Dear readers,

    There is a blizzard outside as we speak. I woke up this morning to see some snow had already accumulated on the streets. Harsh winds blew, and snowflakes drifted along, making circles round and round as the snow layered on rooftops and landed on the thin branches of trees.

    It’s a beautiful view outside; magnificent scenery you’d only see in movies. In fact, the weather has come just in time to ignite the spirit of the holidays. A holiday market, constructed with many tents, has opened up at the square. Dozens of business owners set up shop in the tiny booths at the market, selling everything from Turkish lamps to Belgian waffles to vintage jewelry; the diversity of the city never ceases to amaze me. My favorite item, however, wasn’t anything exotic or extremely delicate. On the contrary, I adored it for its simplicity, creativity and natural roots. It was a carved nut called the tagua. The tagua nut is oval and a little bigger than a ping-pong ball. It has a smooth texture and composition that resembles ivory. Each nut was hand-carved into little figurines. Most were crafted like animals — squirrels, turtles, butterflies, and more. They not only were cute and intricate, but also reflected clever use of a simple material. I have seen bamboo leaves folded into forms such as grasshoppers, which is a brilliant idea as well. These nuts and leaves cost little and are commonplace in nature. Yet, with a touch of artistic skill, creativity, and patience, one can turn them into something unique and profitable, which is exactly what the tagua nut merchants were attempting to do. In today’s technological world, we seem to be losing track of the many forms of simple, traditional arts. Perhaps the reason is a lack of demand, our busy lifestyles or something else. Nevertheless, I was glad to see so many people interested in the nut carvings. Hopefully, our appreciation and commitment to simple but unique arts will be rekindled along with the spirit of the holidays.

    Sincerely,

    Bingyin