Appropriate Offerings for the Fae
Because I just told you to offer things to the fae, I figured I would write up a little list of things that are good offerings. Ā One thing to note, however, is that whatever you offer them you cannot take back. Ā Unlike with (some) gods, itās not a good idea to eat things after youāve offered them to the fae, and a trinket once theirs can be traded for, but you should never just take it back. Ā Okay, with that, I give you good offerings, grouped into categories.
FOOD AND DRINK
1. Alcohol is usually good - the sweeter the better, usually, though they also seem to like all kinds of beer.
2. Juice is also good, especially if itās something a bit exotic.
3. Clean, cool water is good in a pinch, especially if itās from a well, or filtered - they donāt like water with too much fluoride or chlorine in it, which rules out tap water in a lot of areas.
4. Any kind of cake or pastry is good. Ā Also bread. Ā Really just baked goods in general. Ā And sweeter is usually better here, too.
5. Meat. Ā Yes, some fae like meat. Ā Particularly the Wild Hunt types. Ā Figures, right?
6. Fresh fruit. Pretty much anything is good, so long as itās not too bruised/shriveled, etc.
7. Honey. Ā Any kind of honey is good, by itself or drizzled on a baked good, like a piece of bread with butter.
8. Dairy products. Ā They love milk, cream, buttermilk, buttered bread, you name it. Ā Probably yogurt too, but Iāve never tried that.
TRINKETS:
1. Old jewelry. Ā Have an earring missing itās pair? Ā Excellent gift for the fae. Ā Jewelry you used to love but donāt wear anymore? A broken silver chain? Ā All good. Ā And here most people will tell you itās only okay if itās silver or gold. Ā And Iām here to tell you that most fae donāt seem to mind a little stainless steel, and nickel and copper were never a problem. Ā The problem is cold black iron, like the stuff they make railings out of. Ā Eeesh.
2. Beads. Ā Plastic, glass, resin - really anything goes. Ā Strung or single, they seem to love beads.
3. Bits of broken glass or pottery. Ā Especially if itās colored and you put it in a jar. Ā Pretty and interesting and they love it.
4. Bits of string. Ā Especially ribbon, and especially brightly colored, but twine is also acceptable, as is embroidery floss, or even hair ties.
5. Sequins and confetti. Ā These are also really quite wonderful when collected in a jar. Ā Fun shiny things are pretty excellent fae offerings.
6. Origami or other papercrafts. Ā It might just be the brightly colored and floral papers, but I find that fae like 3D papercrafts. Ā Just be careful - these cannot be left outside in the weather.
7. Hanging decorations. Ā I have a mini-mobile with a central prism that casts rainbows that they seem to like. Ā Things like that, especially with prisms, can be good offerings to the fae.
NATURAL ITEMS:
1. Pretty stones. Ā Polished or not, just make sure that you didnāt actually take these from the fae in the first place - if you collected it out of a stream or forest, did you leave an offering in return? Ā Anything you bought is probably fine.
2. Flowers and leaves. Ā I like to give bits of plants that Iāve grown and tended, because otherwise you usually get into thatĀ ādid you leave something in return when you collected it?ā problem. Ā Plants you grow you are constantly giving offerings to: care, weeding, watering, etc. Ā Sometimes I make patterns with leaves and seeds and flowers, similar to a mandala.
3. Bones. Ā Most fae like bones, whether they are bones from your dinner, or bones you bought, or bones you found - though again, if you find something, give an offering in return.
HOMES:
1. Mini decorative birdhouses. Ā If you want fae (especially smaller fae like brownies and garden sprites) to move in nearby, try offering them a decorated mini birdhouse. Ā Just be sure the birds know itās not for them!
2. Doors. Ā A lot of people sell little decorated fairy doors - these can be good, too, as long as you keep your Neighbors happy so that they watch the door for you. Ā Itās likely to become a portal to the fae realms, and not everything on the other side is friendly!
3. Windchimes. Ā Not exactly a home per se, but a wind chime can function as a sort of little outdoor altar to the fae. Ā Find one with a pleasing noise. Ā And again, they donāt seem to mind a little stainless steel, but make sure it isnāt made of cold black iron!
4. Gardens. Ā Some fae will come and inhabit a garden, or even the pots of a container garden, so make sure your garden is welcoming, if you have one! Ā They seem to especially like butterfly attractants and medicinal flowers, but for some of them any plant will do!
OTHER:
You can also offer the fae things like: a stream clean-up, reiki, visiting a wild place, or a memory. Ā It is really up to you and them. Ā This list is meant to be helpful, not exhaustive, and I recommend finding a way to get messages back from your local fae so that you can learn their particular preferences.
