Daily Prompt: Fantasy

Today’s daily prompt:  The Tooth Fairy (or Easter Bunny, or Santa Claus . . .) : a fun and harmless fiction, or a pointless justification for lying to children?

I think we tend to raise our kids the way we were raised, carrying on with many of the same traditions.  At least I found that to be true for me.

I was raised believing in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny.  And I raised my kids to believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny.  I have such happy memories of them– well of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny anyway.  Not so much of the tooth fairy.  I could have done without her.   I remember being quite traumatized over the whole tooth fairy thing.  Losing teeth was scary for me as a child.  I think because there was some pain involved, and blood, and losing a body part that had previously been attached to me, and that awful taste in my mouth afterwards.  After losing a tooth, my parents would have me put the tooth under my pillow, usually wrapped in a Kleenex, and the tooth fairy would come in the night, take my tooth and leave a quarter in its place.  One morning I awoke to find that a shiny silver quarter was under my pillow in place of where my tooth had been.  I snatched the quarter and took off to proudly show my mother and let her know that indeed the tooth fairy had come during the night  My mother told me very nonchalantly that she had been in my bedroom when the tooth fairy came, and that she had watched her take my tooth, put a quarter under my pillow, and lean over to kiss me on the cheek.  To be honest, that horrified me.  The thought of some strange woman with wings leaning over me and kissing me, a sleeping child, just didn’t settle well with me.  From that point on, I never slept with my head on my pillow on nights the tooth fairy was to come.  I’m not sure what I thought I was accomplishing by doing that but I clearly remember doing it.  I think I was scared of waking up while she was rummaging under my pillow.  And I wasn’t thrilled about seeing her.

I loved imagining the Easter bunny bringing me all those chocolate goodies, eggs, and sometimes even a new purse or other treat.  It was all in fun and I have happy memories of all of it.

I loved seeing the excitement in my sons’ eyes on Christmas Eve as we prepared a plate of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa.  And then before bedtime, how we would go outside in the front yard and sprinkle magic reindeer food in the grass for Santa’s reindeer.  This reindeer food contained red glitter, to make it easier for the reindeer to see from up above.  My little boys could barely contain their excitement.  And it was more excitement I saw in their eyes on Christmas morning when they awoke to see what Santa had brought them.  I also loved to watch them look through their Easter baskets on Easter morning to see what the Easter Bunny had brought them.  He always brought candy and usually a toy or a coloring book and crayons or a video.  After looking through their baskets, it was time to get dressed up to go to the Easter morning church services.

     

I have happy memories of my childhood.  Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were a big part of those memories.  It was fun.  I think my children would say the same.  What else can I say?  I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Gail ♥