[Lindy]

Hi Teri,

I would like your permission to use a photograph of one of your carvings to put on my Christmas cards as well as use the following quote from you as an insert into the card.

"Known by various names around the world, “Santa� has become a timeless legend - the magical gift-giver whose only limit is our own imagination. But as with many legends and stories over time, it did start with a real person. He was St. Nicholas, a bishop in the early Church. Many of the details of his life are hazy and all sorts of legends and myths are intermixed with truth. But we do know that he was born the only child of very wealthy parents in the year 280. His parents died while he was young, and he inherited their great wealth. As he grew, he felt led to enter the ministry, studied for the priesthood and was later appointed bishop while still a very young man.

One day, he heard of a poor family with three daughters who had already reached the age to marry. But no men were willing to marry them because their father was too poor to pay their dowry – a very important custom in those days. Nicholas filled three pouches with gold and, under cover of darkness, went to their home and tossed a pouch through the window of each daughter. When the family woke the next morning, they were filled with joy by this mysterious gift, and the daughters were able to marry and go on to have their own families. That, my friend, was a very cool thing Nicholas had done.

From this first secret visit of gift-giving, and through many more stories like it, rose the legend that unexpected gifts come from St. Nicholas - from which rose the custom that Christmas gifts comes from St. Nicholas. The legend continued to grow with the help of human imagination: his name would change as the legend spread to other cultures; a writer gave him some reindeer; a cartoonist gave him a red suit and pipe; another artist gave him a workshop of elves to help prepare his gifts. We’ve each added our own dreams and imaginings to the legend of Santa and it’s fun to do – no matter how old a child you are.

But at the core – under all the dazzling images that make us feel like wide-eyed children again - remains the simple story: an orphaned boy who gave his life to God and helping others in need. THAT, to me, is cooler than much of the glitter we’ve added over the years. And it’s sure a nicer thing to honor than many of the folks whose names have been engraved into our lives and calendars over the years.

It is all and as simple as that - through my art, I try to express my own vision of Santa: the spirit of hope: of kindness, compassion and giving. It's my hope that each new fellow I create embodies that same gentle spirit, yet adds his own personal story to the legend that is Santa.

Do I believe in Santa? You bet I do."
Quoted from Teri Embrey

Please let me know how you feel about this?

Thank you and Merry Christmas

[Teri Embrey]

Hi Lindy - thanks for such an honor, really. Of course it would be okay with me, as long as all the appropriate "copyrights" are included, and as long as you send ME one, too! Contact me by email (carvingdreams@aol.com) and I can provide you with a higher-quality photograph than is available on my website.


Thanks, Lindy -

Teri

[Lindy]

Thanks for being so generous. Email on its way.