The inspiration: A bag of Santa Claus suits in the garbage. No wonder, Kyoto has one of the biggest per capita trash outputs in Japan! Gabi H. had been wondering what to do for Buy Nothing Day 1999. The find iced it.

'The revolution starts where you sit', a Zen realization by German artist Yana Milev, and the 'meditation for shopper's peaceful hearts' by Virendra, the discarded suits, a group of willing people, and voila the zenta icon was born. In front of the dancing Santa dolls in the windows of Hankyu department store, Zentas made their debut.

The Zenta meme spreads: The story and the photos were picked up and broadcast worldwide by Adbusters in their magazine and "best culture jams" calendar 2000. The Zenta idea quickly spread. Zentas have since been sighted in the streets from the UK to Okinawa. The doll/icon has been used in Adbusters calendars and Christmas cards and in non-commercial PR materials in Italy, the UK and Taiwan.

It remains a favourite with BND organizers for its simplicity and effectiveness in getting people in the street to stop and wonder (if not think).