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Christmas

Unicorns

(72 Posts)
LullyDully Wed 05-Dec-18 16:25:48

I was out shopping today and asked several shop assistants this question. " Can you tell me where the obsession for unicorns has come from? ". No-one seems to know, even google. They are just repeating that it is a phenomena without explanation.

Someone thought it came from Harry Potter but they hardly feature much. Any bright ideas?

starbox Mon 10-Dec-18 11:33:49

www.argos.co.uk/product/8438612?cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59156|acid:444-797-0832|cid:598623310|agid:28645194565|tid:pla-487246346313|crid:96091055125|nw:g|rnd:12423634478317965258|dvc:c|adp:1o1|mt:|loc:1006490&gclid=Cj0KCQiAurjgBRCqARIsAD09sg9jnQKwyfo9td1fGxU35fVIKT5LEMOfeC4Yt5AIzlGLRnJGC0jPyrMaAgCMEALw_wcB My mother asked granddaughter to choose a Christmas present and she found this!!

mimiro Mon 10-Dec-18 02:18:48

unicorns and even fairies have been popular for a long time
the irish rovers unicorn song was recorded in 1967
one of the first tattoos i ever inked was a pink and purple unicorn with a fairy on its back,done on a large man by request of his 7 yr old daughter.1979

i have a 40 yr old pegasus flying across my back.
pink flamingos have always been loved in florida.there was even a hotel that took care of a flock of them.i don't know if they stilll do.

during the last big storm these 2 hung out down in the keys

Hilltopgran Mon 10-Dec-18 01:33:08

Unicorns are not new, my eldest DGD is 16 and her 2 year old cousin is currently playing with the fairy castle and Unicorns I bought 14 years ago. The appeal seems to be the link to ponies with DGD. We now have an impressive collection of Unicorns to which I added by buying a handmade craft one at a Christmas Fair this weekend, it is so pretty I could not resist!

lemongrove Sun 09-Dec-18 23:08:55

Soon the charity shops will be full of all things unicorn related.
Fads come and go, our young DGD told us that she ‘wanted either a unicorn or a hamster’......guess which one she will get? grin

Nandalot Sun 09-Dec-18 21:00:41

It’s official. DGD, 7, told me today she is over unicorns. She was already dressed in unicorn knickers, socks, leggings, though had a sequin penguin jumper. I asked her what she did like now. She wasn’t sure but tentatively mentioned cats.

PhiPhisnana Sun 09-Dec-18 17:32:41

It’s unicorns now. It’ll be some other sort of animal/creature next. It’s fashion...trend...a quirk. These things don’t have to have an origin. Common sense surely.

Peardrop50 Fri 07-Dec-18 11:26:19

A horse with a unique horn!

Iam64 Fri 07-Dec-18 08:54:04

Or an Alpaca - fabulous creatures and just a bit less mythical. One of our local farms offers Llama walks as part of the planned birthday parties there

MissAdventure Fri 07-Dec-18 08:35:57

Or a llama, which seems to be the next 'thing'.

Iam64 Fri 07-Dec-18 08:33:07

Well said Molli - be a Unicorn, why not?

Molli Fri 07-Dec-18 08:15:15

‘The meaning of The Unicorn is all about Opening up to Infinite Possibilities and that infinite possibilities surround you and are available to you at all times. Many times one cannot see that possibilities abound, or even exist. Unicorn gives us the "eyes to see" those possibilities, and "the wisdom" to take advantage of them.’

For young children and imparticular girls it seems it’s about believing in themselves, their self worth and developing resilience. I’m sure there’s times when we could all use a bit of ‘unicorn dust’.

MagicWand Fri 07-Dec-18 00:52:31

I'm wondering if it is a sign of the more thoughtful time that we are supposedly living in post '#me too' as well as being a backlash against toys like Bratz dolls.

Traditionally in legends only virgins were able to touch, tame and play with unicorns and we keep being told we should be nurturing different attitudes within society's children now, with self respect and self awareness being encouraged in both genders.

If that's the case, I'd rather my granddaughters played with unicorns than dolls dressed like hookers!

chrissyh Thu 06-Dec-18 21:16:35

My DGD had a unicorn themed 5th birthday party. It's just the in-thing at the moment.

harrigran Thu 06-Dec-18 18:54:42

Half of GD's T shirts and jumpers have unicorns on and also her note books, pencil cases and little keyring type soft toys.
Llamas abound everywhere, elder GD has them on her tops.
Anyone can have a cat, dog or pony so the exotic is just a bit more … well exotic I suppose.

MissAdventure Thu 06-Dec-18 18:39:27

I can understand a fascination with creatures that were huge, fierce, and actually existed..
Even Narwhals (however you spell it)

pensionpat Thu 06-Dec-18 18:39:09

The Unicorn song was recorded by The Bachelors. Lovely.

grandtanteJE65 Thu 06-Dec-18 18:33:11

Remember the dinosaur craze? Never worked out where it came from or why they were so fascinating.

Skweek1 Thu 06-Dec-18 17:23:16

As a tarot reader, the Unicorn is one of my favourite decks - full of enchanting mythological beasts!

Saralou18 Thu 06-Dec-18 16:54:23

My DIL is a teacher of 6 year old little girls. She was recently in trouble with the mother of one when she told her class unicorns were not real. She knows to be very careful about Father Christmas and the tooth fairy but unicorns?

Kim19 Thu 06-Dec-18 16:52:22

J44, on the whole, I think I agree with your thought. However mine was more in admiration than cynicism on the grounds that 'you can take a horse to the water' etc so, in the end, a massive calculated gamble or knowing your consumers amazingly well?

Jinty44 Thu 06-Dec-18 16:14:07

Cynical me thinks that the popularity of unicorns was a commercial decision.

Nobody has copyright on the use of unicorns (unless you are copying someone else's exact work), so manufacturers can plaster them all over t-shirts etc. without having to pay royalties to Disney, Pixar, JK Rowling et al. More profitable.

Anja Thu 06-Dec-18 14:26:48

Love that slutty

sluttygran Thu 06-Dec-18 13:54:39

I heard that a little girl was taken to see Santa, and when he asked her what she would like for Christmas, she piped up:
“I would like a unicorn, please”.
“Well now” said Santa “Unicorns are almost impossible to find - is there something else you might like?”
The small girl thought for a moment, and said:
“I would like it if you could fix all the men in charge so that they don’t cause wars and so that people don’t go cold and hungry”.
“Oh ... OK” said Santa.
“What colour unicorn did you say you’d like? “

starbox Thu 06-Dec-18 13:51:08

Had to make the granddaughter a pair- Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy!

TerriBull Thu 06-Dec-18 12:55:53

My gd wanted a unicorn and as much unicorn related stuff that could be found for her 8th birthday. I hadn't heard of the obsession before then, now I realise it's everywhere. She does have unicorn pyjamas when she stays out ours. Children are fickle though, she has another birthday looming large after Christmas, so maybe she'll have moved on by then, I haven't bought her anything unicorn related for Christmas