Five of the weirdest Christmas crazes of all time

Maybe it's the festive cheer, or simply a result of too many mince pies, but every Christmas there's another craze to take Brits by storm.

We've taken a look at some of the best (and worst)...

Beard Baubles: This year's offering are Beard Baubles – touted as the latest must-have accessory for hipsters, these little festive delights attach to the beard and can make the grumpiest of Grinches instantly light up. Originally created by an ad-agency for its Christmas cards, they are now being sold for charity, with proceeds donated to Beard Season which is raising awareness about melanoma.

 

Pet Rock: Those who long for days gone by when Christmas wasn't all about getting the latest gadgets (that will inevitably break before you've had your second turkey sandwich on Boxing Day) might be pleased to remember the humble Pet Rock. Yes, in 1975 it became all the rage to receive a stone pebble neatly packaged in a cardboard box. You might laugh, but it netted creator Larry Dahl around $15 million, not to mention it's impossible to accidentally neglect (I'm looking at you, Hammy the Hamster).

 

Furbies: Many of us will remember begging our parents for one of these furry creatures in 1998 – and then relegating it to the cupboard shortly afterwards while it feebly 'cried'. Though no doubt the height of technology in the late '90s, it's now distinctly creepy, but that didn't stop it making an attempted comeback in 2012.

 

 

 

Fluorescent Christmas Trees: There was a time, admittedly when Justin Timberlake was still wearing double denim, when it wasn't enough to pop to your local garden centre for a real pine, but instead the in-thing was to buy something neon and, ideally, glow in the dark. These flourescent plastic trees could be found even in the most traditional homes, and mini-versions added a touch of Christmas class to office desks up and down the country.

 

 

 

Elf Yourself: And finally, who could forget the days when a new video would ping into your mailbox at least three times a week showing a group of your friends merrily dancing away in tights. As a festive treat, we've put together one of the Christian Today team – Merry Christmas, everybody.

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