Tom and I arrived back to Utah today from a 7 day visit with my family in Maryland. We had a great time and, as usual, it was wonderful to spend time with my parents, siblings, and my daughter. We are all already planning our summer trip.
My mother is always really creative and thoughtful with her gift giving. This year she and my dad gave Tom and I each a gift called The Gift That Grows: Plant a Tree. They bought a leaf-shaped pewter tree ornament made by Seagull Pewter in Ontario, Canada. In exchange for the purchase two trees were planted in our behalf.
Here is the explanation of the project:
The best time to plant a tree was twenty years abo. The second best time is now. Trees provide habitat for wildlife, prevent soil erosion and help to cool our planet by absorbing carbon dioxide. Planting trees is symbolic of our commitment to the well-being of the planet. In 1993, we surpassed our goal of planting one million tress. To date, funds have been allocated to tree planting projects in Peru, Ethiopian, Kenya, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Eritrea and Burkina Faso. Seagull Pewter employees have participated in the program by planting over 54,000 trees in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Canada.
We received lots of nice things for holiday gifts, including handmade soaps, clothes and handmade jewelry from socially responsible businesses, and natural and organic food items. Aside from the most wonderful gift of being with family, it was truly one of the most inspiring gift giving events we have had because of all the thought behind the gifts.
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 