some things and remember how lovely Christmas will be.

And as you walk along the path,

You will always feel safe because it's your path and Mummy will be with you.

Little Squidgy had a smile on his face and his eyes were shut tight and his breathing was soft and he looked very,

Very comfortable.

Mummy continued,

And as you walk along the path,

You can feel each part of your body beginning to soften and as your body becomes softer and more comfortable,

It's easy for you to begin to think about dreaming about Christmas.

But don't go to sleep just yet,

Because along the path before you go to sleep tonight,

You will meet some Christmas friends who are getting ready for the big day.

A few more steps along your path,

You can see a Christmas elf.

But see how tired he looks.

His eyes can hardly stay open.

His arms look all floppy and loose and he seems to be yawning and yawning and yawning.

He is so tired because it's the busiest time of year for elves.

They work so hard getting ready for Christmas and they know the best way to make time pass quickly is to enjoy their work and then go to sleep.

Good night,

Little Squidgy,

Whispers the elf between yawns.

Then he curls up and go to sleep straight away.

And as you keep walking along your path,

You can hear the sound of little elf snores.

That elf must have been really,

Really tired.

Now,

You are even further down the path,

Your special path that leads to Christmas morning.

And you notice a group of boys and girls who are singing carols.

You can see that they all look really,

Really tired.

One girl yawns right in the middle of A Way in a Manger.

A way in a manger,

No crib for a bed.

All of the children's eyelids look heavy and they seem to breathe really long breaths.

That's a sign that they are very,

Very tired and it's time to go to sleep.

You watch them as they slowly walk inside the house and together they call out to you.

Good night,

Little Squidgy.

It's time for us to go to sleep now.

And then all you can hear is lots of soft,

Murmuring snorey sounds.

Now,

You are even further down the path,

Your very own path that will take you all the way to Christmas morning.

And now,

You are even closer.

Along the path,

You see people hanging up twinkly lights.

They climb up the trees and then down the trees,

Looping strings of little fairy lights along the path so you know you are going down,

All the way down the right path towards Christmas.

The people who hang the lights look really tired now.

You can hear them talking.

It's not long to Christmas now,

Says one with a yawn.

But it's getting late,

So we should stop for today and go to sleep.

And tomorrow when we wake up,

Christmas will be even closer.

He stretches his arms and yawns with a long sigh.

The people who put up the lights,

One by one slowly walk into the house where they are going to go to sleep.

Each one gives you a little wave just before they disappear and gently call,

Night,

Night,

Little squidgy.

We're going to go to sleep now.

You wake up now and the path towards Christmas is all quiet again.

And you're starting to feel tired now.

Tired like the elf.

Tired like the carol singers.

Tired like all the people hanging up Christmas lights.

Do you know with each step you take,

Sleep and Christmas get closer.

Closer and sleepier.

Sleepier and closer.

Christmassy and sleepy.

Closer and Christmassy.

Then,

Even further down your path,

The path that takes you all the way from now to Christmas morning,

You see a person sitting next to a big pile of letters.

You know you want to get closer to see who it might be sitting with a large pile of letters.

As you get closer,

You see the person is a man.

He's a bit squidgy too and he's got a big fluffy beard.

He's dressed mostly in red.

It's Father Christmas himself and oh does he look tired.

As you walk even closer down the path,

You can hear the murmuring as he reads.

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