Hooked on Vintage Christmas

Reality check:  Christmas was over 41 days ago.  Around here, though, it seems that Christmas never really goes away! 

Every year my aunt gives me money at Christmas, which she tells me has to be spent just for me -- not on the house or for things for the family.  I think about getting clothes, shoes or make-up, but that never happens.  The money gets spent at antique malls, estate sales and flea markets and, more often than not, on vintage Christmas.

Look at the treasures I've found so far this year:

I found this little sweetie at my 'home' antique mall, Livingston Antique Outlet.  He's a mid-century Santa, made in Japan.  I think he's going to stay up all year long in my china cabinet, because he's just so cute!  I'm always so impressed by the effort and attention to detail that these old decorations had.  Even though they were considered cheap little items, they're really complex. 

Look at his sweet spun cotton face

The detail on the packages is remarkable.  Look at the little pipe-cleaner candy cane on the package and the 'extras' in the chimney next to the bottle brush tree

Santa even has extra gifts in the net bag on his back

These Gurley tapers are from our mall, too.  I've got a ridiculous amount large collection of Gurley and Tavern candles, but I've never seen tapers before.  Again, there's great attention to detail -- Santa's boots are painted black that there are paint dot decorations up and down the tapers. 

Gurley Santa taper candles

The foil candle holders were in a booth near the one where the candles were -- with their original box.  All of it - candles and holders - were in close to mint condition

The holders cost 39 cents back in the day

Who wouldn't love to have a pair of dancing Santas lighting their Christmas dinner table?

I think I showed you this cool tinsel tree already, but I wanted to share it again.   I found that in Allen, Michigan on a trip with my junking buddy Bargain Hunter.  In fact, I almost left without it and she talked me into going back for it -- good thing, too, or I'd have been driving back down to Allen (almost 2 hours away) the next day!

A year ago my sister-in-law sent me a picture of some handpainted mirror ornaments that came to her from her grandmother's decorations.  She asked if I ever see them and would I watch for some more -- in fact, I'd never even heard of them. 

They're called Mirrorettes and were sold in packages of 6 or more back in the 1950s.  I started watching for them at sales (I've never found any) and on Ebay, where they sell for a lot and are usually in poor condition.   I won't pay the ridiculously high prices they usually go for, but finally managed to get these six -- all in good condition for a more reasonable price.  My sister-in-law and I will split the set, so now I'll have a few.

They have different picture on the back.  They're actually two separate handpainted mirrors glued together back-to-back

Here's what they looked like in their package

Credit to an Ebay listing for this picture -- this isn't my set