This year I am so excited that Christmas is over!! Don’t get me wrong – I am a Christmas fiend!! I decorate everything in my house, bake every recipe (and subsequently gain fifteen extra pounds for the New Year), and I do it all with three crazy kiddos between one and six underfoot. So this month, in my mind, I was FINALLY going to get a break from the planning, and especially from the two Elves on the Shelf who joined our family last year (yes we have two, and they are married). The new year was supposed to be the end of the extra ‘magic’ for my six year old. A break from trying to find creative poses for the elves, or inventing a big story about how the elves set up the baking supplies and then left and went back to the EXACT spots they were when my daughter went to the bed the night before. But sadly, my break is not anywhere in sight just yet.
I rearranged the girl’s bedroom this week, and my oldest rediscovered the magic fairy door that she got for her birthday last year. For those of you who haven’t fallen for this adorable, gimmicky (and of course overpriced) toy, it’s a glittery door and mailbox that comes with a magical, invisible fairy who may break your child’s heart because she can’t be the live-in best friend your little girl is hoping for. At least that was our experience (why do I buy this stuff – I should know better by now right??). So for the last 5 days, I have been helping her write a letter to her fairy Ella right before bed, and then I have to remember to write a response before she wakes up. Most of the letters from my daughter are asking to see her fairy friend and play with her, and most of the responses from the fairy are explanations on why she can’t do said play dates. The “fairy” missed a letter two nights ago. We found out in a later letter that she broke her wing while playing with her little brother and had to go to the hospital (insert winking face here). That was a close one!
To be honest, I was a little unsure about starting the Elf on the Shelf and the Fairy Door traditions because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to, for lack of a better word, “lie” to my daughter (and also because I am just not that on top of my life to keep up with it!). But I am realizing how important this magical time of childhood is for her. I think deep down she knows it’s not real, but it’s SO fun to pretend!
I know this sweet, magical stage of being six won’t last forever and soon she will look at these fairies and elves like they are for babies. Soon enough I will read through those letters and bawl my eyes out wishing for my little girl back. I just hope I can hang on long enough to see it through (and not get caught trying)!
Here’s to all of the parents working hard to make special memories for our kids while desperately clinging to our sanity! Whether it’s with elves and fairies or other traditions that are important to our families, our kids will appreciate it some day! They’d better at least!!
