A childhood belief about father christmas

My parents told me and my sister that in the month before Christmas fairies were sent to live in the house to make sure we were being good, ensuring our good behaviour for a whole month. It was a different fairy each year, like fairy snowflake, fairy holly etc. We put out Ribena and biscuit crumbs in our dolls house tea set and the fairy in residence would always eat it! My parents were finally rumbled when the fire fairy was in residence. My mum said she had long red hair as one might expect but upon independantly interviewing my Dad he said she had short red hair (which lets face it would be more practical if you're dealing with fire all day). My sister and I smelt a rat and I'm afraid after that it was curtains for Father Christmas as well.