Today I received from Australia a Christmas card showing the nativity scene in the manner of Aboriginal painting. I winced when I saw it. Everything is depicted by means of dots and stripes of different colors, but the painting is much more figurative—that is, much less abstract—than a standard painting of this genre. By the way, it is precisely the geometric patterns that I find fascinating in Aboriginal painting, because of their connections with shamanism and cave painting. The standing figures of Mary and Joseph dominate the scene. Mary is holding baby Jesus in her arms, and Joseph is behind them with a spear in his hand. Groups of people and assorted Australian animals are crowded around the central characters. The kangaroo is prominent among the beasts. The text on the back of the card explains that the purpose of the painting is to make the Christmas story more meaningful to Aboriginal people, but I cannot shake off the feeling that its purpose is exactly the opposite: to make Aboriginal painting more meaningful to others in Australia and elsewhere. The painting ends up by failing on both counts, as can only be expected. Making things more meaningful to others is best avoided.