The letter, written 28 years ago by a then six-year-old Emily Cessford, was found during home improvements just weeks before Christmas.
The Cessford family made the discovery when they modernised a kitchen fireplace at their home.
Emily’s 28-year-old letter (Image: Supplied) The story began nearly 30 years ago when Emily wrote and posted a Christmas wish list to Santa Claus, unknown to her parents Colin and Christine.
The letter was unfortunately lost for nearly three decades.
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“It has always been a Cessford family tradition that such letters would be sent to Santa by the North Pole Express ‘up the chimney’ method which of course worked well when we had open coal fires but as environmentalists we haven’t had one for a very, very long time. In short, it got stuck,” Colin, now 69, explained.
Emily’s 28-year-old letter, signed ‘Love from Emily’ (Image: Supplied) He was carrying out some home improvements several weeks before Christmas including opening a kitchen range fireplace and installing a modern flame-effect electric fire.
The process involved removing an old and unused cast iron frontage, pulling out a pillow from the chimney and then installing the new fire.
The new fireplace (Image: Supplied) As the pillow fell from the chimney, a small dirty letter dropped to the floor along with lumps of lime plaster, dust and a small pile of bird feathers.
This letter to Santa shared Emily’s wishes to receive branded Adidas clothes, including a pair of shoes, trousers and a jumper.
“In conjunction with my wife Christine, we decided to fulfil her long-forgotten request as a surprise Christmas present,” Colin said.
Emily and her son, Lubi (Image: Supplied) The Cessfords enjoyed a large get-together for Christmas and celebrated sharing the remarkable tale with their family.
Emily, now 34, has a son of her own named Lubi. She was delighted with her long-awaited present, despite it being 28 years late.
Colin explained the family’s reaction during the story.
He said: “Firstly no-one could believe it, fancy finding something a child wrote privately 28 years ago. Then amazement when I produced the tatty letter to Santa. Emily was a little bit embarrassed at the start but then she did have a supply of brand new clothes to wear which eased her predicament.
“Lubi, her son and our grandson, just tried eating everything including the clothes – he’s little. Overall it was, as expected, a massive talking point and I had to explain in forensic detail exactly where, when and how I found the note just before Christmas. For his part having delivered the present albeit 28 years late, Santa kept a very low profile.”