From Bright Sparks Founder, Virginia Lette —

“Ever since my siblings and I were born in the mid 1970s, my mum Patricia Anne would sing Tiptoe the Birthday Elf to us on the eve of our birthdays — it became our most beloved family tradition. I was always quizzically amused that nobody we knew had ever heard of the song, despite its release back in the 1950s.

Over the years I continued the tradition of singing Tiptoe to my own family and friends, and when my young daughter sang it to her little friends in preschool, seeing the sheer joy and excitement on their faces inspired to me to want to share the song more widely.

Soon they began asking,“What does Tiptoe look like?” which then sparked the idea of bringing him to life — first as an illustrated children’s book and then, potentially as a soft toy.

When I fell seriously ill in 2019 (and spent much of the year in hospital and bed), the Tiptoe project became my creative outlet. Some days I poured every ounce of energy into the project, and other times I had to pause for weeks and even months, testing the patience of the wonderful designers, manufacturers, and suppliers who came along on the journey with me.

Over the years, countless sketches were drawn (and redrawn), prototypes were made (and remade), and all of my savings went towards building the dream: registering trademarks, joining the Toy Creators Academy, and travelling to Toy Fairs in Australia and the USA.

Now, after an extended period of learning, refining and re-imagining, Mum and I are filled with excitement as we look towards launching a children’s book, toy and website in 2025 — Tiptoe the Birthday Elf will finally be introduced to children and families around the world. Our enduring dream is that Tiptoe the Birthday Elf will become known to everyone, everywhere (the young and the young-at-heart...) as Tiptoe continues to sprinkle his trademark joy and wonder among all who believe in his magic.”

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Reach out to us at Bright Sparks Australia via Virginia’s LinkedIn profile, or through our social media links (in the footer below).