Let's have a street party - just a little one!

Around the world today people celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day. Although there won't be as many street parties as one might have envisaged at the start of this year, the fairies will be partying up and down the country in small celebrations in our gardens and fairy villages.

VE day or Victory in Europe Day commemorates the surrender of Germany towards the end of World War II and the end of fighting in Europe. The war was a time of many horrors and deaths in many countries on both sides. It is particularly sad that it came so soon after the end of World War I and that many people lived through one war to face another horrible war.

The fairies and magical community were deeply saddened by both wars and although it was not their fight they could not help but be greatly affected by the death and destruction. Although they could not take sides in the conflict, they resolved to help good-hearted people, particularly children, by giving them hope and some joy in wartime. That is why so many stories of fairies were popular around World War I.

When World War II began many fairies were so sad because they knew so many would lose their lives. Some fairies asked the Fairy Queen if they could help and it was agreed that they could turn into nurses to provide care for the wounded and sick. However, to become nurses these fairies had to become human; they had to give up their wings and their magic. Every year the fairy community honours the sacrifice made by these fairies with a street party on the anniversary of VE Day.