An essential Korean gift?

As Christmas approaches I’m still on the hunt for last minute gifts and I think I’ve found a winner. People must get through quite a lot of toilet paper or toilet tissue (sounds better) in Korea, because toilet tissue is not just found in the bathroom… It can be found in restaurants, around the house and office and can even be given as gifts. But a roll on its own is not very glamorous. So welcome to The ‘Reindeer Safari Tissue Holder‘. I think this could be the perfect gift and it really makes me smile. 🙂

I was surprised when I first arrived in Seoul and went to a shikdang restaurant to see rolls of toilet tissue hanging around the walls of the RESTAURANT! And it felt a bit odd to be eating dinner and then reach for paper from the roll of tissue on the wall beside me! And then wipe my … mouth. A roll of tissue adorned every table of the restaurants I used to go to. (They were cheap restaurants of course). But it seems that these days the roll has lost its popularity in restaurants and been replaced by boxes of tissues. (Actually I don’t know if this is true or if I just go to better restaurants now 😉

However, toilet tissue is still very popular and used in a variety of ways. It can certainly be given as a gift. We were given about 30 toilet rolls from a neighbour as an apology for the noise that we would have to endure for a month from his construction site. And toilet tissue is used around the home. Now doesn’t this make a loo roll look a lot more inviting?

I saw him while browsing on the Interpark internet shopping mall and I HAD to have him. He was designed in Korea (of course). And cost 48,000 won. But an interesting difference of opinion has come up in our house over where to put the new addition to the family. I put him on the table – a reindeer is very festive, isn’t he? But when I turned my back I found him on the floor against the wall. I put him back on the table and he went back on the floor. By the wall. And what I know for sure is that he didn’t get there by himself, did he Mr. Kim? We’re having issues over the tissues! I hope we can get this sorted before Christmas 🙄

Anyway, my holder was delivered promptly two days after I ordered it. The packaging is larger than I expected 55cm by 40cm.

The instructions for making the animals are on the back of the box.

The animals are self-assembly. And there is a range of 8 to choose from: deer (below) sheep, elephant, rhino, hippo, bear, lion, or pig. Although strictly speaking, I’m not sure if I would call all of these ‘safari’ animals?

Anyway, never mind. He’s practical, festive, and aesthetically pleasing. So I’ve already bought two more to give away as presents. Can’t go wrong, really. Happy Holidays! 🙂