Fantastic Friday: Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor

I’ve always loved imagining the fantastical within the realm of everyday life. As a child, I became intrigued by The Dark Crystal¸ a movie in which a main character harbors hidden wings. For several months—if not years—I checked my back every morning to see if my wings had sprouted yet. I’ve always been fascinated with the outdoors and with cultures who believe in fairies and other mythical beings. I suppose as an author, I’m attuned to imagining possibilities beyond the ordinary.

In my Internet wanderings, I came upon an interesting article about a phenomenon in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where tiny “fairy” doors have been showing up in homes and stores. These are literally tiny fairy-sized doors. Some of them even contain windows allowing us to see inside.

My favorite part about the phenomenon is that children have been leaving little gifts for the fairies, including coins, drawings, and other trinkets. It makes me happy that the adults who own and build these stores still see the need for magic in the world. The article referenced above features a video that explains the doors a bit:

I’m not sure what a fairy door would do in terms of resale value, but if I ever have to renovate a wall in my house, I may just see if any fairies want to put in a door or two. Realtors may cringe, but that type of magic is priceless.