November 2012
'The top of the Christmas tree reached to within inches of the ceiling. At the top of the tree, the fairy stood proud and serene, as she had for the past five years; her bright tinsel tiara upon her head and her slightly bent magic wand in her hand. But five years of being stuffed into a bin bag on twelfth night was taking its toll and she knew that she wouldn't have the top spot for very much longer.'
Stella put the book on the bedside table. 'Why have you stopped, Mummy?'
'It's getting late, I'll read some more tomorrow.'
'Please carry on. What are inches? Can Christmas Fairies really come to life?'
'I'll try to answer all your questions tomorrow, but now it's sleep time.'
Stella gave her daughter a goodnight kiss, turned out the light and went downstairs. Stella adored Christmas. She always tried to re-create the magic that she had felt as a child. She surveyed the front room. The seven foot tree, real of course, dominated the space, just as she'd planned. She inhaled the pine fragrance with pleasure.
Her parents had always decorated their artificial tree with ancient odds and ends of any old colour. They draped multi-coloured chains all over the ceiling at random angles. Stella had seen her first German Christmas tree when she was an au pair in Dusseldorf. It was clothed in a single colour: red. Visiting other houses, she saw one all in gold, but best of all, for its elegant purity, silver.
She looked in wonder at her own tree, it was beautiful, all silver, of course, as it was every year since she had her own home. It glistened and glowed in the firelight, as if Jack Frost himself had reached inside and touched it with his icy fingers. On the top was the silver fairy. Initially she had tried a silver star, but it had seemed wrong. Then, Stella's mum had bought the fairy for her in a rather expensive shop in town. When Stella saw her, it was love at first sight. Silver blonde hair with a shining circlet of stars, a dress that was soft and flowing, she was perfect. How did her mum always know how to make her happy? Her dear mum had died a month after giving her precious gift.
Stella poured a glass of wine and sat by the fire, gazing up at the seven year old fairy. She didn't know what was going to happen in the story tomorrow, but she knew one thing for sure, she and her silver fairy would never be parted. Her fairy may be a little frayed round the edges, but to Stella, she still shined as brightly as she ever had.