To illuminate your festive season solar Christmas lights are an excellent choice. You only have the initial outlay of buying the lights and solar lights do compare extremely favorably to the traditional type of lights. Once purchased all the running costs are free so the savings over the years will be considerable.  Solar powered Christmas lights are not only a gift for your garden and all the visitors that enjoy the resplendent display, but a great gift to the planet during the holiday season or any time of year. .

Christmas Solar Lights

If you live in a cold climate you may be thinking but how can a solar Christmas light work in the winter? However when you think logically about it you will realise that even in the depth of winter we actually have ample sunlight to power lights. The sun is of course important and even in the depth of winter we have lots of natural sunlight, also the amount of power needed to run solar outdoor Christmas lights is not enormous. Plow and Hearth have some stunning Xmas lights that come with Rechargeable NiCad AA batteries as solar lights often do -just in case-. A battery operated standby gives you peace of mind but makes sure you have a clear conscience with regards to your energy use, as it really will not be needed except in the most unusual circumstances.

Nowadays you can get most styles of lights in the solar option; Lowes has a superb range of solar post lights so whether you want the style of vintage Christmas lights or cutting edge highly contemporary solar L.E.D Christmas lights there will be something to suit your taste. Check out QVC if you think a 7 pc Solar Powered Stake Snowflake is the novelty style you are looking for. Whether you want a waterproof rope of outdoor string lights, or a stunning 100 light net of colour to set your party alight don’t overlook the solar Christmas lights clearance that may be happening right now in your local store. Remember when bargain hunting some times it is better to get your purchases out of season, so always keep your eyes peeled and check out the end of range or sale items when the season is not current.

All Year Round

You may want your lights to be used all year so for subtle touches of Christmas greetings you may choose something like solar stake path lights which can be left in place all year long. Another option is to choose a light with a subtle message such as an angel design which you can find at a store such as Menards. Lights that will not look out of place at any time of year are a good investment and it’s amazing what a little bit of tinsel can do to change the look of a light. Most of the stores you associate with good quality lighting will have all the lighting you require, so even if the solar option is not available do check it out even for 12 volt or cordless options, you may well be surprised.

photo credit: Creative Commons

The wording of Christmas card messages can convey either a general greeting or a more personal festive message geared to a particular person. You will often look more at the picture on the front of the card than the words inside when you select your Christmas cards; this could reflect the fact you have so many to purchase. When you select your cards for birthdays or other occasions the chances are you put a lot more thought into the actual verse inside as you are only focusing on the one person. It is always a good idea to start purchasing your Xmas greeting cards well in advance to ensure that each person gets the time and thought put into the card that they deserve..

You may find you overlook the Christmas greeting card messages when you purchase boxed sets for general distribution and to be honest when selecting cards for the children to hand out to all in sundry at school the Christmas message probably is not high on your list of requirements. You are probably popping the first funny cards you find at a reasonable price into your shopping basket and rushing to the checkout to pay. There are lots of occasions when a generic “Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year” are in fact more appropriate than a personal greeting. However some cards will need to have a great deal of thought put into them to ensure the Christmas greetings you select are suitable.

Business Christmas Cards

For business you will almost certainly have a diverse client base to satisfy, the chances are you will invest in printed Christmas cards and the verses
will have to be significant whilst fitting the corporate image. As such they will probably have to be fairly ambiguous, anything too religious may offend the sensibilities of other cultures which you certainly will not want. It is however possible to ensure your holiday card messages get the Christian or spiritual theme across in a way that will touch most people. Christmas is a time of hope and with the New Year promising fresh starts Christmas card sayings that reflect a theme such as hope is an excellent idea. Have you considered inspirational quotes to convey your message or for the more creative companies Christmas poems written by or for your company will convey the exact message you require.

Family Christmas Card Messages

When considering which card to choose for an individual family member don’t forget that what suits one will horrify another so your Christmas card message is as important here as ever. There are so many ideas nowadays and nothing delights like a personalised card bought on line. For babies first Xmas you can upload a picture of the little onto the website and the resulting card will become a family keepsake to treasure. Think about when the children were small do you have any pictures of the first nativity play they were in? You could recreate your own nativity scene using photographs of the family, or upload a picture of great aunt Gladys so it appears she is driving Santas sleigh. With new technology you can make each card and the greeting inside special to really make your card stand out from the rest.

Photo by Sarah Parrott **Courtesy of flickr.com

Have you ever heard of or considered Caspari christmas cards? As the season approaches and you are looking for Xmas cards a respected publisher of quality cards with a reputation for reproducing the classic works we have all come to know over the years is always good to explore. Well respected established artists are certainly not to be overlooked when making your seasonal card collections to spread joy across the miles. With an insight into greetings cards spanning the past sixty years, whether you need simple Caspari note cards with an elegant feel or simply Christmas wishes collected from museums around the world, you cannot go wrong with Caspari, a company that has grown in reputation and style since 1945

A Fine Art

Continually working with the same European suppliers and printers from the original collaboration a Caspari christmas card shows fine art at its best from the classics to contemporary artists. Drawing on religious themes to a more modern holiday greeting a Caspari boxed Christmas cards inspired by collections such as The National Gallery or a range of outstanding private archives and collections really give your cards that individual designer feel. If you are considering business Christmas cards to stimulate the imagination of your client base then look no further for classic art. Caspari Christmas cards, on sale in good card shops, stationers or your local news stand will always be received well.

Before Making Your Decision

However before you make your decision do not forget to look up other reputable companies such as Crane who have a good range of Christmas greetings backed up by reputations for serving the eminent to the ordinary. From producing the paper that announced the Queen Mothers 100^th birthday celebrations, through to Hollywood stars and the man in the street, the 100 percent cotton stationery made by Crane & Co. has helped to form the greetings industry.

William Arthur is another one of the finest makers of luxury stationery, who have a classic range of single and boxed greetings for all occasions backed by a reputation gained over 60 years of trading.

If you like to donate to worthy causes whilst sending greetings then look at UNICEF a charity focusing on the needs of children is close to all our hearts and what better time of your to consider the less fortunate than at Xmas? With so many natural tragedies affecting so many corners of the globe in recent years UNICEF does fantastic work.

Lang may only have 28 years or so in the greetings card industry but again they certainly have cards for the most discerning buyer and no search is complete with out a look at the inspired and very fine offerings Lang have to offer.

Of course Hallmark is a name we all associate with cards, whether wholesale greeting cards, electronic cards or personalised cards sent direct to the home of your loved one from the website. With a 100 years of expertise and a growing portfolio of ideas to keep abreast of the new technologies available today, please be sure to thoroughly peruse the we website.

Here you have a selection of really amazing caspari cards:

Caspari Holiday Cards, “Holiday Decoupage” Design, Box of 20 Christmas Cards with Envelopes $18.95	Caspari “Madonna & Child With Two Musical Angels ” Holiday Christmas Card, Box of 20 Cards with 20 Envelopes $15.31
Holiday (Christmas) Greeting Cards: Winter Snow Scene with Pine Trees and Cardinals: “Season’s Greetings”	City Holidays – Christmas Cards $12.79
Caspari Holiday Cards, “Red Cardinal” Design, Box of 20 Christmas Cards with Envelopes $18.95	Caspari Embossed Holiday Cards with Red and Gold Pepperberry Wreathe Foil Stamp Design, includes 10 cards with 10 envelopes $16.28
Afghan Hound, Poodles, Schnauzer Cats Christmas Cards $18.00	Madonna and Child for Christmas; 20 in box
Birman Himalayan Kitten Christmas Cards $13.00	Caspari 2008 Embossed Holiday Cards with Three Wise Men Foil Stamp Design, includes 10 cards with 10 envelopes $29.99
Caspari Holiday Cards, “Holiday Decoupage” Design, Box of 20 Christmas Cards with Envelopes $18.95	Caspari “Madonna & Child With Two Musical Angels ” Holiday Christmas Card, Box of 20 Cards with 20 Envelopes $15.31
Holiday (Christmas) Greeting Cards: Winter Snow Scene with Pine Trees and Cardinals: “Season’s Greetings”	City Holidays – Christmas Cards $12.79
Caspari Holiday Cards, “Red Cardinal” Design, Box of 20 Christmas Cards with Envelopes $18.95	Caspari Embossed Holiday Cards with Red and Gold Pepperberry Wreathe Foil Stamp Design, includes 10 cards with 10 envelopes $16.28
Afghan Hound, Poodles, Schnauzer Cats Christmas Cards $18.00	Madonna and Child for Christmas; 20 in box
Birman Himalayan Kitten Christmas Cards $13.00	Caspari 2008 Embossed Holiday Cards with Three Wise Men Foil Stamp Design, includes 10 cards with 10 envelopes $29.99

Have you ever considered using personalized Christmas stockings for your family?  You can buy Christmas stockings, make your own Christmas stocking set utilizing various handcrafts, or order custom personalized Christmas items.

What are some of the personalized stockings Christmas enthusiasts love to unpack?

For little children, a fancy knit may not make their eyes grow wide, but if they are a fan of Disney princesses or heroes, perhaps Disney Christmas stockings would be the perfect choice for them.  Then again, many children enjoy something handmade that appeals to their sense of thrift (yes, many children do have this sense!) and personalized Christmas stockings needlepoint can create may allow you to use up scraps from their babyhood blanky or favorite dress or hat, perhaps even quilted – a cheap yet satisfying present.  Lillian Vernon also offers kid-friendly personalized products and you would be wise to check there too in your quest for a personalized Christmas stockings sale.

If there is no personalized Christmas stockings sale near you, yet you wish to make a personal Christmas gift for a member of your family who appreciates the finer hand-worked gift, consider a monogrammed Christmas stocking.

If you make your own Christmas stocking, you get to choose the style and type

If you have a green thumb in the family who doesn’t get too excited about the joys of needlework or embroidered gifts, perhaps a “garden Christmas stocking” of an item from the Pottery Barn could make a jazzy surprise – for instance, a pair of outdoor cushion covers, stuffed with gifts such as a nice pair of garden gloves and some fresh packets of seasonal seeds?  Pottery Barn Kids also has a wide offering of products which would be ideal for a Christmas gift, either a custom personalized Christmas gift made extra-special by you after purchase, or a careful selection from the high-quality products they have for sale to find the perfect gift for your loved one.

Christmas stockings of many sizes and shapes for stuffing with little goodies

If you haven’t got the time to customize a Christmas stocking or other gift in time, consider Things Remembered, a place for all things personalized according to your specifications.

Then there’s LL Bean for a gift which would suit any man, woman or child who is interested in adventure.  What about a backpack for a child, used as a Christmas stocking this Christmas and thereafter serving as a regular day pack for the child?  Whether for school or for holidays, world travel or just a sleepover, a good backpack is always an appreciated gift.

Pets

Anyone who has a dog or a cat knows that the pet is a member of the family, and for sure they would also need a personalized Christmas stocking too!  Personalized pet Christmas stockings can be made or bought depending on your preference, and range from a chewable toy that your dog can go at with great gusto on the day (perhaps saving more precious gifts that may be left around the home from being adopted by Fido!), to lush velour velvet personalized Christmas stockings for the most pampered pooch or princess cat on the street.  So you can ensure every member of the family has a Christmas stocking custom-presented just for them – what a joyous way to bring in the season!
photo credit: Creative Commons

If you like the traditional Christmas angel tree topper to pass down the generations and give unlimited joy to your family, you may want to consider Swarovski, who make an annual collectible crystal Angel ornament which is very beautiful as part of the Christmas collection. There are also several regular Christmas ornaments, so for a tree that really sparkles, this may be your choice. Each year they come out with just a few unique ornaments with the year engraved on it.

Establishing Traditions

You could even add new crystal Christmas angels each year, perhaps with crystal snowflakes to also hang amongst the branches. It would leave quite a spectacular collection for your family to share out and would ensure your children and grandchildren had a vintage Christmas angel or other crystal decoration each, to carry the tradition of the Christmas tree angel long after you after you have gone. What a wonderful way to ensure the traditions you started are long lived and your memory becomes a mainstay of the festive season as the tale is retold year after year.

Crafting Christmas

Of course Christmas tree toppers may not have that significance in your family and for you it may be more about using your craft to ensure a new and different cute Christmas angel adorns your family tree each year. You may prefer to make a Christmas star for the top of your tree or any number of other ornaments that you connect with the festive time. It’s amazing what an old egg box a bit of glue and perhaps some tinsel can transform into, and with the range of craft materials in the shops a truly professional finish is easily achieved. You can download Christmas angel patterns to make toppers or Christmas greeting cards to keep the children busy in the run up to the festive period, perhaps writing there own little poems to really personalise the card.  Of course it will all have to be sprinkled with glitter, which you will still be finding in the spring clean.

Alternative Ideas

Be different and daring with the Christmas angel banished to yesteryear and the Gothic or Emo angel taking pride of place. Have a Kylie or Lady Ga Ga angel dancing in your festive season. Or why not dress the tree all in black, with silver lights glittering away. Be a little risqué and have a red Christmas angel to set the tree alight, or perhaps try popping a baby Christmas angel into the Nativity crib. Or why not forgo the traditional tree in favour of an eco solution such as reusable Flat Pack Plywood Xmas Tree; a truly effective and terribly adult alternative, or perhaps a recycled cardboard Christmas tree may be more in your field of vision. There are no hard and fast rules, and if the traditional way is not for you, bring out those Christmas bells and ring in the changes as you set the trend for your very own imaginative ideas.

Amazing 15″ Angel Christmas Tree Topper

Sprinkle a little magic with this 15″ animated, fiber-optic angel. Synchronized movement with wings, head and arms.

Price: $24.99

Photo Courtesy of CreativeCommons

If you are looking for Christmas plates, whether it is to eat your Xmas dinner off or to add to your collectables or decorate your home, you will be almost certainly looking for something a little unusual or spectacular. Royal Copenhagen Christmas plates are one of the many manufacturers you will probably encounter; decorative dinnerware really says something about your style and to eat off luxurious plates like these is really a rare treat.

To be able to present your guests with amazing food is only one aspect of dinning, to have a truly beautifully laid table full of the most wonderful china tableware is often out of the reach of the average family, so why not start now and begin your collection and lay the foundations of your Xmases to come on the tables of the next generations?

The Classics

What about classics such as Spode Christmas plates are well known and the Christmas Tree plate has got to be such a universally recognised festive pattern, you have probably encountered it along the way. My children adore my center piece plate in the range but they did not realise there is a full range of tableware, all with the beautiful tree and presents. You can purchase just the place mats or gravy jugs and anything in between so if you are looking for a full dinner service to build up over time for a family Christmas table, this enormous range will have something to suit the fussiest eater and will fascinate the children and adults alike.

The Rare, The Popular & The Affordable

Bing and Grondahl Christmas plates have been around since 1895 and are highly sort after; some are extremely rare and really are an investment that only serious craft collectors would contemplate. You can start your collection for a lot less though and if you love the blue designs many auction sites will have affordable platters to adorn your festive table. B & G Christmas plates price ranges are right across the board and really can be an affordable way to begin a collection if you shop online with care. A Copenhagen Christmas plate is certainly a great place to start your collection. Bing and Grondahl was merged into the Royal Scandinavian Group in the late 1980’s; Royal Copenhagen continues the production of many of the most popular and adored Bing and Grondahl collectibles.

A Bareuther Christmas plate beautifully hand-painted with pink flowers may not be your idea of the classic Xmas plate, but G. Johl, the artist, has written on the back “Christmas 1956” so if you do not want the fir tree scenes and are looking for something vintage, more eclectic and in keeping with the theme, this type of Christmas plate may be more to your taste.

A Hummel Christmas plate collection is another superb range often depicting angelic children in various poses that really will delight and add festive imagination to your home. The sets are extensive and a real treat to buy the collector as gifts each year. The beauty being that the prices do fluctuate from year to year so there will always be an item in your price range.

There are also plate sets with themes such as The 12 days of Christmas, these timeless classics look beautiful year after year as they come out of the attic to adorn the walls or sideboard in the dinning room. This year just don’t settle for the paper plates and dishes, but of course do have a fine stock of them in the cupboard, just in case you really do not want to trust the visiting children or tipsy adults with your very beautiful china.

Photo by Le Petit Poulailler **Courtesy of flickr.com

If you are looking for novel Christmas tree toppers to give your tree that wow factor crystal Christmas party decorations may be on the expensive side but for a one off statement for the main focal point of your decoration, such as a Christmas tree topper it is well worth the investment as with care it will keep indefinitely and you will be able to pass it down the generations.

Decorations as Gifts

Angel tree toppers, for Christmas presents are also good ideas as you can really invest some money and thought into the article in much the same way you would a piece of jewellery. The important factor is that it is a keepsake to be used again and again whether it is glass or gold. It does not have to be an Angel of course tree toppers for Christmas trees reflect personal taste, so you may want to buy your loved one an old Disney fairy or other character that will grow in value as it brought out year every year to be the talking point unique to the family tree as they all grow up in its presence.

Do it Yourself

Handmade Christmas tree toppers are another idea to keep the children occupied in the run up to Xmas and Grandma will delight in getting out the Christmas tree toppers, stars fairies and ornaments the little ones have made over the years. Try Michaels a store that have a great range of art supplies and ideas to consider. You may want a country Christmas theme and ideas from the simple angel or bow to the resplendent finial are all available if you look hard enough. Western tree toppers such as rusty tin stars can be made at home, taking care with the safety aspect if it involves the little ones and will bring out the cowboy in you all. Macys is another store worth looking at for ideas on Xmas decorations

New Traditions

Whilst angel Christmas tree toppers may be the standard fare that most of you immediately think of to pop on top of the Xmas tree, with a little imagination and creativity you could start the new family trend by doing something a little different. You could ensure that your ideas go down in history and the seasonal rituals you thought up and instigated will live on in the family for many generations to come. Don’t be limited by convention, introducing new concepts that update the theme or add a new aspect to your family traditions all adds to the sense of belonging.

As we Grow

The teenagers may well be cringing at the Christmas photos and homemade decorations as they are revealed each and every year, but once the embarrassing years are passed they will love the rituals associated with the festive season and happily pass on the established traditions. The family Christmas video will also one day hold fond memories for you all with your old fashioned outfits and hairstyles, so make sure you collect all the memorabilia over the festive seasons to play back on those precious moments when you are together again. Some faces may not be present but the sadness of the passing will be replaced by the joy the new additions to the family bring.

Photo: CreativeCommon Results (Black Market Antiques)

If you are considering vintage Christmas lights to adorn your home this winter, your head may well be full of the romance of recreating displays from past eras. As you look through the old Christmas photos and see the shinning examples of real candles with actual flames adorning Victorian fir trees, you will probably dismiss this idea as a dangerous impractical solution for your home and you will be correct. Can you imagine the ensuing carnage of having real flames on your tree? Please do consider the insanity of such an idea and look to alternative solutions. There are some effective electric candle lights that look good and will certainly conjure up the image you require for the Christmas video. There are a number of highly practical aspects you will need to consider before you splash out on your old fashioned accessories or purchase your retro Christmas party decorations as well as any indoor or outdoor string lights or any other type of lighting.

Vintage Christmas Tree Lights

You will probably be scanning old photography collections for classic ideas for
old style vintage Christmas light display ideas. Safety has to be your first consideration though and if you are scouring garage sales/yard sales or car boot sales if you are in the UK for original or antique lights you have to be realistic about safety. If you intend to use electrical items you must have a professional check them out for safety. In the case of vintage outdoor Christmas lights you really would be insane to even contemplate such an idea without completely replacing the inner electrical workings of the lights. Consider this additional expense and factor the cost in to your purchases.

You will also need a good supply of vintage Christmas light bulbs to replenish your lights. Remember the modern day lights operate in a totally different way to the old style classics and if one bulb blows you will lose all the lights, so do discuss the options with your qualified electrical contractor to establish what you will need. If a totally new electrical refit means you can use modern replacements you will be in a better position to maintain your display.

Reproductions or Collectables

There are reproductions around so if you are looking for a particular style like vintage Christmas bubble lights it is worth seeing what is available. Take a picture of what you want to achieve shopping with you. Sometimes you can find alternatives that will still give you the required ambience without all the hassle. It may be a more practical solution to collect used non electrical original decorations, like the classic Christmas bells that have the art of the era with none of the dangers. You may find your interest in collectable decorations for the festive period becomes a hobby as your knowledge grows and your interest in the rarer and most collectable items becomes your focus. Older decorations are extremely fragile and often complex in design and home made from cotton or maybe delicate glass. They require a lot of care when being handled and stored. Do not be tempted to pop your best ornaments on the tree if you have a cat that likes to explore the branches or your visitors have unruly children.

Photo by Wonderlane **Courtesy of flickr.com

If you are looking a the possibilities wholesale greeting cards offer and are prepared to buy in bulk there are many companies out there that will be able to meet your needs. We are all aware of the offerings of companies such as Hallmark who really impact with thoughtfulness for all occasion cards. Nowadays with the electronic card personalising our choices so easily, purchasing cards is not always an easy option.

How to Approach Buying in Bulk

When looking for greeting card wholesalers, it’s a good idea to start on line and check out exactly what is available before rushing into any decisions. There are many wholesale greeting cards suppliers around, most with a web presence. Leanin Tree has a fantastic range to assist you in gleaning ideas. Most companies do have a wholesale section, but to get significant discounts you may well need to be purchasing a large quantity with some regularity and will almost certainly need to be a registered company. However we all have to start somewhere and trading relationships like all relationships are built slowly and on trust and reputation, so it’s always good to get your foot in the door. It is a good idea to have some fixed ideas before you approach wholesale greetings cards companies. Think about the size and type of card and paper you want, maybe papyrus is a word you have never previously heard of but if you are looking for paper types it will become part of your vocabulary. Research tends to pay off so get busy.

Business Christmas Cards

If you intend to send out a large quantity of the same card, approaching a wholesale greeting card company seems a logical thing to cut down on expense. You can also have printed Christmas cards made in bulk for your company showing the company logo. A large print run only requires the one lot of art work and set up which is a large part of the costs involved. If, however, you want Christmas greetings without the personalisation, it may be much more cost effective. Business greeting cards are important to express your thank all year round and blank cards are often a good idea to suit any occasion and can double as invitations if you have an in house printer to personalise the wording on the inside of the cards.

Specialist Subject?

For more specific areas such as African American greetings cards or perhaps cards to express sympathy, a boxed selection containing a few ranges is best. Cards suitable for Christian events, or other religious festivals such as Eid, or Passover are good investments to keep tucked away for when needed. Current Catalog is a website worth checking out to investigate what is out there and if you are looking for a UK company try searching on wholesale greeting cards UK or select the country you require to pop on the end of your search term. Remember that most people like to share their knowledge, so when approaching companies do not be afraid to let them know you are new to this area and need assistance.

Photo by wikimedia commons

There was a time when outdoor string lights were quite a novelty item only seen in shops and Christmas light displays, or maybe on exotic holidays. Nowadays outdoor string lighting is a popular attractive and effective choice that you see everywhere and it is very accessible to the average person without breaking the bank. If you are worried about energy and in this day and age we all need to conserve energy and protect our planet, try solar string lights. Outdoor entertaining at night using the suns rays collected in the day should relieve a little of the guilt. No matter where you are on the globe, you should be able to make use of exterior lights without compromising your principles.

Light Up Your Life

When you think of areas where you have seen outdoor string lights, restaurant, bar, or patio will probably spring to mind, or you may associate them with Christmas. As outdoor dining becomes more popular and you tend to invite guests to languish on the patio rather than in the dining rooms, you will want to find ways to make your outdoor areas more comfortable and inviting. Try coupling an outdoor string light with some candles, or tiki torches as the combination of the lighting can really change the ambience of the area. Pier One always have lots of brilliant ideas for outside entertaining so do check out the latest ranges. Bed Bath and Beyond also have a fine range of outdoor lanterns to compliment any garden yard or patio area.

Safety First

If you want to string Christmas lights outside in any weather but particularly in winter when rain or snow are much more likely, make sure to read the safety information as often you have to keep the transformer indoors or in a waterproof container . It can be easily done if you have a box or small table to put the transformer on, plastic is good to avoid the box drawing moisture from the ground up and then a simple bucket to cover the whole thing. Tree lights will also often need extension leads so again be particularly vigilant and ask for advice from the store when purchasing.

Lowes have a good range of smaller novelty string lights, but if you are looking for hanging lights for a large garden, you may have to go to a specialist lighting store. Bed Bath and Beyond do have a small range of party lights though. Bamboo lights are really effective outdoor patio string lights, and look good in most environments, be it cafe or patio. Pottery Barn have some really lovely items that could complete your theme, be it indoors or out.

Rope lights always look good indoors also and can have a really dramatic effect and make all the difference to a room wherever they are used. They are not just the domain of Christmas or youngsters bedrooms, so consider a string of rope lights around a mirror to add interest and reflect light. If you have an outdoor mirror, again this is a splendid idea for maximum effect.

Photo by Egan Snow **Courtesy of flickr.com