Members of the Ojibwe Native American tribe invented the Dream catcher hundreds of years ago to protect their loved ones from nightmares. They believed the handmade charms possessed the power to change one’s dreams by catching nightmares in the web’s strings. Dream catchers can take on endless shapes and patterns. Many are made with beads and tiny stones, intricately woven throughout the middle section, creating a variety of beautiful designs.

Lately, dream catchers are not used for the purpose of ensuring pleasant dreams but as a fashion statement. They are hung on key chains or in car rearview mirrors, fashioned as earrings or even used as hair extensions. The dream catcher pattern also coincides with very popular indie trends circulating throughout our world today; the feathers and leather give off an earthy vibe reminiscent of a dreamcatcher’s Native American roots.

Although dream catchers can’t serve the purpose of filtering one’s dreams while you are awake, they look cute dangling from a purse or headband.

Marlborough should invest in purchasing dream catchers for all of its students, so the nightmares girls encounter about bad grades and failing tests won’t clutter their dreams.