Merry Christmas everybody!

A long-tailed tit features in this Christmas card designed by Sue Waddicor for the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)…

I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas with a few of my favourite festive cards from charities this year. I sent out the one above to many people – and I received the same one from someone else, too. It’s a lovely long-tailed tit in a berried wreath – the berries look like mistletoe (very translucent like pearls) and perhaps snowberry (Symphoricarpos). And the leaves are a bit autumnal, very appropriate with our British winters starting later and later these days. See the RSPB website: rspb.org.uk.

Then there are my favourites from the cards I have received…

Peeking through the snow – a card from Blue Cross For Pets

Although cats and wild birds don’t mix, I like this card anyway. It’s from Blue Cross For Pets, who have been dedicated to helping sick, injured and homeless pets since 1897. Their website is www.bluecross.org.uk.

Penguin festive greetings for the WWF, photographed by Joe McDonald/Steve Bloom Images

I would like to think the penguins are the three “kings”, but they may be the larger “emperor” penguins. Anyway, a great image and whenever I publish a penguin picture I get lots of unjustified hits on my blog! The WWF (formerly called the World Wildlife Fund) website is www.wwf.org.uk.

And finally, we have had quite a few “12 Days of Christmas” cards this year…

British Heart Foundation Christmas card…

Gold and black variation on a theme… another card from the British Heart Foundation

The British Heart Foundation website is www.bhf.org.uk.

Card from Diabetes UK…

The website for Diabetes UK is www.diabetes.org.uk.

12 Days of Christmas card from Barnardo’s…

I like the way that last card looks like a lot of postage stamps. The Barnardo’s website is www.barnardos.org.uk

And since Christmas Day is the first day of Christmas, let’s all sing together The 12 Days of Christmas (which is explained in great detail on Wikipedia)…

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!

Merry Christmas everybody…