AT the time of writing this column, millions of people across the UK will have already cast their votes at the ballot boxes to decide if we should remain in the European Union or if we should pack our bags and and say cheerio.

I really struggled to make a decision, because both campaigns seemed so flawed in their arguments and, let’s be honest, no-one really knows for sure how leaving might affect our everyday lives.

Fast forward to the here and now and as you’re reading this column we will, of course, now know the result of this referendum.

But, if you are sick and tired of this debate dominating every waking minute of your life, your TV screens and your newspapers, then allow me to offer you a little light relief.

NOW brace yourself....Did you know that today is officially International Fairy Day?

Yes it’s true, it’s recognised globally and celebrated all over the world.

To think, you thought the highlight of this fine Friday was either watching old Boris Johnson doing the Conga down Downing Street or drowning his sorrows in his local Gentlemen’s Club, but no, it is in fact a day to celebrate all things fairy related!

I can’t tell you how much I’m loving this chat and how utterly bonkers the entire thing is.

Please humour me for a moment though, as apparently today is a day for fairy believers young and old to celebrate the stories, magic, and history of the fair folk.

For centuries, fairies have been an important part of our Celtic culture, especially here in Scotland.

In all of the ancient legends these mythological creatures are described as intelligent, mischievous, and magical.

They have the ability to fly and cast spells, and they live in ‘Tír na nóg’, the land of eternal youth.

Some say that humans don’t often see fairies because of the division between the two worlds, but sightings can occur at twilight or during Beltane, Mid-Summer’s Eve, or All Hallow’s Eve.

In his 1904 play Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie wrote that when the first baby laughed, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and that was the beginning of fairies.

I myself feel like an honorary fairy. OK, granted a fairy carrying my fair share of holiday weight at the moment, and would require a wingspan of a big Boeing 747 to get me off the ground, but none the less a fairy all the same.

I started my career back in 1997 as the original Christmas fairy in the Moat House Hotel – now known as the Crowne Plaza – in Glasgow when I served as the Christmas co-ordinator that year for the hundreds of party nights booked in over the festive period.

I thought it was a nice touch to dress up as a fairy to greet the guests on arrival – they loved it, by the way – although maybe the free mulled wine on arrival might have helped my cause a little!

Also, let’s not forget, that I’ve played the fairy godmother in numerous pantos over the years including the Blue Fairy in the Pavilion Theatre’s production of The Magical Adventures of Pinocchio back in 2013.

So there you have it – never mind all this referendum stuff, get your inner fairy on!

International Fairy Day is the perfect opportunity to relive your childhood fantasies and celebrate the joy and magic of the fairy world.

Read a classic fairy tale, build a fairy house, or take a stroll through the woods. You never know when you might stumble across something magical and, depending on how the vote has gone today, you may indeed already have your fairy tale ending to this long referendum campaign.

I’M very excited to say that tickets are flying out the door for my one woman show Michelle McManus: Pop Goes The Idol at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.

It’s my third and final instalment and I’ll be sad to say goodbye to this wonderfully bonkers alter ego that myself and the massively talented Bruce Devlin have created over the past three years.

We debuted the show to a packed Citizens Theatre back in March and received the most wonderful reviews so I’m thinking that the festival audience are in for a series farewell party this year.

For those of you still wanting to come along just log onto https://www.edfringe.com.