The tradition of the tooth fairy dates back to Anglo-Saxon beliefs about the powers of baby teeth and many families carry on the magic today with new traditions like Tooth Pillows.
The practice of giving money started with the Vikings, who would pay children for lost teeth that were worn as good luck charms in battle. A play by the name of The Tooth Fairy in 1927 cemented the traditional North American myth and the vision of the Tooth Fairy as a creature similar to Tinker Bell. The world-famous collector of incisors and cuspids has been studied at length by professor and Tooth Fairy Museum founder, Rosemary Wells.
Today, the practice of children leaving lost baby teeth under their pillows in the hopes of receiving a dollar or two is very common. In 2013, a survey conducted by Visa found that American children receive an average of $3.70 per tooth. That’s pretty steep when compared with 66 cents in 1984. Many parents are looking for other ways to make this time in their child’s life exciting, without having to shell out big bucks.
As an embroiderer, you can make the experience of losing baby teeth even more special by creating a Tooth Pillow. Some very wise tooth fairies have realized that finding a child’s tooth, in the dark, hidden under a pillow on which a child is sleeping isn’t particularly easy. But, a decorative pillow with a slot for the tooth (and some coins!) is the perfect solution.
With our Embroider Buddy® Home Collection pillows you can quickly and easily create a tooth pillow with a simple design and small amount of additional fabric to form the tooth pocket. And you don’t have to stick to the simple tooth design. This is an opportunity to get creative. Maybe try a hungry tooth monster or simply decorate the pillow with the child’s name or initials.
What are your tooth fairy traditions?