Dear Readers, Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah! I make no apologies for sharing this video again, I just hope you can all see it.

It’s been an ‘interesting’ year both personally and globally, and so for the Twelve Days of Christmas I’m going to share some of my personal ‘small pleasures’ – things that, as Marie Kondo the decluttering wizard suggests ‘Spark Joy’. I’m hoping that when you get a second you’ll chip in with what makes you happy, and calm, and uplifted, even in difficult times. For me, it’s generally about nature (with the occasional detour into art or literature or food 🙂 ) but we’re all different! Let’s see what we can come up with. 

So, for the First Day of Christmas, here are some jumping spiders. You’re welcome. It makes me happy just to think that such creatures exist in the world. 

Dear Readers, this is my favourite Christmas video. I think even the mildly arachnophobic might like it (after all, peacock spiders are about as far from those hairy-legged critters who live in the shed as I am from a marmoset).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYFQQB9vqPw

And I really hope that you might be able to see this short video, which reminds me of my dating days, long ago….

https://www.facebook.com/reel/832441202279430

Peacock spiders are from the jumping spider family – remember this little chap? This is a fencepost jumping spider (Marpissa muscosa) who was living under the stairs on some deckchairs. He isn’t as colourful as the peacock spiders (who all live in Australia by the way, and are only the size of a grain of rice) but he is pretty cute all the same.

And if you are after some proper biological background on the peacock spiders, there’s a clip from a BBC documentary below. Beware, it features dancing, sex and violence, so it all depends what you enjoy at the festive season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qkzwG2lLPc

And so, have a wonderful day, whatever you’re up to. And thank  you for being there this year. I appreciate you all very much.