Does the Perfect Butter Ornament Exist? I Asked the World’s Pre-Eminent Butter Ornament Collector

Abby Spudich: I was doing a Cracker Barrel versus Anthropologie series [on TikTok] where I was taking pictures of an item of clothing and asking, “Can you guess which is from which?” and someone commented, “Oh my God, have you seen the butter ornament at Cracker Barrel?” Cracker Barrel and Anthropologie both have butter ornaments.

Anthropologie’s aesthetic is obviously very chic, very trendy, but it also hits on deep Americana themes that you could easily find at a Cracker Barrel.

Someone commented on one of my posts that Cracker Barrel and Anthropologie both donate to the same candidates and causes. And I find that very interesting, too.

What, in your opinion, is the appeal of the butter ornament?

Taking something so commonplace and then elevating it. Like, “Your kitchen butter. This is beautiful.” I think that’s fun. There’s also an element of butter’s place in all these comfort foods we’re making. There’s that comfort, the hominess of butter, too.

@abby.spinach

Hey butter babes!! I’ve got another butter ornament haul! Like and save to stay on ButterTok, the algo is boosting my vids like the old days! Ft ornaments from @Ava Jane and gifts from @Sardonix !#2023christmastrends #butterornament #ornament #midwesternculture #midwestcore #christmashaul #christmasdecorhaul #smallbusinessfinds #CapCut

♬ original sound – abby🌱

How are you assessing each butter ornament?

I don’t know that I’m looking for the most realistic one. I think there needs to be an element of whimsy. I think there needs to be some Christmas to it. For me, there has to be a level of realism, but it’s a magical realism. I want a little sparkle, a little shine. I like the ones that have the measurement lines, but those can make it a little busy.

Also, you’re never really going to get to the idea of perfection. Someone asked, “If you find the perfect one are you going to stop?” and it’s like, “Well, how can you know what’s perfect if you haven’t seen every one?”

Do you have any front runners that are getting a prominent spot on the tree?

I like the Bloomingdale’s ($28) one a lot. That’s one of the higher-end ones. What I like about that one is the font is red, and that feels a little more Christmas-y, and it’s got this sparkle, but it’s not over the top. And then I really like the one from Kirkland’s, actually. That one has a detail where the wrapper is unfolding that’s really pretty. It’s a shinier one, too. Those ones are not the most realistic ones but they have that fun detail. Oh, I have a pink one, too, from Ava Jane. It reminds me of strawberry milk.

Kirkland vs Bloomingdale’s kind of mirrors the Cracker Barrel vs Anthropologie dynamic.

[Laughs] Yeah. The Kirkland one I got for so cheap, I got 45% off. I feel like I need the Anthropologie one because of that. It isn’t the most expensive one I’ve found, there’s a handmade sequined designer one that is more expensive, but Anthropologie’s costs like $36 and I don’t know if I can go for that. [Ed note: as of 12/20/2023, the Anthropologie butter ornament is sold out.]

I will say a lot of people have been telling me to buy the Hobby Lobby ones. I guess Hobby Lobby has two butter ornaments. But I’m not going to give them free advertising for my hobby.

I respect that. Do you have plans to display all of the ornaments at some point?

I’m going to do a butter tree reveal. I made a little tree topper today. It’s a cow and it’s a little creepy. It’s giving folk horror. It’s giving MidSommar.

@abby.spinach

Butter tree reveal 💗🧈🎄🎀 there’s still room for a few more, i’ve got some coming in the mail still but here she is in all her glory. hope it was worth the wait! #foodornaments #butterornamentnation #2023christmastrends #butterornament #ornament #midwesternculture #midwestcore #christmastreedecorating #CapCut

♬ O Tannenbaum – Vince Guaraldi Trio

I imagine your audience is pretty femme leaning?

Instagram gives you your analytics and my audience is 97% women. And [I forget] but on either TikTok or Instagram, my top city is Chicago.

Do you have any insights on whether millennials or Gen Z are consuming your content more?

Most of my viewers are millennials. It’s a nice bell curve, actually. 20% of my viewers are between 25 and 24, 42% are between 25 and 34, 24% are between 35 and 44.

What do you imagine is the millennial appeal?

There have been some think pieces about how millennials are obsessed with HGTV and home decoration because they will never actually be able to afford a house or whatever. There’s also just this idea that we’re gonna wring every bit of joy out of this holiday season, we’re gonna go so hard.

Your fandom and audience appear to be very invested and supportive. (The latter is not always a given with millennials online.)

It’s pretty cool. People are mailing me ornaments, too. People will link me to ornaments they’ve found and say, “Oh, did you see this one?” People are making me handmade ornaments. Someone sent me butter earrings. [When we chatted, Abby was wearing a “Butters of the world” sweatshirt that a company gifted her.] There are even people who have said, “Did you have this one or did I have a dream about that?” I’m like, “Oh, my gosh, I’m in your subconscious.” I didn’t expect to become the butter ornament girl.

I’m glad you’ve risen to the occasion.

I wear the title proudly.