A real fairy tale of a job

Grace McMillon-Caires says she can become a fairy godmother when she gets older. Photo / Greg Bowker

For Grace McMillon-Caires, being a fairy just makes sense.

"I love to perform, I love children and I love characters and face painting and magic," she said at her east Auckland home which doubles as the base for her small business, Fairies Inc.

Ms McMillon-Caires, who has a background in theatre and make-up artistry, fell into the fairy business about five years ago, but she never imagined it would become a fulltime operation. After working the odd party word-of-mouth spread to the point where she became inundated with bookings and realised she needed a few extra pairs of wings to help her out.

"It's grown into this amazing business that I never thought would be a business.

"I thought it would just be a thing on the side until I decided what I wanted to do for a living and apparently being a fairy is what it is."

Transitioning from Grace, mother of one, into Fairy Grace, the magical creature, requires a pre-party preparation which begins in the car on the way to the job.

"There are a few things I need to do mentally to prepare. I think about the little girl or the little boy whose party it is and I try and engage with what the mother's already told me about their child.

"I have to start the voice in the car before I get to the party because [adopting a higher pitch] you've got to talk in a very high pitched voice like this, you can't go in with a normal voice," she said, laughing.

The key to the illusion is making sure the children don't see her in her normal garb, which means parking around the corner from the house, putting her wings on out of sight of the party. When Ms McMillan-Caires arrives as Fairy Grace, the response is immediate.

"They are over the moon and they don't really know what to do with themselves. They either squeal with excitement or they stop in silence and are stunned."

That reaction is the best part of the job, she said. "[To see] their little faces smiling ..."

Ms McMillan-Caires said she wants to keep performing as long as she can, but running the business has already meant she's had to scale back her party appearances.

"It's exhausting but I don't want to leave it, not yet. I don't think I look too old yet.

"I'll keep going for as long I can get away with it, which I guess is forever - I can turn into fairy godmother when I get too old."