... What was this from - a book, tv show, or even a real news article/MN post? Someone - maybe a mum or older sibling - would throw screwed up pieces of paper with messages on into the air so the smaller child (?) would think they were messages from God/above when they saw them fall.
This popped into my head after watching a movie (The Endless) and I can't work out what it's from! You MNers will know....