Each year as the nights draw in, politicians face a surprisingly tricky seasonal dilemma: for their Christmas card design, do they go safe or wacky?
Perhaps the least surprising thing about this year’s offerings is that Theresa May has again opted for the former. All three of her designs were created by children in her Maidenhead constituency for a local newspaper competition, as they were last year.
Jeremy Corbyn has been marginally more creative. His chosen design borrows from Labour’s election manifesto, giving red silhouetted figures scarves, festive hats and reindeer antlers. Tasteful, if not vastly exciting.
#Labour: We are ready for government, vows Corbyn as he reveals Christmas card https://t.co/Rxo0R3a5Am pic.twitter.com/dE3wa341n4
— South Woodham Labour (@SWFLabour) December 12, 2017
The official Labour party card is more cheeky, poking fun at the prime minister with the message “The most wonderful time of the year”, except the two letter Fs are falling off, mimicking the scenery woes that plagued May’s party conference speech.
Inevitably we must turn to backbenchers for more eccentric and garish examples. The pick of this year’s selection comes from the Tory MP and ultra-Brexiter Peter Bone, whose self-designed card portrays him as Santa, flying over a present-less and despondent Angela Merkel and Jean-Claude Juncker.
If the subtext is not sufficiently clear to everyone, Bone’s card wishes recipients a “Brexit new year”.
Almost equally disconcerting is Ed Miliband’s offering. The increasingly freewheeling former Labour leader is pictured Fonz-like bestride a Harley Davidson, wearing a leather jacket and shades and holding a bacon sandwich – a reference to an awkward PR episode from his leadership period.
Meanwhile, many people may not have heard of Richard Harrington, but if they see his Christmas card they’ll find it hard to banish the image. The slightly unnerving picture shows the Conservative MP for Watford against a snowy backdrop, wearing a Santa hat and Watford football scarf, thumbs manically aloft.
I got a christmas card from my local MP @Richard4Watford
— Krispian (@Jediknitter) December 9, 2017
It is horrifying and yet so fun of fun. Braver man than I for making the card. So far dues.
Just wish he would appose #brexit for an Xmas gift for the UK. pic.twitter.com/Nqac9aPLRA
A similarly individual offering comes from another Tory backbencher, Nigel Evans, whose card shows him standing next to a wary-looking May as the pair each hold a mug showing the other’s face.
The staple political Christmas card image used to be the awkward family photo, and it is to longstanding fan of the genre Tony Blair to whom we must turn this year. The card shows Blair and his wife Cherie Booth with their first grandchild, Iris, at her christening in April.
Still, for guaranteed popularity, even babies are beaten by dogs. One card that has elicited an especially positive online response is the offering from Labour MP Kevan Jones, who has, as in other years, used a festive image of his black Labrador, Biff. This year Biff is standing in the snow, looking about as noble can be expected, given the huge ruff of tinsel round his collar.
