Rudolph: “Well Santa what’s new this year to get me in the Giving Christmas Spirit?”
Santa: “Well Rudolph a great debate is happening, let me tell you about it.”
The old debate between getting a real Christmas tree or a fake Christmas tree has now become a moot point, for an ingenuous solution has been found by the Calgary Eagle!
How so you might ask? Well thanks to a little latex body paint, and some “real” volunteers, the Calgary Eagle is hosting its 4th annual Living Christmas Tree Event on behalf of Beswick House.
So forget about having to decide just what type of tree you would like to decorate this year, as the Living Christmas Tree event will surely satisfy all your decorating fetishes. What had started out as a fun event hosted and created by Lady Fawn, a well known face in the Calgary Leather community, has now become a Christmas tradition at the Calgary Eagle.
For those of you that have yet to experience the Living Christmas tree event, you can expect to have a good time for a good cause. This year’s event on Saturday December 15th will consist of three volunteers; last year’s Living Christmas Tree, Adin, who will now be joined by two new eager volunteers; Lindsey – a lady’s Christmas tree and Calgary’s very own Leather Boy, Paul will be a Menorah respectively. These scantily clad volunteers will be covered in latex or body paint of which patrons can help, shall we say “paint them up”. Then throughout the evening everyone will be invited to participate in the selection of ornaments to anoint the “Trees” and “Menorah” via way of a donation. The goal is to cover the volunteers with as many decorations they can handle and fit via clamping them onto their bodies. Although they won’t be lit up, (lights might be too far even for fetish fun) they are more than likely to radiate some colour by the end of the night; black and blue is always a good sight! The fun doesn’t end with the decorations - the event concludes with the grimaces of “Oh my @$%%” as the ornaments and latex/body paint are removed in a not so gentle fashion. These volunteers know what they’re in for and say, “Well it’s for a good cause so what’s a little pain…”
Johnathan Finlayson, in charge of Events and Promotions for the Eagle notes that, “This event in all it’s good spirit and fun has a serious note of which the community has rallied time and time again for, in support of The SHARP Foundation, on behalf of Beswick House We are always impressed and humbled by the incredible community spirit towards Beswick House and are honoured to play a small part to donate to their incredible contributions to quality of life for individuals and the community.”
In true Eagle spirit, the Living Christmas Tree event will again be a successful fundraiser for Beswick House, a facility run by the SHARP Foundation, which provides 24/7 long-term, transition, palliative care and support for individuals affected by HIV/AIDS.
Though this event has no cover charge, your giving spirit is always welcomed with a warm thank you. See you there!
The Living Christmas Tree
In Support of Beswick House
December 15th (9:00pm)

The Calgary Eagle
424a 8th Ave SE, Calgary
(403) 263-5847
http://www.calgaryeagle.com