There are whispers riding the November wind this year — soft, shivery little hints that something magical is making its way toward Keuka Lake. I first felt it while sipping my morning coffee, watching the mist curl off the water like a veil being lifted. A flutter. A sparkle. A sense that a new story was about to unfurl.
And then the message arrived.
Not in an email, not in a text… but in the hush of drifting pine needles and the faint jingle of unseen bells.
Keuka’s own magical elf has finished packing her satchel of secrets, and friends… she’s officially set her December itinerary.
And oh, what a journey it will be.
🌱 Meet StorySprout
The tiniest teller of tales on the lake.
A whisper of wonder wrapped in a spark of cinnamon-scented mischief.
A little elf with a big mission: to gather every bit of Christmas magic hidden between Penn Yan and Hammondsport.
She’s been mapping her route for weeks — or rather, letting the twinkle lights and warm hearts guide her. From cozy corner shops to charming little coffee shops, from peppermint scented sidewalks to windows lined with garland and hope, she’s chosen the sweetest, merriest, most wonder-filled corners of our Keuka villages.
Where will she land each day?
Well… elves don’t bother with schedules, they just leave clues.
They follow stories.
📸✨ Her First Magical Appearance
The moment we have all been waiting for is nearly here.
Somewhere between the hush of midnight and the very first breath of December,
we will officially glimpse StorySprout for the very first time — captured in a single, softly glowing photo as she arrives at Keuka Roots.
No trumpets.
No grand fanfare.
No spotlight demanding attention.
Just the quiet shimmer of Christmas magic…
the twinkle of an elf arriving exactly as elves do —
gently, secretly, and with wonder tucked beneath her wings.
That first photo will be the whisper that tells us:
She’s here.
Her December story has begun.
✨ A December of Secrets, Scrolls & Sparkle
All month long, just before dawn, StorySprout will slip through shop windows only elves can open. From the north shore of Keuka to the southern one, too, she will twirl and dance — casting little wisps of cinnamon-sugar magic that shimmer in the early morning hush. She’ll perch on shelves, peek between wreath bows, and tuck tiny Sprout Scrolls wherever the magic feels strongest.
Each scroll will hold a clue…
or a whisper…
or a moment she thinks deserves to be remembered.
and when her Sprout Scroll unfurls, it may even have a special message meant just for you.
And each morning, a new tale of where she might be will appear on her Keuka Roots page— a fresh clue for the day.
So grab your children, your grandchildren, your neighbors, and your friends,
and go visit her at one of her stops.
Snap a selfie or two, sprinkle a little wonder into your day,
and let the adventure unfold together.
Elves, after all, understand Christmas in ways we’ve long forgotten —
quiet,
gentle,
wonder-filled.
🌟 …And the Children
And the children — oh, how she loves the children.
Their wide-eyed wonder.
Their hearts that beat with pure belief.
Their imaginations that color our world brighter than any twinkle light ever could.
StorySprout is especially drawn to them, to the way they gasp at the first snowfall or press their noses to frosty windows searching for magic. To her, children are Christmas — living reminders of the joy adults sometimes forget to hold onto.
And truth be told…
she may even be slipping into a few homes this December.
Quiet as a snowfall.
Soft as a dream.
Leaving a tiny Sprout Scroll on a pillow while a child sleeps — a message of kindness, courage, or Christmas sparkle meant just for them.
Because nothing delights StorySprout more than nurturing wonder… one little heart at a time.
📖✨ Her Storybook Page
This year, StorySprout has her very own place to share her adventure:
a storybook-style page where her December unfurls like a winter fairytale.
There, you’ll find downloads that will keep your holiday season full of joy and goodwill:
• Her daily story written just for children
• Her handwritten Sprout Scrolls
• Coloring pages, games, and story prompts for children
• A few secrets she only reveals to those who believe wholeheartedly
• Maybe… just maybe… a Christmas miracle tucked between the lines
You never quite know what she’ll leave behind.
But you will feel her magic.
I even heard she had a couple of her elf friends create a complete educational packet for teachers and homeschool families to use the whole month long!
Visit "Sprout's" Online Home Here!
🎄 A Season That Feels Like a Story
As she tiptoes and flies from Penn Yan to Hammondsport, StorySprout will collect the moments that make our Christmas season unforgettable — the laughter drifting from shop doors, the strolls down Main Street, the glow of Pulteney Square, the clink of mugs filled with cocoa, the kindness that slips quietly into the world when no one is looking.
Because Christmas isn’t just lights or gifts or garland.
It’s story.
It’s the way small towns shine brightest in winter.
It’s the mystery that hums in the quiet places.
It’s the belief that magic still exists — especially here, along the shores of Keuka Lake.
And StorySprout?
She’s here to prove it.
❄️ Bundle Up, Friends
The magic is coming.
The stories are ready.
And an elf is already on her way.
Stay warm, stay wonder-filled…
Stay Rooted. Stay Keuka.
