How festive postbox toppers are brought to life

From Santa's legs vanishing down chimneys to nativity scenes and penguins, postbox toppers have been popping up in streets everywhere.

Brightening up buildings from petrol stations to hospitals, they have appeared out of nowhere, like children's presents on Christmas Day. But yarn bombers plan their missions months in advance.

Social media groups have been a hive of activity, with knitters gathering, giving away wool and swapping patterns and ideas.

After a stormy autumn, there were discussions on how creations can withstand dogs, dirt and rain and stay fresh.

The toppers mark special events throughout the year including Remembrance Day and World Book Day – but one of the most special times of the year is Christmas.

On Ravelry, a social media site for knitters, one member said it was not really a new idea.

"It's been around for a while and gets done for all manner of reasons, sometimes the only reason being that someone wanted to do it," she said.

This autumn, postbox toppers withstood a succession of storms, as the Studley Stitchers can testify.

Three of their toppers stood up to 24 hours of exceptional severe weather before the group went out to carry out repairs.

But even with several named storms causing chaos, festive postbox scenes have still gone up.

Creations included a Father Christmas decorated with fairy lights and a nativity scene complete with a shepherd, an angel and the three wise men.

There was also a group of penguins dressed up in brightly coloured bobble hats and scarves.

The craft group at the Twin Rivers Coleshill Women's Institute (WI) go out early on Sundays, putting toppers on postboxes.

The toppers brought people together, Amanda Bayley said, including the craft group that had regular meetings, the people who passed by when the toppers were being put up, and the children who liked to go and look at them.

"It makes them really happy," she said.

Postbox toppers are not the only knitting activity at the WI.

The group created a Remembrance display out of poppies for the church, hid knitted chicks around Coleshill at Easter and corgis and crowns for the Queen's Jubilee.

And 150 hats were crocheted and knitted and given to a homeless charity this Christmas.

Plans are already being discussed for next year, Ms Bayley said.

She said the group was eager to get going again in the new year, with members already chatting about what they could make for the spring.

So far nothing's certain, she said, but one of Coleshill's postboxes might soon be home to a teddy bears' picnic.

In Shropshire, Angela Moore and Darcy Lear made a Santa carrying a sack of presents for a postbox in Wellington.

Santa survived a storm but he got blown about and she had to go out to put him back in place.

Ms Moore said she followed a pattern to make the figures, but some people who could visualise the three-dimensional designs, could make them up as they go along.

"Last year, someone left a lovely note," she said. "They wrote how much they enjoy seeing it there and how it brings a smile to their face."

After meetups with coffee to plan their projects, it takes the pair three or four weeks to make a topper.

They are already planning toppers for spring, summer, Halloween and Remembrance Day. Ideas for next Christmas already include a large snowman. The pair are likely to have a busy 2025.

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