Honeysuckle in the United Kingdom
Honeysuckle was sold officially in 1986 in the UK,
although she continued to be offered by Argos into 1987. She was
also sold on a more global scale. She is relatively common
second hand (usually without wings). The hair can fade from pink
to white and this is not uncommon. Please note that she came
with a GOLD ribbon and that the one pictured is not hers.
There are two distinct releases of Honeysuckle
within this 1986-early 1987 bracket, and this seems to correlate
with the updating of the wing sockets, which happened at some
point, probably, during 1986. This version had very curly hair,
as opposed to slightly wavy or smooth, and a slightly different
body tone.
Honeysuckle with Curly Hair
Second Year Wing Fixings
Honeysuckle Mint in Box (1986) - UK
Although the basic pony and accessories were the same across
her releases, the UK release also had a round, puffy sticker
which seems to be unique to this country. She was sold in a box
that featured Lily and Rosedust on the front - she is pictured
on the reverse. Her story/poem was featured on a side flap. The
UK was the only country where the box featured a poem rather
than a story.
Honeysuckle Mint in Box, UK 1986
Image from Baby Heart Throb
Honeysuckle's Character
"Flutter Ponies bring good luck,
No matter what the reasons,
Watch carefully throughout the year,
for Honeysuckle to change the seasons!."
In the UK, flutter ponies were charged with being lucky, and
instead of a story, each flutter had a little poem on her box,
beginning with the line 'Flutter Ponies bring good luck'. The
flutter ponies lived in Flutter Valley and did often appear in
comic stories. Honeysuckle's poem hints that she had a seasonal
responsibility and that somehow her flutter magic changed the
seasons across the year. One amusing and odd annual story
had her invoking all different times of weather at the same time
in order to try and gain access to an enchanted garden. (I am
concerned given that flying requires wing-flapping...)
Honeysuckle, A One Pony Climate Disaster
My Little Pony annual, UK 1987
This weather duty was ultimately left in the
hands of the Weather Witch, and seasonal changes by various
other seasonal humanoids, like the Summer Queen and Autumn
Princess.
