An exclusive new range of celebrity Christmas baubles from luxury department store Selfridges has set social media alight, with royal fans left baffled by the questionable likenesses of their favourite stars.
A Royal Decorating Disaster
Continually voted one of the world's most stylish women, a Princess Diana ornament should be a crowning glory for any Christmas tree. However, shoppers will need a royal flush to afford this year's offering, with the posh London store selling an 1980s-style vision of the princess for £40.
The decoration depicts Diana wearing a red jumper covered in sheep, but according to furious social media debates, the resemblance to the glamorous princess is minimal. Royal enthusiasts have likened the bauble to George Michael, Rodney Trotter from Only Fools and Horses, and BBC sports presenter Clare Balding wearing a Christmas jumper.
Princess Di isn't the only royal to receive baffling treatment. Prince William's bauble combines his mother's dazed expression with a Colgate grin and a shiny bald pate, creating a grimace that fans have described as a royal scandal in itself.
Celebrity Baubles Falling Flat
The festive fun extends beyond royalty, with other celebrities receiving equally puzzling representations. For a 35-year-old billionaire, Taylor Swift's glum Christmas bauble makes her look as miserable as Ebenezer Scrooge, with fans suggesting it will take her a while to shake off this particular look.
While Sabrina Carpenter's ornament is at least smiling, the expression appears more simpering than sexy. The 26-year-old star might well be singing Please Please Please take the tree down when she sees it.
Similarly, Harry Styles is unlikely to be asking What Makes You Beautiful when confronted with his glass alter ego. The fabulously flamboyant decoration wears the same pink outfit Harry sported at Coachella in 2022 - also used for his Madame Tussauds waxwork in Berlin - but sadly, that's where the similarities end. Lookswise, this po-faced novelty resembles more of a Liberace-style effigy than a likeness of the handsome star.
The Great Bauble Debate
Die-hard fans may feel there's only one direction for these celebrity ornaments after Christmas - the charity shop. Yet despite the mixed reactions, interior design expert Katie Malik believes kitsch celebrity baubles represent a fantastic festive trend.
She says: "Celebrity baubles are the surprisingly chic (and cheerfully chaotic) decor trend of Christmas. There's a moment every December when a Christmas tree stops being just a tree and becomes a tiny extension of who we are."
Malik continues: "This year's offerings are, frankly, chaotic. Slightly wonky paintwork. Eyes not quite where nature intended. A few curious angles. And people are loving it. A slightly wonky likeness of your favourite celebrity isn't a flaw - it's charming."
Even the eyewatering £40 price tag can be justified, according to the expert. She adds: "Forty pounds is, objectively, a little steep for a single ornament. But if a bauble sparks joy, a smile, a story, or a delighted shriek from a guest, it's worth far more than its price tag."
Whether these unique decorations will become cherished collectables or end up in post-Christmas clearances remains to be seen, but they've certainly succeeded in getting Britain talking this festive season.
