Two important developments on the Christmas Magic front this year.

First, Oliver’s first baby tooth fell out while he was asleep on Christmas Eve, perhaps the result of the vigorous carrot-eating bing he’s been on courtesy of orders from Don the Dentist. This meant a visit from Santa on Christmas Eve and a visit from the Tooth Fairy on Christmas Day.

Catherine had a book of “baby teeth practices from around the world” at the ready for this moment and so Oliver and I learned that in many places in the world the custom is to throw the tooth on the roof or to bury it in the ground.

Second magic came just after Oliver went to bed on Christmas Eve: a horse and wagon with bells clopped down the street in front of the house, creating a very effective illusion that Santa was in the neighbourhood. Kudos to the downtown horse people for their assistances in this regard.