You don't say!

Each year I have the same trouble, trying to come up with a birthday gift for my brother. This year he will be 39, and I needed something special (after all, if he is 39 God only knows how old I am getting). Much to my surprise, it ended up being incredibly easy this year.

Well, every Israeli around my age knows this opening theme:

According to Wiki, Kishkashta is a "talking cactus" (the cactus is the iconic nickname for the native Israeli, prickly on the outside and sweet within). There isn't an Israeli child, who grew up in the 70's, who didn't suckle from his thorny breasts, so to speak. That is why, when I saw this article, I just knew I have to order one for my brother's birthday. Today, after about a week of waiting, I went to pick them up from the lovely and smiley Hadar, who is the artist behind this ingenious item.

What a (prickly) pair!

I tried (and will continue) to convince Hadar to open an Etsy shop for her amazing crochet. I am not sure if there is a huge ready made international market for Kishkashtas, but I am positive that once they see his cute face they will want to have one. Plus, she makes other wonderful designs, like this commercial she made for the Israeli telecommunications provider Bezeq

I hope she will come around eventually, and open a shop. In the meanwhile, you can contact her via her Facebook.

Thank God I planned ahead and ordered one for myself as well
or else Eran would not be getting a gift this year