SheepShopping: Christmas Time

SheepShopping Tip

I am a plush toy sheep myself. I know where to find new plush friends.
And of course I know where and when to find new sheep. In all forms.

There are several periods in a year when it is extra beneficial to get out and shop for sheep. The Christmas period is one of them.

Christmas is about the celebrating the birth of Jesus. Officially. But most people just take the opportunity to celebrate with the whole family, give presents, decorate the Christmas tree and have luxurious dinners. Still the relegious aspect can be found in almost any home. Angels, Christmas stables, you name it, it's there.

Since all those people wanting to have nice Christmas decoration, shops sell them as well.

Christmas stables

A good Christmas stable includes shepherds and sheep. You can buy them at the big department stores or home decoration stores. Those are mainly the standard stables.
But, the more interesting stables - and thus the more interesting sheep - can be found at different stores.

In third world aid shops or Fair Trade stores (for the Netherlands, see Fair Trade winkels) you can find Christmas stables from all around the world. Columbia, Mexico, Peru, Indonesia, India, South-Africa. You name it. Exotic sheep are always fun and it is socially concious as well! Another advantage: they usually also have very cheap and fun miniature stables (made out of tin cans, calabash or coconut fibers). You won't see those anywhere else.

Of course you can find your flock of sheep also in some more specialized stores. Like those with only Mexican or South-African products and art. And art galleries might have their own Christmas stables, it might be a bit pricy though. Just look around.

The disadvantage of Christmas stables is you will have to buy Mary, Joseph, a couple of wise guys and an ox as well to purchase your sheep. Purchasing the complete Christmas crew can become pricy. So what to do? Be patient. The week after Christmas they are put in the sale. Saves you lots of money.

Christmas decoration and candles

Keep your eyes open. There are designer tea-light cups with a shine-through cover with sheep, filt Christmas tree sheep, sheep molds for your Christmas bread, cakes or butter (make your own sheep for Christmas breakfast!). There are sheep chocolats.
Do not forget the paper table napkins with sheep (and shepherd) to decorate your Christmas dinner table. If you have a seventh sense for sheep (yes, seventh, since your sixth sense is the vomero-nasal organ discovered about a decade ago), you will see them everywhere this time of year.
The only disadvantage. Abundancy of sheep also means abundancy of ugly sheep... Be careful what you choose!

Christmas cards

I can't give advice on this one. People sent billions of cards all over the world. Cards with themes about Christmas, winter or New Year. And that includes sheep and shepherd, winter sheep photo's, funny cartoons with sheep. Just keep your eyes open.

Sheep

Shortly, shopping these periods can be stressful. Presents for the whole family, busy busy busy, preparing a fabulous dinner, taking care of the decoration in and around the house... Shopping for sheep can lighten you up. The Christmas atmosphere is mainly great in the shopping centres. And when you are finding some great sheep, Christmas is complete.

Should I have mentioned some great Christmas lamb recipes? Hmmm.

Youssouf's Guide to SheepShopping

Isla Margarita in 2001

I have been traveling for quite some time.
In May 2001 I needed a small break and decided to go for a week to Isla Margarita.
A small island with sandy white beaches a few miles from the coast of Venezuala.

If you click on the map, you get a bigger map so you can take a closer look. The tiny red arrow is where Isla Margarita is situated.




Relaxing on a boat under the palm trees. The photo's were made with a disposable camera. The pictures are not excessively sharp... And I appear rather small on them, that's why I have zoomed a little.


I love the beaches over there.

After sipping on a cocktail, I watched the sea for hours. Really relaxing!

SheepShopping: Big Horn Sheep Etching

Sheep Pick

I came across this nice etching by Joe Abbrescia from Abbrescia Fine Art.com.
It's an etching of a Big Horn sheep.
I think it is lovely!

Product description

Etching by Joe Abbrescia.
Title: "Portrait of a Bighorn"
Edition Size: 100
Image Size: 6" x 4"
Unframed: US$85.00 (about 64 euro)
Framed: US$155.00 (about 116 euro)
Framed Size: 8" x 10"

Online

You can find the purchase info here.

This post is part of Youssouf's Guide to SheepShopping

A Different Side Of Flapser - Part IV

Icelandic Ewes

There is more than one sheep world.
Like this one. Icelandic sheepworld.

Small, strong icelandic sheep. And quite horny too... (do not read this the wrong way).

They have great names for them as well: Ghiradelli, Sveppur, Hunn and Stumpy.