Nelda McCann ‘Children need yarn not trees' (The Sun, November 29) bemoans the waste inherent in the yarn decorations, which have been all over Greerton trees in recent months.

She advocates the knitters instead put their efforts into something 'worthy”, such as clothes for needy children. While one may appreciate her sentiment and accept her sincerity.

And while the needs of some children will be very real, there are other perspectives.
Life and society are complex and multi-dimensional. If we followed her bleak reasoning then there'd be no beautification of our towns until the last person below the average income had been fully compensated. Nor would we have libraries, wide roads, or any public buildings. Maybe that is what we should do. But if so, why single out the community's knitters?

Better targets would be the classic car people, who provided so much pleasure at the Mount recently (but whose selfish extravagances would sell for much much more than a few balls of wool), or people such as I - and I dare say - Nelda - who live in actual houses or own cars which could be sold in favour of the missions.

'He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone...” is a good place to start.
And measured on the absolute scale of Our Lord, or a Ghandi, or a Mandela, we will all be found wanting.

Finally, may I note, many of the yarn bombers carry their own burdens, some very serious. The knitting, by providing something of beauty for all to enjoy, is a selfless way of expressing gratitude for mercies received.
In this light, Nelda's insensitive letter has undoubtedly caused needless hurt.

J Reid, Omanawa.