Notable among these festivals is Christmas. Which, as it is now observed, is largely an invention of English Victorians, who, with no small irony, also developed the Arts & Crafts Movement.

We at Desert Craftsmen have decided to aid in appropriate decoration for the season by offering the first in what we hope will be a continuing series of ornaments which celebrate the expressed craftsmanship which has allowed the Movement to survive as long, so far, as the Victorians' Christmas.

This year's offering is DC-X'04, an oaken star which features the architypical Arts & Crafts joint, the Tusk and Tenon. Each ornament is quartered white oak, fumed and finished to standard, and individually signed and numbered. The cost is $10.00, shipping included.

Next year's ornament, DC-X'05, will be a celebration of the box joint.

We also offer Arts & Crafts furniture for kids.

What could better express your love for a kid than to provide him or her with a useful thing that will allow him or her to discover the difference between what's real and what merely appears real?

And small doesn't imply cheap. Unlike kids furniture available in certain mega-stores Desert Craftsmen childrens' furniture is made with the same materials, the same construction methods and the same attention to detail as the furniture we make for big people. Which kids will be, one day.

The first in the series is a child-sized rocker, made of quartered white oak, tusk and tenon and pinned lap-joint construction, finished to standard. Price as shown, $84.95.