Wednesday 1 June 2011

Then Magic within.

The Princess believes that if you dress like a faerie, it will be much easier to see one in the garden - almost a bit like camouflage. As I saw her dancing through the leaves and looking into the flower beds, I thought back to a conversation Hunter and I had driving back from the South Coast after our Easter holiday. We talked about the Easter Bunny, Father Christmas and Tooth faerie and when it is appropriate to tell your kids that these guys do not actually exist. Do you tell them or do you wait for them to hear it somewhere else and then confirm? I myself, would prefer to keep that magic alive for a long long time.

You see, when my dad passed away just after I turned 7, all magic stopped in our house. He was the keeper of the magic, the creator of the paw prints, the builder and decorator of the Christmas tree. My mom was never really the one that was excited about these things and I think that for her, all the magic stopped when he passed away and that she felt the magic had to stop for all. I clearly remember the first Christmas - there was no tree, actually, up and till today my mom never has a Christmas tree. Sadly so, I think - a granny should have one. There was a few presents, but she decided not to cook a Christmas meal. My one gran was with her other kids and the other one was with us and my mom stated (and I remember it to today) that it was not worth cooking a Christmas meal for just us 3. So we drove around on Christmas day, looking for somewhere to have lunch - and of course, everywhere was either closed or fully booked. I remember us stopping at a road house and buying toasted samies and hamburgers. It is the first day that I remember the dark wolf visiting me - how totally sad and depressed I felt in the back of the car - thinking that the magic was gone.

For a few years after we always spent the day with family, but never had anything festive up at home. At age 12 I had enough - so for my Christmas present I asked for a tree. My mom took me that very day to buy a small fold up plastic tree that we used until I moved out of the house. Then my mom chucked it away.

So I fully intend to keep the magic alive in our house for as long as possible - those are such wonderful times to remember. Such joy and anticipation. I also believe that stirring and supporting the imagination of children makes them more creative thinkers and in any branch of business creative thinking is always an asset. I know the day will come when (I suspect it will be Father Christmas) gets dismissed by the Princess, but I will certainly try to get her to become a contributor to the magic until the Boys are big enough to say goodbye to it themselves.

As to Faeries - well, I am sure I saw one on Sunday. Flying past the Princess just before she saw her.

 

15 comments:

  1. I agree with you - keep the magic alive for as long as possible.

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  2. No wonder you're determined to keep the magic going.  I believe that magic is important in kids lives... so sad that it stopped so soon for you :(

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  3. Good for you Cat...be the keeper of the magic.  Life would be cruel without it.

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  4. So sorry to hear about your childhood.  I know I had my own childhood issues that were much different.  Isn't it funny how we are both trying to make sure our children have excellent childhood memories because of our own experiences?  One must continue to believe in fairies!

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  5. I've got tears in my eyes! How very sad for you!
    The magic should never ever stop, not even when we are eighty years old! Why can't we keep it alive for ever?
    I agree! Even though they know there is no such thing as fairies (or whatever), we can still keep it alive for as long as possible!
    Great post!

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  6. This is such a beautiful post even if it is sad!  I think it is wonderful you decided to keep the magic going despite having a childhood that could easily have prompted you to go the other way.  I agree with you in that I have every intention of keeping the magic going in our house as long as possible.  Some of my fondest childhood memories are associated with Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy!!

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  7. I firmly beleive that, expecially in today's society, that if we can get kids to be kids for just that little bit longer its a WIN!

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  8. For me the magic stopped when I was 5.  My gran died two days before Christmas of cancer and that was it. Christmas was a sad day to remember the past. Now looking back I don't think it was far on all us grankids. I try to make as big a fuss as possible for Ewan even though for me it doesn't come naturally as it does for my Husband. I buy eggs for Easter and a huge tree for Christmas and I am determined the magic will last. Hope we can both bring that to our kids. 

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  9. I agree with you!  Kids need to be kids for as long as possible and that means believing in all sorts of magical things. 

    I was so sad to read that this was taken from you at such a young age :(  Your mom must feel quite awful now looking back and realizing what she took away from you.  It must have been really hard for her when your dad died....

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  10. What a beautiful post! So sorry the magic stopped when your dad died...

    I'm a BIG believer in keeping dreams alive, igniting imagination and creativity but I don't do the father christmas, easter bunny and fairy thing.

    PS sorry you had terrible sleep again! This has got to stop :)

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  11. That is just heartbreaking about losing your Dad AND the magic when you were so young. I do believe that fantasy is a very normal part of a childs development so we do father christmas and easter bunny and tooth fairy. My tween no longer believes in santa and tooth fairies but pretends to "for the sake of his brother" - though I think he feels he will miss out if he openly admits that he knows it's not true.
    So sorry that you had a crappy night. I do hope that it will stop ASAP.x

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  12. The camouflage idea sounds like a great idea! If I were a fairy, I would look for a friend like me.

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  13. I believe in magic.  I believe that it is the magic that creates a wonderful and memorable childhood for children.  For my eldest Father Christmas existed till she was about 9, and for Olivia every bit of magic is still so real in her life.  She cannot wait to encounter The Tooth Fairy, has it all planned for one day when her tooth falls out.

    I find it very sad that a lot of people, becuase of their faith, do not 'do the whole Father Christmas thing'.  Yes, Christmas is not about the the presents, but what harm is there is adding some sparkle to the Christmas story?  As long as the gifts are not the main focus and we are celebrating the birth of Christ, then what is the harm?  Someone very close to me told me that teaching our children about Father Christmas and celebrating with gifts was a Pagan action? 

    Lovely post darl xx

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  14. Awwww! That is so heartbreaking that not only did you lose your dad at such a young age, but that the magic was lost, too.  I agree with you - stirring and supporting a child's imagination leads them to more creative thinking, too.  I'm hoping I can keep the magic alive for as long as possible for Princess Nagger - besides, it's fun for me, too! ;)

    LOVE the picture - and that she thought dressing up as a fairy would enable her to spot the fairies in the garden...genius! :)

    WW: Lucky Blogging Kitty

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  15. Oh Cat, so incredibly poignant. You are a wondrous writer, and an amazing mom. :)

    Such a beautiful, beautiful post.

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