A Very Curious Christmas Fairy

Teddy was the type of fairy who liked to question everything. If Teddy was told something was not to be done his immediate response would be “Well, why
not?” He was just that inquisitive type of fairy. It wasn’t that he was being difficult though – he just wanted to understand everything as much as
he could. Maybe you know somebody like that too?

Teddy was very popular with the others but almost every fairy in Fairy Valley knew he would ask lots and lots of questions and tended not to pay that much
attention to him all the time… well that was until Christmas Eve in the Valley last year.

Every Christmas Eve, the tiny fairy streets are lined with glowing snowdrop lanterns and fairies from all across the Valley gather in the huge square to
wish each other a ‘Fairy Merry Christmas’, and Queen Kate and the International Fairy Council read out some human children’s Christmas wishes.

On this particular Christmas Eve, Teddy stood huddled in among his fairy friends, ready to listen to Queen Kate. He and his friends were wrapped up in
scarves and bobble hats, mittens and earmuffs! Lots of fairies make earmuffs from tiny pom poms and bobble hats from loose threads from human clothes
– they look adorable when all wrapped up!

Queen Kate began to speak. “Fairies, I want to wish you all a Fairy Merry Christmas. This year we have heard from a huge number of fairies about what their
humans are wishing for…”

As Queen Kate continued, a question was forming inside Teddys mind. He was so busy thinking he did not even realise his tiny fairy arm was waving in the
air until he saw everyone turning to stare at him. “Yes Teddy?” Queen Kate smiled warmly. Teddy gulped. Sometimes his curiosity got him into tricky
situations, and this was shaping up to be one of those!

“Emmm”, he muttered, embarrassed.

“Don’t be shy Teddy”, the Queen of the fairies said, encouragingly.

“Well, it’s just, we hear year after year about the children’s wishes for Santa, and how magic he is, and I was… err…”

“Go on, Teddy…” Queen Kate said, as some giggles began to rise from the other fairies.

“Well… I mean… I just…”

Queen Kate nodded once more.

“Well, since Santa is so magic, could he not just do it all by himself? I don’t understand why we fairies are so important at Christmas…” he said
in a small voice, closing his eyes tight.

He heard gasps all around him and when he dared to look he saw Queen Kate looking rather surprised.

“I’m sorry, Queen Kate”, he said. “It’s not important – I was just curious, I mean… forget I mentioned it!”

Teddy felt angry at himself. He had been enjoying the atmosphere but now it really seemed the mood had gone downhill. Queen Kate spoke again.

“Teddy, leave it with me… It’s a very good question. I need to have a little think but I will get back to you very soon. How does that sound?”

Teddy nodded with a smile and the event continued with Queen Kate reading more of the human children’s Christmas wishes, as Teddy listened intently.

Later that evening, as Teddy got ready to go to his fairy bed he thought about the question he had asked. Just then, gentle tap on his door startled him.
He opened the door and who was standing there, but the always radiant Queen Kate herself!

“Come fly with me, Teddy” she smiled. “I have to go somewhere and I would rather not go alone.” Teddy was excited. He wrapped up warm and he and queen
Kate flew all the way to the edge of Fairy Valley, before finally stopping on a low-lying branch on the enormous Family Tree.

“I come here every Christmas Day, just as dawn is breaking’ said Queen Kate. “Why is that, Queen Kate?”, Teddy asked, unable to help himself. Queen Kate
nodded. “Because of this…” She waved her hand and in the distance, Teddy saw something come into view in the distant sky.

He had no idea what it was it looked like a star flying towards them. Closer and closer it flew until Teddy could make out what looked like horses. Closer
again and Teddy could see they were not horses but reindeer, and they were pulling a very magical sleigh. “I don’t believe it!” Teddy whispered.

The giant sleigh continued its approach towards them until it gently touched the ground and came to a stop literally right beside where they sitting. “Your
majesty, how are you, my treasured friend?” Santa beamed at them, his nose starting to glow red from the cold.

Queen Kate flew and came to land on his soft white cuff. “Very well indeed, Santa. And you? You must be exhausted! How did it go this year?” Queen Kate
and Santa chatted about the deliveries and the fairy dust Santa had used.

Teddy knew he was staring open mouthed but he could not help it. And then Santa spoke directly to him!

“Teddy, come here beside me… My very good friend Queen Kate tells me you have something to ask me.”

Teddy flew nervously over, landing right beside Queen Kate. He felt so very small next to this world-famous giant man. Teddy told Santa what he had been
wondering about.

Santa scratched his beard and said “Hmm… it has been a very long time since I have been asked this question. In fact, only one fairy has ever asked
me this before…”. As he said this, Santa glanced at Queen Kate. ‘Wow’, thought Teddy. ‘Was he talking about Queen Kate?’

Santa continued to speak. “And I told that fairy what I will tell you: Christmas is a time of endless magic and there is nothing on this earth more magical
than a fairy. I do not possess the magic to grant wishes, fairies do! And that is the reason we work so closely together.

You see, fairies collect some very magical Iridescence dust all winter long and deliver it to my workshop every Christmas Eve… it is this special
fairy dust which helps me to deliver all the gifts to all of the children all around the world. You help me do my job with your fairy magic…
so you see Teddy, it’s you fairies who grant Christmas wishes and I make sure they are brought to humans all across the world.”

“Wow, I never knew we had such an important role to play”, Teddy laughed. Santa said “No, a little fairy named Kate did not either, but look at her now,
spreading magic and wonder all over the world.”

Queen Kate smiled at Teddy. “I wanted you to meet Santa and I also wanted you to know this… never stop asking question, never stop seeking answers.
Tonight on the square you got embarrassed and stopped yourself. You are a shining light of curiosity and some of our greatest achievements and discoveries
have come from curious fairies. I am proud of you and your endless questions!”

Later as they waved goodbye, Teddy turned to Queen Kate. “So, Queen Kate, why is it that we fairies have to go to visit our stars every New Year’s Eve?”

Queen Kate laughed out loud. “That’s another story entirely, Teddy! Let’s figure it out together as we fly home” she said – and they chatted all the way
home.

Teddy continues to question lots of things and has recently started a new job in Fairy Valley – he is the Chief Investigations Officer at the Fairy Discovery
Centre. Perfect, don’t you think?