Our babysitter, Cindy, entertained my siblings and I with magic tricks. I was only four years old but remember it like it were yesterday. I was spell bound as she took a nickel and made it disappear, only to be pulled out of our ears seconds later. For a small child, that was the most amazing trick I had ever seen!
I grew up fascinated with magic. Not so much the tricks, but mystical, enchanting, magical things.
With each tooth I lost as a child, I carefully placed it underneath my pillow so the Tooth Fairy could pick it up and leave a coin. The next morning I could hardly wait to look for clues of the Tooth Fairy. Us kids would scour the yard for signs of pixie dust, fairy wings, feathers, and miniature prints of any kind. Those days were filled with wonderful imaginations.
Mom made Christmas come alive with wonderment and enchantment. It was the most magical time of the year. She was like a kid herself as she busied herself in the kitchen baking treats, decorating the house, singing Christmas carols, wrapping gifts and hiding them, and involving the entire family in doing secret service projects for the neighbors. She listened to our ever changing "lists" to Santa and did her best to make sure he delivered on them! On Christmas Eve we kids all slept in the attic bedrooms together. It was fun and exciting as we peered out the window at a bright star in the sky that we were certain was a sign of the Savior's birth. We listed for the sound of jingle bells and was positive we heard them... that is until we looked over the rail of the stairs to see dad slithering up the steps to see if we were asleep. We had been caught... or was it the other way around!
When I became a parent, it was important to me to carry on the same traditions as my parents. I wanted my children to experience the magic and wonderment that comes with holidays. I wanted to bring culture and excitement into my children's lives.
My children looked for the Tooth Fairy, just as I had. And Christmas was always full of surprises. I looked for the extraordinary things, as well. When I was a single mother I found new things to introduce my children to. I was attending USU in Logan and was surrounded with cultural opportunities. Even though I did not have a lot of money I made sure we did a few things, and they proved to make a huge impact on my children's happy memories of home.
A nice theater was in town and the Nutcracker was playing. The kids and I dressed in our best and attended a star stunning live performance. It wasn't the play they remember so much, but the atmosphere, the beautiful costumes, the grand staircase and massive curtains. It was the whole experience that created the magic.
One of the best trips the Mr. and I went on was to Ireland. The Blarney Castle had hidden behind a large stone wall with overgrown vines a secret mystical garden. Meandering down winding and densely covered paths led to a beautiful waterfall with lily pads gold fish and frogs. We walked up mysterious stone stairs, encountered magical stones, and discovered secret fairy places. The above picture... a toadstool carved from a stump, was taken at the fairy garden.
The kids are all raised with families of their own. The tradition of holidays and events continues to get more and more imaginative, and bigger, and.... you get the picture! I have children that exercise their imaginations like you would not believe. They want their children to experience what they did and more! And they have a mother (and grandmother) that still gets terribly excited with planning grand adventures that include wonderment, excitement, enchantment, spell-binding, and magical family togetherness.
Grandparenting provides the perfect opportunity for sprinkling magical, enchanting, and adventurous fun on the family. I center most events and parties around themes. It ties the adventure together and makes it both meaningful and fun. I buy hats, kerchiefs, fairy wings, books, etc. for the kiddos to make them feel like they are living an adventure that takes them to a magical time.
Following is a list of magic we've created for our family ----
Traveling Suitcase - we pack a suitcase filled with things related to place we want to visit (state parks, museums, etc.) I like to link it to ancestors, history, anything that makes it meaningful, interactive, and fun.
Theater - We frequent our local Live Playhouses. One year all the little girls dressed up for a Cinderella Play. The day included formal invitations, spa treatment (in grandma's jet tub), a fancy homemade lunch, and meeting Cinderella herself after the play.
Mothers Day Tea - with the girls. We dress up, use our best dishes, and enjoy a wonderful afternoon visiting and just being pretty. We'll be hosting a bouquet full of fairies this year! Can't wait.
"Where did you get the wings and nets?" "And... oh... they look like pretty little fairies fluttering around the gardens!"One year we had a Mad Hatter's Tea Party before entering the garden. That was another magical adventure in itself.
Every five years we go somewhere, as a family, for a few days. The first year we started this tradition, we went to the Homestead Inn, a family friendly resort in the Wasatch Mountains. They offered sleigh rides and craft classes for the kids. The trip included a ride on the Polar Express with Santa, Mrs. Santa, and their elves hosting. One of the grandchildren received the "first bell". Most of the grandchildren had never been ice skating before, so that was on our list too. Being on the ice, snow falling from the sky, with Christmas music playing was nothing short of magic!
As the grand kids grow and age, so do the adventures. But one thing is for certain... there is always an element of surprise, wonderment, excitement and magic in everything we do!
Oh... it's time to get planning!
What's your kind of MAGIC?
Writing prompt #3: Write a blog post inspired by the word: magic
