Signing elf helps deaf girl, 4, finally meet Santa

A four-year-old girl has been able to meet Santa properly for the first time, thanks to a volunteer elf trained in sign language.

Emily, from Goole, East Yorkshire, is profoundly deaf and had been let down four times by grotto attractions which promised a British Sign Language (BSL) service.

Her brother’s school had heard about their struggles and took to social media to search for an interpreter for their festive fair.

Mum Tanya said: “It was just really magical.”

Emily met Father Christmas with brother Hugo, six, at Airmyn Park Primary on Thursday.

Acting as interpreter was Holly the Elf - real name Melanie Boyeson - who had responded to the school's appeal by volunteering to help.

Tanya said on four previous occasions she had booked grotto visits elsewhere which had promised a signing service.

Each time they had been left disappointed, with interpreters either not provided or unable to sign correctly.

Tanya had posted online about Emily’s past let-downs, prompting Hugo’s head teacher and the wider school community to search for someone willing to act as a BSL interpreter at their school fair.

Head teacher Natalie Dodds said: "Emily is part of our extended school community so we really wanted her to feel the magic and for mum to not have to interpret for her."

'Community spirit'

Tanya said Emily had become accustomed to grottos where Santa and his elves could not talk to her.

She said: “She felt this time it was going to be the same, but it wasn’t. Her face lit up.”

Santa and his elf helper chatted to Emily about the presents she hoped to get in her stocking.

Tanya said her daughter, who attends Doncaster School for the Deaf, had been a little shy at first but Melanie had been very encouraging, finding out that she would like a doll with pram and a blue dragon.

Emily, four (left), with mum Tanya, brother Hugo, six, and Santa

Tanya thanked all those who had helped to make the magical moment happen.

She said: “It’s such community spirit. People were rallying around to try to provide this for someone they didn’t even know.”

She said the family also attended Hull Deaf Centre’s Christmas party every year, which had a performance by a signing Santa.

However, she called on more attractions to include BSL interpreters for deaf children or parents.

“Everyone should be treated equally,” she said.