Handpainted Pig on Wheels

This cheerful porker has her own little wagon and is dressed for the holidays in a glittering garland of evergreen sprigs and red berries. More berries are piled high in a pair of rustic baskets on her back, so she’s clearly been out gathering for the season. She looks like she knows exactly where the best apples are and is happy to haul them home.

The pig has long been a symbol of plenty and good fortune. In many farm communities, early winter was butchering season, so the pig was tied to the holiday table and to a full larder through the cold months. Painted composition and papier-mâché animals were popular in Victorian and early twentieth-century Christmas decorations, and this one carries that old folk-art spirit into a modern village.

• Material — handpainted polyresin body in a soft natural tan, with black spoked wheels
• Dimensions — 5" x 4" x 2" (12.7 x 10.2 x 5.1 cm)
• Decoration — glittered evergreen garland and red berry clusters, plus rustic baskets on the back
• Finish — hand-painted, so shading and small details vary slightly from piece to piece
• Care — dust gently with a soft brush, keep away from moisture and heat, and avoid rough handling of the wheels