To think that postbox toppers are an aberration and those who produce them should be shot at dawn (I should say 'light hearted' here but it goes against the grain)

[IrateAndUnhinged]

That really.

Postbox toppers. Those crocheted monstrosities decorating every postbox within a 500 metres of GAILS bakery.

Why?

My AIBU is am I unreasonable for thinking they add no value to life and represent a huge drain on resources that could be better put to work creating reusable string bags.

They're harmless, brighten up the area and are very clever. However, I agree that the oodles of time the creaters evidently have could be put to better use, like putting them over ulez cameras for example!

i was agreeing up until you said ulez cameras,

YANBU OP

They are on the top of my list if I am ever invited on to Room 101

You are my people 👏

The find a store option isn't working on the Gail's website, but after being creative I discovered that they are mainly London based, with three in Manchester.

The assumption that everyone has heard of them is a tad irritating though.

We don't have a Waitrose, Booths or even Sainsbury's where I live, so the likelihood of a Gail's opening is very slim.

No-one knits post box toppers, but I have realised that the post box in our village is in a wall so can't have a topper.

However, during lockdown someone knitted or crocheted loads of woollen butterflies snd adorned trees and shrubs with them on a road near me. It was to make going out for yet another walk more interesting for people with children.

Crochet needles are blunt,you would be better using pins 😁

There is no such thing as a crochet needle. They are hooks.

I live in the area that started these. They make other things too, latest was under the sea. They make things for trails too, summer holidays was a zoo trail so different knitted animals appear in shop windows, the kids find each one and when they've found them all they get a small prize. They appear overnight and after a certain amount of time they are auctioned off for charity

I love yarn bombing. It’s really big in Ripon which is covered in poppies in October/early November. They did fabulous things for the coronation. I can’t wait to see the Christmas decorations this year.

They are usually made with acrylic yarn and the environmental impact of that bugs me.

What a misery!

In what way?
A lot of people make these creations as a kindness, and they get their yarn from charity shops or have it donated to them.
Or do you look on these creations and judge when you yourself are possibly wearing polyester clothing.

@XenoBitch True it's late it was meant as a reply to the op about making figures and stabbing them 👍

@XenoBitch I imagine the environmental concern is related to microplastics.

@XenoBitch

I think I probably could stab them with a hook...then use it to pull out the stuffing.

Xenobitch - I'm an avid crafter, knitting, crochet, sewing but stick to natural fibres rather than plastic.

No Gail's near here, lots of lovely toppers that make everyone just a little happier.

You are a killjoy.

YABU

I quite like them they make me smile. Especially those with Corgis

We'll round here they give people a lot of pleasure and raise money for charity so I really don't know what your problem is

What a pair of miserable minnies

The only bit that annoys me is the outraged facebook posts when they go missing.
‘This took a lot of work’ well don’t leave it outside then.
’The beautiful outpuss at the top of the high st is gone!!!’, um it was a grubby slumped mess tbh at this point- maybe street cleaning binned it.
’There is a thief in it town!’ Well if they stick to craft items left out on street furniture it’s not the worst case scenario

Yep.

CallieQ - is it possible you could bend your mind round the idea that they don’t give everyone ‘a lot of pleasure’ and that some people might find them offensive?

That something you think is ugly is beautiful to someone else. Once you’ve got the hang of the idea that not everyone thinks the same as you, you may get what the problem is.

It seems the good they do more than makes up for the downside of them, so on that I'd say overall they are useful to society