The Pumpkin Fairy: a little Halloween magic

It is Halloween, a time of magic and enchantment, and one of the busiest times of the year for witches and fairies, as we all know! Among them is one wee little fairy who is particularly excited. She is the Pumpkin Fairy.

You see, the Pumpkin Fairy has a very sweet tooth; she ADORES candy and chocolate. But there’s a catch: she only gets to enjoy these delicious treats once a year, on Halloween night, when children share their sweet treasures with her. And in return for their generosity, she always leaves something special behind...

Our family tradition on Halloween night is to go trick-or-treating, dressed in our finest witches’ and wizards’ costumes, with candy baskets in hand, just like everyone else. My children watch with delight as their baskets fill with all sorts of sugary treasures — the kind of treats they only get to enjoy at this time of year!

I must admit, I don't always find it easy to turn a blind eye to the amount of sugar they devour that night (and in the days that follow!). But several years ago, a dear friend introduced us to the Pumpkin Fairy, and she has been part of our Halloween celebrations ever since.

When we return home from trick-or-treating, my children spread their sugary treasures across the table and admire them as if they were rare gems. I kid you not! 😊

But when bedtime comes, something magical happens. They carefully select a handful of treats from their precious mound and place them inside the pumpkin we have carved the day before.

We light a candle (replaced with a safe LED tea light for the night), write a little note to the fairy, and leave everything on the windowsill for her to collect.

The Pumpkin Fairy is delighted by the children's offerings. And to thank them, she leaves a little something special in return: perhaps a tiny toy, a set of crayons, a beautiful crystal... and, of course, a sprinkling of fairy dust.

It's such a lovely tradition. My children wake up full of excitement, eager to discover what the Pumpkin Fairy has left behind. And I find a little comfort in knowing that some of those sweet treats have disappeared into the fairy realm!

A little pumpkin magic at Big Scrub Nature Play

Every year, we gather with our forest school community to transform tiny pumpkins and gourds into enchanted fairy houses, creating little homes for magical visitors and letting our imaginations run wild.

Would you like to join us? Come along on Friday 30 October at Noosa Botanic Gardens and be part of this much-loved tradition!

Will the Pumpkin Fairy visit your home this Halloween?