Being partially Irish, the sidhe or fairies permeate the culture. To this day, roads are built around bushes or holes in the ground because they are allegedly home to the fairies. Allegedly, the wee folk were the original settlers of the British isles before the thundering hoards invaded. However, every culture worldwide have fairy legends, going as far back as ancient Greece and Rome. Fairies are traditionally a creature, most often tiny, but can also be extremely tall. In most cases, they are human like and posess magical powers. They are known for their mischief and prankster nature. Fairies have been blamed for sudden death of both people and animals, tuberculosis and other troubles. Most folklore talk about ways to avoid getting on the wrong side of a fairy-cold iron, wearing clothing inside out, even bells. There are stories about human babies being kidnapped and a changeling left in its place. The origin of the fairy is clouded by the mists of time. Some legends have them as spirits of the dead, others consider them to be elementals, even as angels.
Today, we are familiar with fairy godmothers, Tinkerbell and the Tooth Fairy, which are generally harmless, ususally helpful critters. Some other well known fairies include the banshee, which foreshadows death, and the fairies of Avalon which are interwoven into Arthurian legend. Midsummer (the solstice) is when according to legend the fairies are most active.
Fairy in a jar
Glow sticks
Mason jar
Glitter
Scissors
Cut open a glow stick and empty the contents into the jar. Add glitter. Put a lid on it and watch it sparkle and glow.
