Fancy A 'Reindeer Gem' This Christmas?

Looking for an unusual gift this Christmas? How about an ornament or necklace that contains genuine reindeer droppings? But you better hurry, because these unique items available exclusively at the Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington, Illinois are in limited supply and, going really fast.

Each ornament and necklace is hand-made, using glitter, beads and a single 'gem' - a reindeer dropping from the zoo's residents, which has been dehydrated, sanitized, painted and drilled.

The brilliant idea can be attributed to the Zoo's former superintendent, whose grandmother used to leave a trail of reindeer dung (chocolate chips), leading to the house every Christmas Eve. She told her grandchildren that if Santa's reindeers thought others had visited the house, they would be tempted to come too!

The pendant necklaces are priced at $15 USD apiece, while the ornaments cost $7.50 USD each. The Zoo hopes to raise about $17,000 USD from the sale of these fun items, for use towards the maintenance and upkeep of the Zoo and its inhabitants. To read more check out their site at www.cityblm.org/parks/Miller-Park-Zoo

sources:millerparkzoo, pantagraph.com