The Daruma, a rolly-polly doll popular in Japan, is said to represent an ancient Buddhist hermit/priest, who meditated on a mountain for so long without moving, that he lost the use of his legs. The doll is constructed by the hariko method (paper mache) common among many of Japan’s regional crafts, and then painted an orangey-red.

This etegami is another in my series that plays loose and sometimes silly with the traditional form of the daruma doll and makes reference to certain seasonal holidays. This one is for Christmas.

Etegami is a traditional Japanese folk art that combines simple images with words, usually using water-soluble paints applied by natural fiber brushes to washi postcards.