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How to hold a magic wand, and other lessons from a 9-year-old P.E.I. entrepreneur

It started with a birthday party, grew through the Young Millionaires program, and now wand-making has become a long-term passion for nine-year-old Xander Vom Braucke of Charlottetown.

Xander and his mother Trine made their first wands for a Harry Potter-themed birthday party. When he heard about the Young Millionaires program, which develops entrepreneurial skills in young people, he thought wand-making might make a good business.

"It's really fun," he said, "but very messy."

He started using a glue gun, but that was slow and keeping the trigger down was hard on the hands, so he and his mother adjusted the process to use glue sticks melted in a can.

Matt Rainnie/CBC
Matt Rainnie/CBC

He called his business Wanderful Wands, and had to explain to his mother that was the way he meant to spell it.

"I love being creative and making things. I make Wanderful Wands from P.E.I. and I would like to share my love of magic with the world. Each wand is individual, no two the same," he repeated again and again to shoppers, as a part of a spiel to sell the wands at the Charlottetown Sunday Farmers Market.

"Each one opens a portal of love, creativity, magic and imagination."

The wands are made with P.E.I. themes in mind, which Xander said makes them more attractive to tourists.

  • Oak with Atlantic lobster claw.

  • Black ash with red fox whisker.

  • Hemlock with bald eagle talon.

Wanderful Wands come with a plain end and a decorated end, and Xander said he often has to demonstrate how to hold them properly.

"You hold it by the decorated part," he said.

Matt Rainnie/CBC
Matt Rainnie/CBC

He's made 125 wands in the last few months, and doesn't foresee a time when he will tire of the business. Xander's Wanderful Wands can be found at Owl's Hollow in Charlottetown or ordered by email for $15 each at wanderfulwandspei@gmail.com.

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