Once Upon A Time Citygirl was an only child. When she was about 4, I bought an Advent Calendar from LL Bean for her. It's lovely, bright colors, with 25 little compartments, about 1.5 x 3 inches. My thought was that I'd put some little trinket in there, and every few days put in a note with an activity to do. For example, the 5th door has a pair of ice skates on it, and I planned to take her ice skating that day.
Best laid plans....
By the time Citygirl opened the third door she was ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that there was a creature called the Advent Calendar Fairy. Well. I guess the Calendar Fairy could suggest activities also....
Fast forward a few years. Add a half-a-dozen kids and some foreign exchange students. Not ONCE did anyone suggest that they had never before heard of such an incredibly specialized fairy. She came every single night for 25 days while everybody was asleep for a very LONG time.
I think there might have been 1 Fairy Free year. And there were a couple of years where the Fairy came only on weekends for visiting grandchildren.
Now, Curlygirl's little Bean is living with us (I assure you that I did not select that nickname. Talk to her Gammy!). Babygirl pulled out the Calendar and set the Fairy back to work. Today the Fairy left a Barbie toothbrush, likely to offset the damage she will likely create with the candy she frequently leaves. Squeaker will get things from the Fairy on the weekends he is here as well.
I'm glad Babygirl holds this as such a special childhood memory that she is willing to go Fairy Shopping. I am glad to see, that like I once did, she suddenly awakens after bedtime to run down and help the Fairy so Bean doesn't wake up to an empty little door.
I'm incredibly grateful that my oldest unintentionally created what has become two generations of believers in that special little being. When I see parents today doing the Elf on the Shelf, I understand why they do it, (even while I send inappropriate memes to the ones of my kids who do it LOL). We have such a little time to create magic in the little souls entrusted to us.
So our house has a Nativity, a Calendar Fairy, and Santa. I've become a believer in all of them.
DeeDee
PS Because this story isn't sweet enough....
Bean sent me a video of herself talking to the world (like she has her own YouTube channel) about the Fairy. She came down the stairs and around the corner to the Barbie toothbrush. She was incredibly pleased and excited, and told all of us that she was going to leave the Fairy one of her littlest toys so she could play.
Well. I'm speechess and a little teary-eyed.
Just love!
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