When we think of fairies, some of us will automatically think of Tinkerbell. While this interpretation isn’t all that off track, there are more to fairies than their depiction in children’s movies.
In this article, you’ll find out everything you ever wanted to know about fairies, including:
- what fairies do for fun,
- good vs. bad fairies,
- the lifespan of fairies,
- fairy abilities,
- and more!
What Do Fairies Do For Fun?
Fairies have a surprisingly long list of things they do for fun.
Fairies love warm weather. Ironically, their favorite holiday is Christmas. This is the time of year when they are frequently flying around your house and trying to make their way inside to keep warm.
Fairies are prone to getting cold, but they love the Christmas season because of the decorations—they especially love the tinsel on the Christmas trees.
So, what do fairies do in the winter?
This might come as a surprise, but fairies actually love winter, it is considered their season.
Their small and fragile nature would make you think that they should probably head south for the winter, but that just isn’t the case.
Fairies rule the winter season, and a part of me wonders if it’s because the ice and snow is so shiny and sparkly.
Fairies usually sleep during the day and come out at night. This makes winter the perfect season for them.
The days are shorter, and there are usually more hours of darkness for them to be awake and causing mischief.
Fairies do get very cold, their toes can turn into squares and their wings can freeze if they don’t have shelter.
If you are concerned about fairies this winter, you might want to put an iron horseshoe above the entrance just to be safe.
Fairies love wildflowers and plants. They can grow plants of any species in any area and they often use wildflowers to accessorize their clothing.
Even though they love plants, some plants can be poisonous to fairies. Flowers are safe, so if you want to lure a fairy into your home, the best idea is to use a freshly cut flower from your garden.
Another thing that fairies love is playtime. They love to play and this isn’t all that surprising since they are so similar to a child. They love playing so much that they will sometimes reveal themselves to children and play with them.
Last but not least, fairies love music. Whether it is listening to music, making music, or dancing to music they are absolutely obsessed with it.
If you commonly sing in the shower or play music in your living room with the windows open, you are sure to attract a fairy.
Fairies and Sparkly Things
Fairies are extremely attracted to sparkly things. This probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise since fairies are always being associated with glitter and sparkles.
It doesn’t matter what the object is, they love anything that sparkles or shines in any way, shape, or form.
They also love jewelry, especially diamonds and crystals. As long as there isn’t any steel or iron in the jewelry (we’ll go into why later), there is a fair chance they will steal it.
Fairies are fascinating creatures. While many of their hobbies and interests were somewhat predictable, there is a lot of information about fairies that many people aren’t aware of.
Whether it is how they have children or their aversion to iron, there’s so much to know about fairies!
What Is A Fairy?
We all might have different perceptions when it comes to what we think of when we think of a fairy. Like I mentioned before, there is so much to fairies than what we see in children’s movies.
The term fairy can be used to describe various types of mythical creatures, specifically in European folklore. Fairies can also be used to describe a supernatural type of spirit.
In rare instances, fairies can even include goblins and gnomes.
The fairy folklore might be common in Europe, but they are widespread all over the world. From Ireland to Germany there is really no way to pinpoint where they originated.
Fairies have been included in religions for years. In Christianity and Pagan belief systems, fairies are cast as angels and demons.
Good Vs. Evil Fairies
Are All Fairies Friendly and Helpful?
The belief that fairies are friendly and helpful isn’t necessarily wrong, but the intention of fairies can differ greatly.
Good Fairies
Most fairies are witty, long for affection, and love to party with the fairies and beings that they love.
There are some types of fairies who are incredibly helpful and will guide lost people home as well as do their chores throughout the night. If the fairy in your home truly cares about you, they will often go out of their way to bring you gifts.
Mischevious Fairies
On the other hand, there are very mischievous fairies. These fairies don’t guide the lost travelers home—instead, they lead them to get more lost.
They are known to taunt and play games with animals. If your cat is hissing in the night or your horse doesn’t sound too happy, a fairy might be pinching them.
Evil Fairies
Last but not least, there are dangerous and evil fairies that you want to avoid at all costs.
These fairies have had various names in the past because people were terrified of saying their names out loud. These fairies won’t get a traveler lost, they will lead them into an area that will kill them.
These are the evil fairies that will most likely steal your baby. It is known that some fairies will steal babies simply to play with them or to give their offspring a better life.
However, there are many fairies who will steal a baby solely to cause harm.
While it can be hard to figure out which fairy is which, you should never take a gift or a favor from them.
Fairies always expect something in return whether they are good or evil, and you don’t want to take the chance of accepting a gift from an evil one.
Are Fairies Dangerous?
Today fairies are known as being more mischievous than dangerous, although they are capable of being both.
Before modern medicine, fairies were considered to be extremely dangerous.
It was believed that fairies were the cause of various sicknesses which were hard to cure.
The most common illness blamed on the fairies was tuberculosis. Back in the day, some people claimed that tuberculosis was caused by the fairies forcing couples to dance all night, therefore restricting them from getting proper rest.
Other than tuberculosis, fairies were also blamed on causing birth defects. Throughout the middle ages, birth defects were considered supernatural and were heavily scrutinized in religions.
Many religions claimed that children or pregnant mothers were touched by a demonic fairy, causing the defect.
How Can You Attract A Good Fairy?
Fairies can be evil, but the majority are kind and helpful.
If you would like to attract a fairy as a friend, there are a few steps you can take.
For starters, getting rid of any iron is a must. Fairies will not go anywhere near a home that has iron in or around it.
Cleaning up your home and making sure that it is very tidy and sparkly is also a must. Fairies love cleanliness and organization.
Leaving something out such as milk, cream, water, or cake can make them feel welcome.
Fairies love cream—they can’t resist it. When they consume cream they get intoxicated and a bit out of control.
This even includes their flying skills, so you might want to keep an eye out if this happens!
Fairies love shiny things like nothing else. Leaving out some jewelry or a disco ball is a great way to draw them in.
If you leave out a disco ball and pair it with some happy music and low lighting, you are almost guaranteed to bring a fairy into your home.
Fairy Dislikes
Why Do Fairies Hate Iron?
The most common practice in keeping evil fairies away is to leave an iron horseshoe above the entrance.
Some might believe that this has to do with the symbol of luck, but it actually has more to do with the iron.
Fairies are allergic to iron, but it won’t kill them. It makes them feel really sick and the smell is overwhelming to them.
In a lot of folklore, iron can be used to block magic which might explain why the fairies dislike it. Losing their abilities makes them feel unprotected.
What Else Do Fairies Dislike?
We know that fairies dislike iron, but there aren’t too many other things they dislike. Fairies seem to enjoy quite a bit and are relatively positive in nature. However, there are a few things that fairies dislike and will definitely avoid.
Fairies love cleanliness and hate clutter. If your home is dirty, cluttered, and disorganized, there is no way a fairy is ever coming near it.
In general, fairies will not be found in areas that are like this. You won’t find them in alleys near trash cans or landfills.
Bells are something that fairies don’t like unless it is their own. A lot of people associate bells with fairies and there is a good reason for it.
Fairies make their own musical and shiny bells that make them happy. Most bells are made out of steel (a byproduct of iron) and make harsh sounds that resemble an alarm clock, so they don’t like that.
Finally, the thing that fairies hate most is being looked in the eye. Fairies believe that you can gain control over them by staring into their eyes so they will avoid eye contact at all costs.
Lifespan of Fairies
Do Fairies Age?
Fairies seem like the type of creature to be immortal and never age. Unfortunately for them, they actually do age.
Elder fairies sometimes replace themselves when stealing a baby because they want to live out the rest of their years in comfort being loved and taken care of by a human.
The way fairies age is quite different from a human. Fairies don’t show any physical signs of aging.
They don’t get wrinkles, they don’t grow any grey hairs, and they don’t suffer from any illnesses that an older person might experience.
Similar to most magical creatures, fairies aren’t subject to the same illnesses and physical deterioration that many beings experience during a lifetime.
However, fairies are not immortal and will eventually die.
There is some controversy on whether or not they die from old age, as fairies can live for thousands of years.
Fairies don’t get ill, but can be injured and can die simply from blood loss. If you are dealing with an evil fairy, killing them might not be too hard, but trying to catch them will be nearly impossible.
Do Fairies Have Babies?
Whether or not fairies have babies is probably one of the most controversial topics in the world of fairies.
Many have claimed that fairies do not have reproductive parts, and therefore cannot mate.
On the other hand, fairies are known to have two sexes but the majority are considered female. One of the major aspects of the fairy lore involves something called the changeling.
A changeling is a small creature or baby fairy. Fairies love children and babies. They will often steal them and leave a changeling in the human baby’s crib.
This part of the lore is so common that fairies must be able to have babies, or there would be no good explanation on how a changeling is born.
It is thought that fairies believe it’s better for the changeling to be raised by humans rather than fairies themselves. Human milk is required for a fairy child to grow strong and healthy.
It isn’t hard to tell the difference because a changeling looks very different from a human baby.
They have been said to look sick and are very small in comparison to a human child. They can sometimes have beards, long teeth, pointy ears, and are often very intelligent.
Physical Qualities of Fairies
Wings
Depending on which lore you look into, fairies have two wings. The wings of a fairy have been described as being similar to a dragonfly or a butterfly.
However, the majority of the folklores surrounding fairies claim that fairies don’t have any wings at all. Most believe that fairies flew by means of magic and didn’t require any wings to fly.
Wings in folklore are used to represent higher realms of existence, which would explain why many stories do use wings in their descriptions of fairies.
Size
Fairies do not all look the same. They do share some similar characteristics, but they all look unique in their own way. Fairies are small and only stand at 3-inches-tall.
They also have a very pale, almost transparent bodies that are incredibly light.
Clothing
They are known to wear a cape that is usually red and a green or grey cloth that is sometimes decorated in wildflowers.
The color of the cape varies greatly depending on the lore, but for the most part, they are wearing grey with some sort of armor.
During some sightings, fairies have been described as wearing shoes but barefoot in others.
Complexion
They are almost always beautiful, resemble a human with their facial features, and are usually female.
It’s believed that all fairies have green eyes. Each lore has little differences and details, but for the most part, they share these similarities.
Abilities of Fairies
Like most magical creatures, fairies have incredible abilities. They have wings which make them able to fly and they are incredibly fast. One of their most prized abilities is their ability to fly.
Fairies are so small and light that they can land on raindrops or drops of dew and it won’t break.
This is really beneficial for them because it makes sneaking around and stealing sparkly objects very easy.
Fairies love flowers and often cover their outfits with wildflowers. One of my personal favorite things is that fairies can actually make flowers bloom.
Other types of vegetation can also be grown by fairies. They can grow huge plants in almost any type of environment.
This seems like an odd ability, but they can use the vines and thorns as weapons if they need to.
The good fairies have the ability to heal those who are broken, wounded, and ill. Whether it is a cut, a broken bone, low energy levels, diseases, or just feeling down in the dumps, fairies have the ability to make you feel better.
One of the somewhat controversial abilities of fairies is their strength and durability. It is said that fairies are stronger than humans and can take more injury without being uncomfortable or hurt.
However, fairies are fairly easy to kill if they are caught. While it does make sense that they are incredibly strong, it is unlikely that a 3-inch fairy could physically hurt a fully grown human.
Related Questions
Besides Iron, How Can I Keep a Fairy Away From My Home?
While a lot of people want to have a fairy friend, most don’t and for a good reason too. If you can’t tell the good from the bad, it is better to take no chances at all.
Fortunately, fairies dislike a lot of things and can be deterred with different methods.
Sugar and salt are one of the most interesting ways to keep a fairy away from your possessions or your home. You would need to sprinkle salt or sugar around your home to keep them away.
What makes this option so interesting is that the sugar and salt won’t hurt them, in fact, fairies love sugary sweets. The sugar or salt is merely a distraction.
When a fairy comes upon a pile of salt or sugar they must stop and count every single granule one by one before they can move on.
Outside of iron, wildflowers are the most effective. Marigolds, primroses, four-leaf clovers, and St. Johns wort can be placed around your home.
While these methods aren’t as powerful as iron, fairies won’t take the chance of coming near them.
Are Fairies Invisible?
There is a lot of talk on the forums about whether or not fairies are invisible.
However, their skin is almost always described as bright and almost transparent. In general, fairies can choose how they would like to be seen by human beings.
As we know, fairies do have the tendency to sneak into your home and cause mischief. For the most part, we have no idea.
Fairies love to sleep during the day and cause mischief at night. This doesn’t necessarily prove that they are invisible, it just means we might be missing them.