ABOUT THE
BOUGHKIN
The existence of the Boughkin is documented in virtually every culture in the world though they are called by many different names. Sprites, fairies, nymphs and nature spirits are some of the more common names. Dryads are specifically related to Oak trees, Hamadryads are theorized to only live as long as their tree and the ancient Greeks called the Boughkin of the mountainous regions The Oreads. The term Nymph, by the way, is gender specific to the female fairies. So tuck that in your hat in case you ever meet one.
Of course all of the names and theories about these creatures comes from humans. And we all know that humans know very little about the little folk. SO, let's set the record straight.
OPEN YOUR MIND
Throughout God's creation there are layers of mystery and wonder. The more we search, the more we find and the more questions we have. So is it any wonder that an entire magical world exists right beneath our noses? Why not? It exists above our heads, under our feet and beneath the waves!
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BOUGHKIN
Pronounced "Bow-kin" (bow as in 'bow down' not 'bow and arrow') with the accent on "bow". No matter what humans call them, the Boughkin call themselves Boughkin. It's interesting to note that they describe themselves as part of the fairy folk which makes them different from humans in some very important ways. Don't worry, we won't leave you hanging. Let's roll up our sleeves and get into the nitty gritty about the Boughkin!
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A SPECIAL PORPOISE
The main difference between humans and fairies (aside from being much smaller) is that fairies have missions. By that I mean that they were put on this Earth for a clear purpose, unlike humans which have to start out completely clueless and then find their purpose which sometimes involves a porpoise, which the porpoises appreciate. Really, they do. The Boughkin, as you probably know, are here to watch after the well-being of the trees, assist Santa Claus with Christmas duties related specifically to their own family and help the family in general.
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ALL THEM ELFY THINGS
The first thing people (who haven't read the Christmas Wish Tree) want to know is what does a Boughkin look like. Well it seems that humans have got that part mostly right. They have slightly pointed ears and dragonfly-like wings but from there, appearances can vary. The Boughkin's skin is kind of like human skin though in spots where they form calluses (like the bottoms of their bare feet) their skin will look like bark. They don't smell because they don't sweat. Like many animals they cool off through their breathing. They are only as sensitive to heat or cold as their tree would be (which is not very much). Because of this, their clothing is sparse. Females usually wear a simple one piece dress and males; a pair of breeches and a vest. Wings are used only to assist them in short flights or for getting in and out of trees thus, they are not that large. Of course Boughkin have a completely vegetarian diet (need you even ask?). They live in their trees, or in the cases of families of Boughkin, the trees of the patriarch (father or grandfather). Otherwise their family arrangements are a diverse as humans.
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DEAD AGAIN
Legend would have us believe that tree fairies die when their tree dies. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. The fact is that the Boughkin are not tied to the life of their tree. Except in the case of Meisters (see below), when their tree dies they move to another one close by or stay with the patriarch until other arrangements can be made.
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THE WIDE WORLD
Boughkin are completely in touch with most of the lives of modern humans. Though Boughkin children may be new to human gizmos and gadgets, adult Boughkin have been around and know how the human’s live. Boughkin don’t have much use for cell phones, cars and the like so they don’t bother learning to use them, but they know what they are and why they are important to humans.
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STRANGE RELATIONS
It's important to know that Boughkin only live where there is are humans that celebrate Christmas. They stay with that family no matter where they move, even if it's somewhere with no trees. In such a case they will take up residence in and around any available plants. The only time a Boughkin will leave a family is if they do not celebrate Christmas for two generations. In that situation an unusual thing occurs. The patriarch will suddenly get an irresistible urge to migrate. The family of Boughkin will follow and they will be guided to either a human that has begun to celebrate Christmas or to join another Boughkin family whose workload is excessive, as in the case with apartment buildings.
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HITCH AND GET ALONG
Yes, Boughkin do get married but the arrangement is an unusual one from the perspective of humans. The eldest female will marry the eldest male provided she is agreeable and the male isn’t a Meister. They are then the parental figures, caring for any younger Boughkin who appear. Boughkin do not possess the physical attraction that humans have for each other. They stay with their family forever unless they have received a Celestial Assignment.
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RANDOM MANDOM
Boughkin come into the world as babies when a tree sprouts and grows to a certain age (depending on species), AND it is on a property where a human celebrates Christmas.). The gender of the Boughkin appears to be entirely random.
Sometimes people have larger trees planted in their yard. If the tree came from another property (where they celebrate Christmas) then the Boughkin stays with the tree and joins the new Boughkin family. If the mature tree comes from somewhere like a nursery, where there are no Christmas celebrations (advertising and marketing doesn’t count) a Celestial Assignment takes place (see Celestial Assignment).
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MISTER MEISTER
Meisters are the elders of the Boughkin. They are very old, often hundreds and even thousands of years. At a certain point dictated by nature they begin to age significantly and they know that their final years are upon them. The tree they are with will be their last one and when the tree dies, so do they. At that point the next eldest male becomes the father figure and the elder officially becomes a Meister. If the Meister is married, his wife also becomes a Meister.
Meisters have the choice to stay with the family or move to their last tree. Most of them choose to move. It gives them the opportunity to pick their ideal tree and enjoy their remaining years, though most of them stay relatively close to the family. Some Meister couples have been known to choose the same tree so they can be together until the end. However, some Meister couples have also been known to get as far away from each other as possible. Meisters have all of the Boughkin’s abilities plus the power to perform small miracles.
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CELESTIAL ASSIGNMENT
Celestial assignment occurs under the following conditions: 1) When a human who has not celebrated Christmas begins doing so. 2) A mature tree without a Boughkin is planted on the property where a human is celebrating Christmas.
The best way to explain Celestial Assignment is to not explain it. It just happens. A mature Boughkin who is part of a normal Boughkin family will suddenly get the irresistible urge to travel. Often times an animal will just show up and provide transportation. The Boughkin explains their uncontrollable desire to their family then says their goodbyes. They arrive shortly after the new tree is planted, typically after the roots have taken, and become part of a new Boughkin family. Sometimes, they are the first Boughkin, starting a new family.
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POWERS
When God makes somebody he doesn't leave them in the lurch. He equips them with what they need to get the job done. To accomplish their purpose Boughkin have been given the ability to communicate with the animal kingdom, affect the health and well-being of plants and even manifest minor miracles (like the creation of a Tannenbaum wish). They speak all human languages and can commune with inanimate objects by touching them, to determine their history. This power gets stronger as they get older.
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YOUR BOUGHKIN
Congratulations, you have made it through alot of words to get to this point which is usually where most people begin asking, "Does my family have Boughkin?". The answer is a question: Do you celebrate Christmas?
If your answer is yes then, you have a Boughkin family.
If not the the answer is no, but - don'tbe sad. There are other friends you have from the fairy realms who are there to help. But that is a story for another day.
The next question normally goes something like: blah blah... "How canIi tell how many Boughkin I have?"
Answer: How many trees do you have? Now this may seem easy to some. If you live in a house in the country simply count the trees on your property. If you live in an apartment, hotel, duplex, city type situation then count the trees inside and outside of your building, AND...also count the trees on your block. If you livce in a swamp, under a bridge, in a car or in a nuclear wasteland don't worry, if you celebrate Christmas you also have Boughkin.
SO, HOW MANY BOUGHKIN DO YOU HAVE? One per tree on (in) your property or block. One per every three plants (regardless of their size). One, and only one if there are no trees or plants or dwelling of any kind.
In the latter situation you probably have a Ranger Boughkin. These only operate solo, in the harshest conditions and are given special powerrs to help them deal with their extra workload. The powers of the Ranger Boughkin include extreme speed, bigger wings that can fly them long distances and a whistle call that can summon animals to them.
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NAME GAME
Okay you'ce figured out how many Boughkin you have, now you want to know their names. Well it's time to put your science hats on people - Boughkin are named after their first trees. If you know your Grand Fir from your Sycamore then the next step is easy. Remember those trees you just counted? What kind of trees are they? There are your names! Oh, but it;s not quite so easy. What if there are two of the same kind of tree? Well, one of them is older, even if by a few minutes. how do you tell? Well, unfortunately you don't. But don;t think it's so easy for the Boughkin either. Even they have a hard time telling so what they do is call the bigger tree 'Senior' and the smaller tree 'Junior'. What do they do when there are more then two, you ask? Well the twoi eldest are Jr and Sr and the rest get nicknames like Scrub, Spike, Hedge, Shaker, Red, Patch, and the like. The nickname usually has something to do with a trait. For example 'Red' might be because that Boughkin's tree turns a bright red in autumn. 'Patch' would distinguish that Boughkin because their tree has a large piece of missing bark. So, you ask, how would you know what these nicknames are? Well, because they often come from humans. Boughkin will take up the names given to them by humans. So if you plant a tree and call it 'Bob' then you'll probably have a Boughkin named Bob (quite an embarrassing name for a Boughkin).
DO NOT call a Boughkin by their scientific latin name. First off, scientific names are created by human scientists and have nothing to do with Boughkin. And secondly, it's like someone calling a human "Homosapien". It's just weird.
The best thing to do is to find out what kind of trees you have, that way you can be sure of your Boughkin's real names. For that there are many resources. Start with your country's tree specialists. Here are some links:
UK: Woodland Trust
EU: Trees of Europe
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MORE
This guide is a basic starter for those who are newly aware of the Boughkin. There are always more questions, which is a wonderful thing. If you have more questions about the Boughkin please feel free to correspond with me through my human liason by email or by connecting via social media at the provided links below.
Thank you for your interest in our kind. I look forward to a long and prosperous association.
Yours,
A. Service
Grand Meister