Festive cheers!

In pursuit of inspiration about what to do about the annual festive deadline/card/mailing/donation quandry, I decided to see what they're up to in Japan - one of the bastions of global design, typography, food etc. I thought. So next I tried Googling "all natural enlightened treehugging festive season" instead, which yielded much more inspiring results.

In fact if you're looking for worthy causes or an award-winning idea for next year, visit treesforfree.org wins Gold Clio Award at Miami for Environmental Design!, to see how it won a Gold Clio for Environmental Design last year! And also how all cultures have worshipped and honoured trees though the ages: http://treesforfree.blogspot.com/

Somehow arrived via this route into Richard Dawkins, Saudi Arabian blog: some hilarious and scary imagery - http://forum.richarddawkins.net/.

Perhaps ponder on this while you're decking the halls:

Trees are a lot like mothers.

They only give selflessly without expecting anything in return. They nourish, they shelter and they nurture. They're always there to listen to you. You can hug them anytime you're feeling low and know that they'll comfort you. You can turn to them anytime, and they'll never disappoint.

Through the changing seasons, they remain grounded in reality, thus inspiring us with their example to remain equanimous through the ups and downs of life.

Quite like mothers who dish out delicacies from seemingly ordinary ingredients, trees too produce fruits and medicines and flowers and leaves from mere dirt and decaying matter.

Trees, like mothers, have the limitless capacity to provide for children other than her own. Be in an ant or an elephant, a tree knows no distinction. It just provides everything it can.

Trees, like mothers, love unconditionally. An angry person who throws stones at a tree will only get a soothing shower of flowers and fruits in return.

Sacred groves were the origin of the temples, whose columns were initially trees, and later of the Christian churches which still evoke it by the alignment of its pillars, the semidarkness within it, and the soft coloured light that filters through its stained glass windows.

Let's hear it for the tree!

Wishing you beautiful, creative, fun-filled, meaningful and multicultural festive seasons and the same for 2010!

PS Dear Santa, what I really want for Xmas is a Sharlto Copley action doll [and a t-shirt, lunch box and keyring if possible] and for everyone in South Africa to benefit from District 9 merchandising rights. And please say sorry to the Nigerians. Is that too much to ask for?