A Holiday Tree Devoted to the Faeries

Once upon a time, I used to have a Faerie tree.

Every Christmas at my first apartment, I would decorate my tree with cut out paper ornaments of Brian Froud faeries that I meticulously cut from an extra, paperback, falling apart version of Faeries that I rescued from a yard sale. The tree had dried mushroom ornaments and white lights. And then I lost the faerie ornaments, life moved on, and every now and then I would remember that tree and think “I need to make a Faerie tree again.”

Well, dear reader, now I have. Presenting my newest Christmas tree at Catty-Corner Cottage, my Faerie tree. I had a picture in my head for a couple of years now of a tree perched on top of this carved wooden stool in the Dreaming Room, with a ladder made from sticks and moss leaning against it so that the non-winged fey would have a way to get into and out of the tree as well. (The ladder was inspired by a photo in a Martha Stewart Living magazine I saw a while ago and filed away in the ideas corner of my noggin)

The tree is covered in tiny little glittering white stars, small iridescent bubble baubles, gilt pinecones, a ribbon to look like openwork moss, and a set of four phenomenal hagstones made by my friend Desiree that look straight out of a Brian Froud troll artwork (or off a Brian Froud troll tail, more specifically). And of course then there were the faeries, cut from cardstock meticulously (using small pointy craft scissors) over the course of a couple of nights. They feature artwork by Brian Froud, Wendy Froud, Arthur Rackham, and John Bauer.

I’ve never had this sort of experience with decorating in a tree in all my years of doing so. It really felt like the faeries were telling me what to do. First, the stars went up, and they just looked so delicate and perfect. Then I tried to put a ribbon trim I had bought for the tree on there, and the faeries instantly said “ehhhh it’s pretty, but…nope.” I tried a different ribbon and they emphatically agreed. The hagstones went on next, and I had to exhale quickly when I saw the result and how it brought so much earth fey magic to the tree. Just what it needed. Then a few ethereal bubbles. Next I had planned on putting little lightweight styrofoam “rocks” covered in moss at the base of the tree, but the faeries knew better. They wanted them in the tree itself, and the mossy rocks glittered in the lights on the tree. Then it was time for the fey, with all of their different personalities. And let me tell you, they all knew where they wanted to sit in the tree. I would try one spot and then another, and they’d instantly fall out. When I found their right spot, they stuck into the tree like glue.

The artwork next to the tree is in a lovely heavy frame. It’s this artwork by Sulamith Wulfing, (click to see the art) which really shocked me because I don’t care for most of her work as it seems too cutesy. But this Santa looked more like John Bauer’s work to me…like a Santa troll out to deliver gifts to all the different faeries. I love this artwork, and thought the faeries of the tree might as well.

The tree topper is a fairy star (that’s actually the legit name for a seven pointed star) made by my friend Erica Mann from twigs and moss. I’ve had it for a little while, and it was absolutely made to be used for this!

I am not afraid to say that I am super proud of this tree and absolutely in love with how it turned out. (As you can tell from the many photos, each faerie wanted to say hello) I hope you find it inspiring, and maybe even try creating your own tree for the Faeries to celebrate the holiday season and feel welcome in your own home.

If you make it through all the photos, there’s also a video tour of the tree at the end!