The Lumistella Co., known for the popular holiday toy The Elf on the Shelf, collaborated with Seacrest Studios at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for a summer day of Christmas cheer.
“It’s an honor to partner with Seacrest Studios and to partner with Children’s Healthcare to bring that holiday magic, even if it’s August,” said Chanda Bell, founder, co-CEO and chief storyteller at Atlanta-based Lumistella.
Bell visited Seacrest Studios to read the Lumistella Co. book, “Elf Pets: A Saint Bernard Tradition.” She said she hoped the story would provide joy and hope to the patients of Children’s.
“The whole purpose of the company is to make joyful family moments. So opportunities like this provide exactly that for us. You know, we just wanna bring joy to the world. There’s too much seriousness. There’s too much going on. It seems so sad and heavy and dark, and we’re really just about bringing Christmas magic and Christmas spirit,” she said.
Seacrest Studios, which is a real broadcast studio in children’s hospitals throughout the country, was created by the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. The Atlanta native started the first Seacrest Studio at Children’s in 2010. The studios broadcast a variety of programming each day into patients’ rooms. Dozens of celebrities, including Atlanta’s Lil Nas X, Billie Eillish and Niall Horan have visited the Atlanta location.
As an Atlanta-native herself, volunteering her time to Children’s was particularly special for Bell.
“I’m also a mom, so I have been a customer at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta on more occasions than you want to be. They certainly do an amazing job. You feel like you’re the only patient, they love your kid like you do, and I have so much respect for the doctors and nurses that work here,” she said.
After reading the story to some patients in the studio and throughout the hospital, Bell offered an Elf Pets plush St. Bernard to everyone.
“Elf Pets: A Saint Bernard Tradition” is available on the Elf on the Shelf website and at all major retailers during the holiday season.
“It really is just about joy, and faith, and hope and love, and all the things that we need a little more of in this world,” Bell said.
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