Here's a small evening ritual worth stealing: turn the lamp on, turn the big lights off, and let a whole illustrated world appear on the shelf. That's the Toverlux effect, and the new Fall & Winter '26 collection might be the loveliest one yet.
This season brings glowing forests, gnome villages, snowy sleigh rides, and star-lit paths — plus three advent calendars and a brand new artist we're genuinely thrilled about. Let's take a look.
First, How Toverlux Works
If Toverlux is new to you, the concept is beautifully simple. You start with a base — either a Toverlux lamp, which lights the scene from within, or a Toverlux window frame, which displays it like a little piece of stained glass. Then you choose your silhouette.
Each silhouette is a 7.5 x 7.5 inch panel of translucent art, printed with an illustrator's work and made from safe, food-grade materials. Slide one in, and the scene comes to life. Swap it out, and you've got a completely different world.
That's the magic of the system: one base, endless scenes. Change it with the seasons, change it with your child's mood, change it because someone requested the dragon again. There's no wrong way to do it, and no batteries to hunt down.
New This Season: Mhairi Hellbrandt
The name to know this autumn is Mhairi Hellbrandt, and she's a wonderful addition to the Toverlux family.
Born in Britain and now living in Denmark with her family, Mhairi is a freelance illustrator whose work is steeped in storytelling, folklore, and the changing seasons. She works in watercolour, gouache, and collage, and her drawings have a gentle, whimsical quality that captures childhood wonder without ever tipping into twee. Classic fairy tales are a recurring well for her — think Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty — alongside nature and the small everyday details that make ordinary life feel a bit enchanted.
Which is to say: she was made for this format. Her five designs for Toverlux this season are:
- The Secret Library — for the children who'd happily live inside a book.
- The Moonflower — quiet, night-blooming, and rather beautiful in lamplight.
- Midsummer Ritual — folklore and seasonal celebration, exactly her wheelhouse.
- Enchanted Forest — the classic, done gorgeously.
- Preparing for Christmas — cosy anticipation, captured in a single scene.
You can also browse her full collection in one place.
If your family collects a silhouette or two each season, hers are the ones to watch.
The Rest of the Roster
Mhairi joins a genuinely lovely lineup of illustrators this season:
Robin Pieterse brings autumn indoors with Pumpkin Spice, Fallow, and the festive Merry Lane.
Vogel Geluk lights up the winter sky with Aurora Sleighride, Star Path, and Little Lightbearers.
Eentje van Margo delivers Gnome Village, Taming the Dragon, and Anticipation — plus one of this season's advent calendars.
Anne Illustraties contributes Pixie Forest and Yuletree Grove.
Baukje Exler offers Polar Family and Guiding Star, along with an advent calendar of her own.
Sonne Mond und Erde brings a Little Prince silhouette for the dreamers.
And Gwen's Illustrations rounds things out with the third advent calendar of the season.
There's also Layered Light: A Saint Nicholas Story — a lovely piece for families who mark the season with a bit of storytelling. You can also browse every Toverlux artist in one place.
About Those Advent Calendars
These deserve a proper look, because they work differently to any advent calendar you've had before.
Each day through December, your child opens a window and tears out a card — and rather than a chocolate, they reveal one small piece of a much larger illustration. Slowly, over several days, a complete Toverlux silhouette takes shape in front of them. Every sixth day, a whole scene is finished.
Then comes the clever part. Remove the back panel of a completed silhouette and the light filters straight through, like a little stained-glass window. Set it on the mantelpiece or a windowsill, pop an LED tea light behind it, and it glows.
Best of all, nothing gets thrown away on Boxing Day. Every silhouette you reveal fits the Toverlux Lamp and Frame, so they join your collection permanently and come back out year after year. It's an advent calendar that leaves you with something to keep.
There are three to choose from this year, illustrated by Eentje van Margo, Baukje Exler, and Gwen's Illustrations.
Lovely Ways to Use Them
Beyond the obvious spot on a bedside table, a few ideas families love:
A seasonal shelf. Swap the silhouette as the year turns — pumpkins in October, snow in December, blossoms in spring. It's a gentle way to mark time with little ones.
A calmer bedtime. A soft glowing scene is a lovely cue that the day is winding down, and it gives a child something quiet to look at instead of a screen.
A nature table companion. If your family keeps a seasonal or nature table, a lit silhouette makes a beautiful centrepiece.
Advent, one day at a time. The advent calendars build the countdown into the ritual, adding a new bit of light each day.
A small, thoughtful gift. At their size and price, individual silhouettes make excellent stocking stuffers, advent pocket fillers, and just-because surprises.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Toverlux? Toverlux is a system of illustrated translucent silhouettes designed to be displayed in a lamp or window frame, creating a glowing scene. Silhouettes are interchangeable, so one base can display an entire collection.
Do I need a lamp to use Toverlux silhouettes? You need a base, and there are two options: a Toverlux lamp, which lights the silhouette from within, or a Toverlux window frame, which displays it like stained glass. One base works with every silhouette.
What size are Toverlux silhouettes? Each silhouette measures 7.5 x 7.5 inches and is made from safe, food-grade materials.
How does the Toverlux advent calendar work? Each day you open a window and tear out a card, gradually revealing one piece of a larger illustrated silhouette. Every sixth day a complete silhouette is finished, so the countdown builds several full scenes across December.
Do you keep the Toverlux advent calendar silhouettes? Yes — that's the loveliest part. Each completed silhouette fits the Toverlux Lamp and Frame, so it joins your collection and comes out again year after year. Remove the back panel and the light shines through like stained glass; add an LED tea light behind it for a glowing display on a mantelpiece or windowsill.
Are Toverlux silhouettes collectible? Very. Each design is created by a different illustrator and released seasonally, so families build a collection over time and rotate the scenes throughout the year.
Where can I buy Toverlux in Canada? Right here at The Playful Peacock. We're a Canadian, mom-run toy shop, and we ship across Canada, hand-packed with care.
Dim the Lights
The nicest thing about Toverlux is how little it asks of you. No screens, no sound, no setup — just a small square of art and a bit of light, and suddenly the room feels different. Pick your first scene and see.
