Swatch’s inexpensive watches have always made excellent stocking fillers, and this year will be no different, despite the ongoing misery of living in a world obsessed with covid.

There is a hint of gallows humor about the signature Swatch watch this holiday season, which sees Santa splattered on the dial, having crashed his sleigh into a snowdrift.

Was he slayed or merely sleighed?

Swatch has called the watch HoHoOuch.

“Just like the rest of us, Santa’s year has been derailed, quite literally,” promotional blurb suggests. “Swamped with endless Christmas lists and wishes, he took his eyes off the road for one moment to check the latest messages, and kaboom, his sleigh crashed deep into the snow, sending Santa flying. Luckily, his team of helpers will take over the festive deliveries while he recovers.”

Christmas is a time of hope, and Swatch has got into the spirit with a holiday season collection that aims to lift hearts with fifteen bright and sparkly watches.

Its optimism is somewhat tempered by suggesting that the holiday collection is as likely to light up a zoom call as a raucous celebration. The collection gives the excitement of dressing up to go to a party, which sometimes is better than the actual party itself, the brand party-poops.