BCSS Macclesfield & East Cheshire Branch

Newsletter December 2006 - Something for Christmas?

As Christmas approaches there are several methods to acquire just the sort of present you wanted from your nearest and dearest. First, there is the direct, up front, in your face approach —

"This year I would like a ... for Christmas. I know where to get one so I’ll call in, buy it, and you can give me the money."

A bit crude, and really not very nice. Another technique is hint dropping, bemoaning the fact something or some things you’ve always cherished or found very useful has died, become outmoded, got broken or is finished. If the bemoaning is done regularly with the correct intonation and amount of wistful sighing it could well secure the present you wish. It might also help to announce that early in the New Year you will be saving up for such and such a thing. Hinting need not be verbal, one can assemble a collection of newspapers and magazines containing adverts for your desired presents, open them at the relevant page and leave them lying around. If you are seeking several presents and are not sure of the donor’s budget this requires a lot of publications lying around and makes the place very untidy to say nothing of the outlay in getting them all. A variation on the non-verbal hint technique is to watch the television and when you see an advert for something you really want, to suddenly sit bolt upright and look as eager and interested as possible but don’t say anything. The final suggestion I’m going to make is to find a publication that describes a number of gift suggestions pertaining to your particular hobby and just leave that lying around with the items you’re particularly interested in ticked or highlighted.

Some nurseries offer gift vouchers and one of those would allow you to buy the choice plant you’ve always wanted or perhaps to replace the one you’ve just killed. A gift subscription to one of the specialist Societies might be nice. There are lots of books to choose from,too, the New Lexicon might be a bit pricey but there’s a nice new John Pilbeam/Bill Weightman book called Ariocarpus et cetera just published. It covers much more than Ariocarpus and can be ordered through the BCSS or from Keith’s Plant Books. It costs £35. If a few pots and bowls are what you need then Philip Barker might be just the person to supply them. Perhaps the ultimate in presents for the cactophile (or succulentophile) who has everything is some kit I saw advertised in Kakteen und andere Sukkulenten, the Journal of the German Society, described as special cactus tools. On offer are padded mitts and a range of padded tongs for handling, padded slings for lifting, inserts for easy removal of plants from pots, dusting brushes, stepped trays to lay the plants out on, and more! If you want to know more go to http://www.goldiflora.com.

I hope you all receive just what you wanted.