Of Tooth Fairies & Santa

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I still recollect the magic and wonder associated with my childhood when I really believed that chairs could grow wings and there were goblins and fairies at the end of the garden. Enid Blyton was partly responsible for weaving this magical world and my parents were responsible for helping me believe in magic. Every time I lost a tooth the tooth fairy religiously left me a 2 rupee note and every Christmas Santa filled my stockings generously with almost all the items I had asked for in my letter to him exactly 15 days before Christmas which was 'posted' by Mother!

Eventually I found out that Tooth Fairies and Santa did not exist but I had probably outgrown that phase so it didn't hit me too hard.

Now that I have a child of my own I try to create the same sense of wonder and magic by reinventing the Tooth Fairy and Santa. Santa is an immensely good tool to use if one wants the kids to behave, so it has its advantages for the parents as well! It has had some very difficult moments too. Once Santa had to leave money for the cycle as the cycle would not fit in his sack. Once the Tooth Fairy ran out of 10 rupee notes so instead had to leave a 20 rupee note. When questioned, I quickly invented that since the tooth was a molar it had more value! Once I almost got caught buying Santa's toy which happened to be a remote controlled car. I had to say that I returned the car as Santa was going to give him one anyway and hid the car in the boot of my car. Once I was away in France so I said Santa stuffed my suitcase full of toys as it would save him a long hard journey to India.

Till now it's worked but I think the phase where one believes anything is coming to an end but I feel that all this 'magic' truly makes us believe that life it's special and magical moments even beyond childhood.

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