Made in Japan

Chenille pine cone snowman decoration made in Japan

The Shelf Appeal xmas image this year is of one of those incomprehensible pieces of decorative tat made somewhere in Japan some time last century. It therefore fits right in with the year’s worth of odd tat exposed for your reading pleasure on these pixelated pages.

Shelf Appeal isn’t much on Christmas, except for the flotsam of ephemeral bits and pieces that accompany the day. And that accompanied the day over the years.

The small vintage chenille figures – santas, snowmen, elves and odd creatures of indistinct origin – seem to me to be the most irreligious and comic of all decorations. And, after those fragile paper balls and concertinas, my favourite markers of the special day.

This chap (snowman v transvestite) even has little high heels on. His robust pine cone self and vivid plastic topper probably contributed to his survival over the years. And he carries a candy cane because, well, they’re striped.

Deep is Shelf Appeal ‘s disapproval, nay horror, of the idea of e-cards. But festive images, slapped here, Instagram, Twitter and everywhere; that’s different. Somehow.

2 Comments

Mark

Best card this year. And jogged some memory from the far-recesses of similar decorations that my Gran had, both now long gone unfortunately.

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