The great British hot water bottle institution

We tend to see less of certain furry mammals in winter as hibernation occurs, the opposite applies to the common hot water bottle. It remains out of sight in some cupboard, or under the bed until it senses the first signs of winter. Then, voila! There it is at the bottom of the bed

Of course this is nonsense, but I just wanted to highlight that for most of us hot water bottles are aesthetically-challenged objects. It has been such a long time since I bought one, I can’t even remember when it was. Probably it would have been a last-minute idea for my Gran’s Christmas present.

But still, as a nation, we are ‘tied’ to them. We were once as a nation ridiculed by a Hungarian born author, George Mikes. In his hilarious book ‘How to be an Alien’ he remarks “Continental people have sex lives, the English have hot water bottles’. There may have been elements of truth in the jibe, particularly when thinking of the dour designs of the past. These words probably reflect the way a typical person on the continent sees the English attitude to sex.

Just a second! Things have changed. Can I believe my eyes, have these things become ’sexy’? The other day I stumbled across this site that appears to stock many different styles and shapes. If ever I was looking for unusual giftsto buy, things that you wouldn’t normally find in the high street, this would certainly be the place to start. They have everything here, from buddhas to retro telephones, and most things in between!

For those concerned purely with the hot water bottles, my favourite was the ‘Giraffe cushion’. All of my favourites looked extremely comfortable and probably had therapeutic values, particularly for suffers of neck and lower back pain. They are made with recyclable materials and are guaranteed not to fade - perfect for those individuals who care about the environment.

Technorati Tags: Hot water bottles, retro telephones, unusual gifts

Posted in how to origami on August 5th, 2009
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