A VINTAGE CHRISTMAS

THE QUINTESSENTIAL SANTA CLAUS

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I haven't been doing as many Christmas-related posts as I had planned, because it's been too cold in my little corner of the world. And by that I don't mean outside (although it is cold outside), but here in my computer corner in the living room. Frigid air is coming in around the window air conditioner, and my fingers are like icicles. This post will be mainly pictures, but that's okay, and hopefully Dan and I can run up to Menard's tomorrow and get some weather- proofing stuff for the window while we're out getting our Christmas tree.



Today I'm sharing some of my vintage Christmas items, which I have found at flea markets and antique shops (which in North Dakota are basically vintage shops), and in one instance, on eBay. I bought them because they bring back warm fuzzy memories of my childhood home and of my grandma's house.



To me, the quintessential Santa Claus is the Coca Cola Santa from the 50s. It's who I imagine when I picture Santa in my mind's eye. His beard, his hat, his suit, his black belt and even his old brown boots are just perfect. The Coca Cola Santa illustrations can be found in old magazines at flea markets.



I love glass-blown bird ornaments. They just plain make me happy. The reproductions today usually have big feathery tails but I prefer the older ones with the straight tails. I have found some that have lost their clips, but I just bring them home anyway (they're cheap) and tuck them in here and there in arrangements.


This lighted plastic music box church was always on display at Christmas at my grandma's house. I loved to sit and stare at it, and occasionally turn the key to play "Silent Night." I only knew it as the Miles Kimball church because it used to be offered in the Miles Kimball catalog. I always meant to order one for myself, but Miles Kimball stopped selling it. I was sure I could find one on eBay and I was right. I was surprised to learn that this is well known by its brand name, as the Raylite church.

Recognize these little choir boys, anyone? These are Gurley candles. When I was growing up, we had only the choir boys, the cute little angels and the evergreen trees. However, Gurley made many other kinds of Christmas candles and so I have added the Santas, snowmen, reindeer, elves, and so forth to my collection.

A cellophane wreath like this used to hang in my grandma's living room window. Its warm red glow meant, "Welcome, Welcome!" to me. Mine hangs in my kitchen window, where I leave it lit 24 hours a day. It is very fragile, as are all the cellophane wreaths that exist to this day, but that makes me love it even more.

Does anyone remember the little Christmas chimes? The heat from the candles makes the top spin and produces tinkling sounds. If you're looking for them in vintage shops, they come unassembled in little boxes and you have to try to remember every year how to put together all the pieces.

My family and Dan's family both had bubble lights on our Christmas trees. My grandma didn't have a tree when I was growing up but I was told that for many years Grandma's sister "Auntie Jenny" in Montana shipped the Munros fresh Christmas trees on the train. Wouldn't that have been fun?

Anyway, back to bubble lights. I loved them when I was little. I used to be mesmerized by the liquid that started bubbling after the bulb warmed up.

Dan and I have carried on the tradition of bubble lights, but I am getting sick and tired of them. I still think they are pretty, but they break or dry out or stop bubbling, and it is becoming nearly impossible to find replacement bulbs. I found some on the Internet last year, but they were out of stock and they were "not available until 2007". Did I remember to go back and order some in early 2007? Of course not. When did I think about ordering some? Yesterday. Am I too late? Of course.

I want to get rid of the bubble lights entirely and have all white lights, but Dan doesn't agree. We did have to do without them a couple of years ago, when we couldn't find the bubble lights (and no, I didn't hide them).

These vintage balls and bells are among my favorites, too. I have a small white tree decorated with these glass-blown ornaments, and I group the others in a bowl. Now this is really going to date me: My mom and us kids also made red and green construction paper chains, and strung cranberry and popcorn garlands for our trees.

I was asking Dan last night about the decorations he remembered, as his mom and dad had a lot of these same items. He remembers that his Auntie Gladys and Uncle Bill had angel hair on their Christmas tree, and that it was considered to be very expensive at the time. "Earl wouldn't have any of that," says Dan, referring to his frugal father.

Yesterday my co-workers and I had lunch together. We were talking about Christmas decorations and someone mentioned bubble lights. "What are bubble lights?", asked 20-something Stephanie. I realized then and there that the post I had planned to write about vintage Christmas would have to include me, as I, myself, am now considered to be vintage! (And Stephanie probably thinks of me as antique.)

I hope you enjoyed my trip down "Christmas Decoration Memory Lane". Those of you who are my age most certainly recognized all or most of these decorations. For you youngsters, I hope I introduced you to some cool stuff.

Oh, by the way, neither Dan's parents or my parents ever had an aluminum tree colored by rotating lights! That's way too retro for me.