Meet the woman who spends every day in December dressed as an elf

By Kate Pounds via SWNS

Meet the woman who spends every day in December dressed as an ELF - because she wants to spread Christmas joy.

Dielle Hannah, 42, spends the entire festive month - and some of November - dressed as a Santa's helper.

The musician goes around her hometown of Fareham, Hants., England to try and bring a smile to people's faces.

She also performs at community and charity events free of charge while dressed in an elf suit.

Dielle said: "I’m not a bazillionaire - there’s a lot I can’t fix.

"But this is something that I'm good at and that makes others happy. I just love it.

"It's a great time of year to give back to people and to bring people together, and a lovely way to spend the dark evenings."

Dielle says she first dressed as an elf while working for the NHS 15 years ago.

And, as the years went by, she devoted more and more time - fitting it around her then fledgling music career.

Dielle Hannah Wood, who dresses as an elf every day. (Tony Kershaw via SWNS)

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Dielle has two elf outfits, which she rotates.

She says she is in costume for a couple of hours a day from the last week in November - but spends almost every waking hour in dress-up for the two weeks up to Christmas Eve.

Dielle says she loves hopping on the London underground among the commuters.

And she spreads cheer at festive events at locations like Christmas markets, care homes, charity events, hospices, hospitals and churches.

She said: "You can give people stuff but to give them your time and attention is the greatest and most precious gift.

"I particularly relate to Bryony from Arthur Christmas - secretly sneaking around and giving to people so they might smile and have happy memories.

"I'm just an elf by nature, and, pardon the pun, I started and it just snowballed.

"There’s something about being Santa’s little helper that I can't resist. Plus I naturally have a child like joy of the world and a mischievous streak.

"You just can't be grumpy in an elf outfit or playing a ukulele. Some people look at me and they want to be 'ugh' but they can’t help but laugh."

Dielle also started an online Christmas event during the CPVOD-19 pandemic, which she has continued.

She said it's a great way to bring joy to isolated people. Her events can be found here.

Dielle said: "Christmas can be a really difficult time of year for some people.

“My work is all about bringing people together, and music is a really great way to do that.

"And this makes people be a bit daft and laugh and creates happy memories."

Dielle, who has a single called "The Best Gift is Love," plays the guitar, ukulele, piano and percussion.