This holiday card was born out of the economic downturn of 2008. As the stock market plummeted and houses foreclosed, the doom and gloom was palpable. But not for children entranced by the magic of the season.

A gingerbread house is a tantalizing symbol of holiday magic. This particular house is also a reflection of the times. Built without sweets, it instead consists of Spam (the classic budget meat-in-a-can) and cheap, processed carbohydrates like crackers and ramen. A foreclosure sign is posted in the yard. The interior message:

May the holiday spirit be with you through the fat and the the lean in 2009.