The Hat

The Santa Hat

Christmas seems like it just passed, yes it did. The decorations and lights have been safely boxed away for next year, the tree now a remnant of its former glory still lies outside withered and dry for the garbage men to take away. Thanks to the Hertsmere borough-recycling efforts soon destined to reappear as a paper product.

Every occasion has its own set of imagery and the one I closely associate with Christmas is Santa’s Hat. Hats come in many forms and sizes, Top Hats, Bowler Hats, Covered Hats, Bridal Hats and etc, etc. But ask anyone in the world and I would hazard to guess everyone would know what a Santa’s Hat is.

Coming in many different styles the common shape of a Santa’s hat is that it’s conical and has a white band at the bottom and an ideally fluffy white ball at the top. My earliest recollection of wearing nothing else but one is in my early 20’s during Christmas break over a young blonde buxom US college lady who too had nothing else on but one.

I love the one’s that have red stars along their band which twinkle when switched on. Those that stick in my mind most are the one’s sold along Orchard Road in Singapore and in Oxford Street in London during the Christmas season. The one I wore to Washington DC a couple of Christmases back, then fully clothed did not achieve the desired affect as I had hope amongst family and friends. I did momentarily then feel a bit like a silly bugger for forgetting that the Americans do not share publicly a love for costumes as the British do. 

While you will see many Britons on any weekend and especially during Christmas going to and fro in public in fancy dress, many other people in most countries do not share this passion. Other than of course alike the aforementioned American college beauty and other beauties (some slightly) that I have athletically demonstrated my passion with, and other people who like a wee bit of role-play in the privacy of their bedroom.

The Santa Hat is acceptably worn and can be worn by anyone. They do not have to claim relationship or affinity with the Santa Claus family or Christianity. Christmas, the Santa Hat and the festivities that accompany this holiday can be celebrated with anyone who has some extra quid for a tree, decorations, lights and presents for family.

My best part of Christmas of course remains and will always be the amazing Santa Hat. Best worn with nothing else. A close rival remains. Which of course is the Cowboy Hat.

Imagery of playing Cowboys and Red Indians inside a female dormitory in a Midwestern American University though giving me excellent fodder for another post does not warrant print on the worldwide web.