1986: My Little Pony

SNOWFLAKE

Dark pink earth pony with white mane and tail, glittering silver snowflakes symbol. FRECKLED.

Snowflake was, quite obviously, a winter themed pony. The UK's answer to Powder, who was never sold here, Snowflake would periodically appear in the comic when Christmas was drawing near. In December 1986, she was chosen as "Pony Christmas" - but not in the comic. She featured in this role in a short story that came in a little booklet with a Cadbury's Selection Box, on which she also featured. (Selection Boxes are boxes available at Christmas with a mixture of different chocolate bars and sweets in, intended for children, and they were very popular in the 1980s)

SNOWFLAKE as PONY CHRISTMAS (1986 Selection Box)

SNOWFLAKE (Selection Box Artwork, 1986)

Unfortunately I don't still have the whole box from the Selection Box, but I had the cutouts of Snowflake and Baby Tiddly Winks on my dresser as a child and so these survive. They were originally meant to be cut out and, I think, made into stand up figures, with the slit at the bottom, maybe to act out the story in the little book.

Pony Christmas subsequently became a comic tradition, where Majesty would choose a special pony to play Santa for the whole of Ponyland.

In terms of the pony herself, Snowflake is another early UK pony who bends the mould a little. She had both a glittery symbol (normally associated only with Unicorn and Pegasus Ponies of this type) and freckled cheeks. She seems to have been sold across Europe quite comprehensively, although the releases of her are a bit...weird.

Italian made versions of Snowflake appeared in parts of Europe, as did the Hong Kong one, above. The card style that the UK had, however, with Gypsy and Honeycomb, seems to have been in this country only. The template for that design was reused in other places, but featured other ponies instead of Gypsy and Honeycomb.

SNOWFLAKE (MADE IN ITALY)
German Card featuring Lickety Split and Posey instead of Gypsy and Honeycomb
(Thanks to Shivhae for this image)

Perhaps the most unusual and weird release was the Hong Kong release in Holland. The card was in English and featured the artwork from the 1985 Groom and Style set. It did not feature Snowflake at all. The card was printed with her name, however, and the story on the back matches Snowflake's story as used on the UK card exactly.

SNOWFLAKE (MADE IN HONG KONG)
Dutch issue on UK style card featuring the artwork from 1985 set
(Thanks to Shivhae for this image)