The Friday Column - The Christmas Tree Fairy

The Christmas Tree Fairy

The fairy was so proud to be sat atop the Christmas tree. She had almost not been bestowed that honour, it would have gone to the attrative shiny golden star but with one small swoop Sarah’s chubby fingers had lifted her out of the box as she announced ‘Mummy, I want the fairy at the top’. That pride of place had remained hers year after year.

The fairy watched the highs and lows of family life. She watched the family's delight as a child was born. Sarah’s brother Andrew arrived and with him a whirlwind of chaos as Sarah’s parents struggled with two. Andrew was boisterous and mischievous and on more than one occasion the fairy found herself on the floor having been knocked off the tree by Andrew. Sarah would always pick her up, brush her down carefully and place her back in her rightful position. She watched the wrapping paper being ripped open by the excited children to reveal their presents.

One year although the tree was up and decorations adorned the room, the fairy noticed the family in sombre mood. Sarah’s father had taken ill and was missing from the family Christmas dinner table. The fairy never saw him again.

Aged 18 Sarah had moved out of the family home and taken the fairy with her to place on her own Christmas tree. The fairy had seen Sarah’s first Christmas without the family. She had witnessed as Tom yelled at Sarah, telling her she was useless, Sarah was sobbing in the corner, feeling alone and upset. That year there were no songs around the piano or the sound of loud bangs as the crackers were pulled. When Sarah finally found the strength to leave Tom, the fairy travelled to the other end of the country packed carefully in a box, taken to University.

Whilst at University Sarah met the quiet and softly spoken Adrian, the contrast between Tom and Adrian was remarkable. Adrian was caring and intelligent; in him Sarah had found her soul mate. That Christmas the fairy smiled down from the tree knowing once again she was part of a loving and caring home.

The fairy noticed the mood in the house gradually changing. At first Sarah and Adrian would invite family and friends over to enjoy the festive celebrations. The house would shrill with laughter and games, the wine flowed freely. As the years passed by fewer friends would drop in, they now had families of their own to entertain and be entertained by. In the beginning Adrian and Sarah didn’t mind, they knew it would soon be their turn. But the years turned into a decade and Sarah became more and more tense and sad, Adrian was snappy. The decorations became fewer and the only visitor was Sarah’s elderly mother.

The next year the fairy felt herself being removed from her box in the dark of the night, bundled into an even bigger box and listened to the sound of a car engine. She woke up to find that she was sat on a walnut chest and out of the corner of her eye spotted the sea. She was on a cruise. Adrian and Sarah may no longer be celebrating a traditional Christmas but they were happy and relaxed. Each year the same thing would happen, the fairy would get excited as she was lifted out of her box. She knew she was off to yet another exotic destination and Sarah always placed her where she would get the best view.

The fairy was worn and her wings falling off when she suddenly found herself back on top of the Christmas tree, unusually she had been placed on the top by Adrian.

As the lights twinkled on the tree, a warm light glowed around the room. Sarah walked in with a tiny pink bundle, her eyes bright and sparkly. At last she and Adrian had their Christmas wish.

The fairy beamed and for the final time fell from the top of the tree. Her work was done.

Merry Christmas x

Loved this story? Then please check out my debut novel - A Tempting Trio - Available now by clicking this link - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B011ZEUQZI

*An original work of fiction - all rights reserved