With shoppers about to be deluged by a flood of pre-Christmas consumer messages, an unusual tree decoration is being promoted by an ornament company in York - a bauble featuring the face of their local Anglican Archbishop.Dr John Sentamu could be appearing in many homes across the city this Christmas as miniature versions of himself hang on festive trees, reports York News.
The Archbishop was approached about the idea by York Minster and has agreed to the production of the decorations in the anticipation that it will help raise funds for the building.
A spokesperson for the Archbishop told the local paper: "He has had very little involvement but he has seen them. We got effectively a prototype and he said if it raises money for the Minster that is fine."
"They went off and worked on it and all we had to give them was a photograph," he added.
Dr Sentamu is not the first Archbishop to be made into a decoration. St Nicolas, the appropriately-named company which makes the festive ornaments, has been making decorations of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, for a few years and he is said to be very popular.
Dr Williams was also immortalised as a "Rowan bear" a few years ago, in a move initiated by the Ship of Fools satirical Christian website.
But the Sentamu Baubles are deadly serious, if not too earnest, it appears.
The 10 centimetre fabric decorations are part of the bespoke range, the company says. They have a padded filling and Dr Sentamu is pictured wearing a gold and blue robe.
The decorations are hand-made in Thailand by a group of 30 women working from home.
It is not clear whether they were produced and sold in Fair Trade Conditions.
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