At this time of year I develop a mixed feeling of mild amusement and mild irritation at the abuse of the word "Festive" particularly in supermarkets.
Last year I wrote about some of my favourite "festive fails" which featured the sex shop windows decorated with fake snow, the dodgy tinsel festooning the anti-theft alarms in one grocery store and my favourite, the "festive" full English breakfast which was described as such purely because the poster advertising it had a sprig of holly printed on it.
You may recall that last year I pondered if tampon manufacturers had thought of doing the same - they could print a cute picture of a robin on the packet and wish us a "Merry Bleeding Christmas"
This year retailers are still insisting on repackaging almost everything in "festive" packaging - festive being the catch-all word to avoid offending anyone of course. Well I suppose it beats "Happy Holidays" which I loathe!
My favourite inappropriate use of Christmas packaging this year is.....(insert drum roll here)
Big and Festive eggs (from caged hens) spotted in my local supermarket.
Note the baubles, Christmas puddings, cleverly converted letter "i" into a stocking. Nicely done and pretty packaging. But they are eggs. Just normal eggs. Not specially imported from Bethlehem, or from hens born on Christmas day. No hint of cinnamon or mulled wine flavour. The actual eggs are egg-coloured not made to look like puds and baubles. There is nothing festive about them - not even a recipe for egg-nog on the box.
So why? Truly reader I have no real idea. Apart from they caught my eye so I'm guessing they stood out for other customers too. And there we have it. Like the rest of the "festive" stuff it's all about buy buy buy.
So I'm curious - would you be more likely to buy these (or any other normal store cupboard ingredient) because it was in festive packaging? Does it make your cupboard look Christmassy? Comments welcome below and feel free to share your favourite Festive Fail from 2014.
Last year I wrote about some of my favourite "festive fails" which featured the sex shop windows decorated with fake snow, the dodgy tinsel festooning the anti-theft alarms in one grocery store and my favourite, the "festive" full English breakfast which was described as such purely because the poster advertising it had a sprig of holly printed on it.
You may recall that last year I pondered if tampon manufacturers had thought of doing the same - they could print a cute picture of a robin on the packet and wish us a "Merry Bleeding Christmas"
This year retailers are still insisting on repackaging almost everything in "festive" packaging - festive being the catch-all word to avoid offending anyone of course. Well I suppose it beats "Happy Holidays" which I loathe!
My favourite inappropriate use of Christmas packaging this year is.....(insert drum roll here)
Big and Festive eggs (from caged hens) spotted in my local supermarket.
Note the baubles, Christmas puddings, cleverly converted letter "i" into a stocking. Nicely done and pretty packaging. But they are eggs. Just normal eggs. Not specially imported from Bethlehem, or from hens born on Christmas day. No hint of cinnamon or mulled wine flavour. The actual eggs are egg-coloured not made to look like puds and baubles. There is nothing festive about them - not even a recipe for egg-nog on the box.
So why? Truly reader I have no real idea. Apart from they caught my eye so I'm guessing they stood out for other customers too. And there we have it. Like the rest of the "festive" stuff it's all about buy buy buy.
So I'm curious - would you be more likely to buy these (or any other normal store cupboard ingredient) because it was in festive packaging? Does it make your cupboard look Christmassy? Comments welcome below and feel free to share your favourite Festive Fail from 2014.