Rajasthani Elephant Christmas Decoration

This Rajasthani elephant Christmas decoration is handmade in India from stuffed fabric, dressed in embroidered cloth and colourful woven trims, and finished with pom poms and a hanging cord. It draws on the textile traditions of Rajasthan, where elephants are decked out in painted patterns, rich cloth and ornament for festivals and processions.

Each elephant is put together by hand from pieces of fabric, so the combination of prints, trims and pom poms changes from one to the next and you will rarely find two that match exactly. It also means the elephant that comes to you will be a little different from the one in the photograph, with its own mix of colours.

At about 13cm long, with a hanging length of around 19cm, it has enough presence to hang from a shelf, a door handle or a nursery window well beyond the Christmas season.

We buy these from a fair trade importer that is a Guaranteed member of the World Fair Trade Organization, and which works with artisan groups in India to keep traditional textile skills in use.

Caring for a Fabric Elephant

Give it an occasional shake and a brush with a soft clothes brush to keep dust out of the trims. Small marks can be spot cleaned with a damp cloth, but it shouldn't go in the washing machine, which can loosen the pom poms and flatten the stuffing.

• Material: fabric with embroidery, woven trims and pom poms
• Size: approx. 13 x 10 x 4.5cm
• Hanging length: approx. 19cm
• Made in: India