Last Christmas Gill and I decided that we would not send out Christmas cards, not because we were feeling skint or lazy but because we felt there was something better we could do and so we did, this year we intend to do the same again and several people I have spoken to are also intending to do the same this year. Each year there are goodness knows how many millions of Christmas cards sent around the country alone each is then dutifully displayed for a few weeks before being (hopefully) recycled but how much money has been spent on buying and posting these things, how many trees were cut down, just for a pretty picture for a few weeks. So last year we brought a couple of goats from the alternative gift catalogue, we wrote a short news letter and emailed it to all those we would normally have sent cards to explaining that we had spent the money on goats instead (we printed a few to send to those for people who still dont have internet). It was done in such a way that people could print it and have a picture if the wanted but people still knew we were thinking about them. This was not a money saving exercise, in fact we probably spent slightly more than we would have on cards because we felt it was important that we still used that money but for something so much better. So this year I want to encourage you to do the same. You dont have to but goats (we might not this year) there are loads of things to chose from starting at just a few pounds and going into the thousands. Just think if everyone you know did this instead of cards how many less trees would come down, how much less landfill would be used how many more people less well off that ourselves could really benefit. Go on give it a go!