Ho, ho, ho..........Murrrr-rah Christmas

In Elvis speak.

There won't be many words tonight. I thought I'd be posting every day from Friday until now. Ha. So much for that idea, so I'm cramming in a bunch of pictures tonight. Hope Christmas Day finds you all healthy, happy and wise with full tummies.

This white tree is much prettier in person.

I think the stuffed boot is quite old. At least the fabric seems to be.

One of the set of four glitter bells. My very first "married life" ornaments.

The clear ball with the tinsel inside is one of my favorites. I love it for it's simplicity and because it was a wartime ornament. Something about metal being used for the war?

Another children of the world ornament like the ones hanging from the chandelier.

The tree unlit.

And lit with over 2000 lights.

Tale of the 6' silver, aluminum, pom-pom Christmas tree with blue balls

The following is the oft told tale of my momma's 6', silver, aluminum, pom-pom Christmas tree with blue balls. The picture below is not that tree. I can't believe it, but there doesn't seem to be a picture of that tree in existence.

I'm a "real tree" snob. Always have been. I've always preferred a real tree over fake. My mother, on the other hand, preferred ease of use and no mess of an artificial tree. She also liked modern. Current. Not old fashioned. So in the early 1960s, she finally bought an Everlast, 6', silver, aluminum, pom-pom tree. I hated it. I thought it was the ugliest, most un-Christmas thing I'd ever seen. What's worse, she wouldn't use her lovely, old, Shiny Brite ornaments, but bought all new, blue balls. Only blue balls on that tree. The color wheel would provide any other color we needed. I was appalled and grumbled about it, but we used it for many years. After all, what say did a 10 year old have?

By the 1970s, it had fallen out of favor and had been relegated to the attic. In the 1980s, a lady we knew casually would advertise on the local radio station's "Swap and Shop" that she wanted to buy aluminum Christmas trees. Momma would ask me if she should call her and I said - I remember these fateful words well - "Why not? Those will never come back in style. They'll never be collectible. They're just too awful. I sure don't want it." Remember, this was the 1980s when all things natural were the thing. Shiny and gaudy were out. How do trends reverse themselves so quickly? She was never convinced, though and I thought she kept the tree. By the time of our first Christmas without her, 1999, I'd come around to loving the silver, aluminum Christmas trees. They'd become popular and sought after and I had one! All I had to do was ask for it. So Daddy and I got up in the attic to find it.

We rummaged around, found the other Christmas ornaments, which he gave to me, and after some searching, there it was. I'd know that box anywhere! It was a eureka moment. Like a light was shining around the treasure. I happily drug it down and took it home.

I was so excited when the day came to put it up. I brought the box in the house, opened it, pulled a limb out of a sleeve and...............what's this???? This tree is gold!! That's not my momma's 6', silver, aluminum, pom-pom, Christmas tree! What the......? I looked at the box. The name "Deason" was scrawled on the side. They were the previous owners of my parent's house and had left their ugly, gold, aluminum Christmas tree in the attic. It's not even a pom-pom tree. And now it was mine.

I don't know what happened to our silver tree. I saw the lady who was wanting to buy them so long ago, but she said she never bought one from my mother. My guess is that the tree went the way of a yard sale. I still want a vintage, 6', silver, pom-pom tree, but don't want to pay the retail price, so keep looking at the sales. Some day I'll find one. Probably when they've fallen out of favor again. Until that time, I put up the small silver one I picked up at a yard sale, faithfully decorated with blue balls and the gold tree that has such a story behind it and has earned a special place in my heart.

Erin made the pipe cleaner star I put on the gold tree this year. She copied an ornament she bought in a store. I think she did a great job.

*In case you're wondering what a pom-pom tree is, look at the ends of the two trees pictured above. See how the ends of the branches just end? A pom-pom tree ends more rounded. Prettier. I can't describe it, but I bet you could see a good example on eBay.

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Christmas is barreling down on us full steam, isn't it? I'm done. No more shopping. I haven't wrapped a single present, but that's typical of me. I've been concerned about how much I've been eating since I have my gyn check-up next week, so I've decided to postpone it until about March. I know if I went now, everything I have that can be "counted" will be high and I really want to pig out some more on cake, pies, candy........ I figure March will give my system a chance to get back to normal. That way if anything shows up high, we'll know we'd better do something. Philip will be coming up to stay a few days with us after Christmas, too. He and his dog. Our daughter-in-law has to go back to school earlier than he, so she's staying home. They're both teachers. I still have more pictures of decorations to share and the main tree, so I might be posting every day until Christmas.

Take it easy, y'all. Don't stress too much.

Christmas overload

We're back from Florida. It was a nice break and I thrifted and antiqued down US1 until time and money ran out. But no time to talk about that now. Christmas is almost here! I've still got a couple of presents to buy and no idea what to get. We're having a girls get together tonight, sort of a progressive dinner thing and I'm the second stop, so I'll have to get busy in just a bit. I might not get to blog much this week, so am sharing a lot of pictures today. I'm saving the trees pictures for a post of their own. Here goes...................

The "Putz" houses collection. They're all old. I just adore collecting these houses.

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Tree topper stars. They look much better in person than in this picture.

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I couldn't get a good, clear picture of the chandelier and ornaments. The little people are so special. I found them at a yard sale, plundering through someone's barn. She had intended to sell them on eBay, but let me have them for $5.00. She could have got so much more for them on eBay and if I didn't intend to keep them I would have encouraged her to sell them there, but I wanted these babies and knew I would never be able to afford them if they made it to eBay.

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The living room mantle with our stockings. The old one in the middle belongs to the cat. The cross stitch one on the left is Philip's. It's the first stocking I made. The next, more Victorian, crazy quilt looking one is mine, made in the 1980s. The plaid is Ricky's. Erin made it when she was about 12 years old. The far right stocking is Erin's. It was a crewel kit I did in 1981 or 82.

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Just some old things hanging on the pegs next to the den fireplace. The stocking with my name on it was mine in the 1960s. I found the two, Merry Christmas, sock stockings at an estate sale this summer. The little elf is part of a large collection. I haven't got a decent picture of those, yet.

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Old Christmas card boxes and a couple of other old boxes.

More old boxes. I can't figure out how to display these well. I don't like them piled in the chair (or the card boxes lined up on the brick), but don't know what else to do with them. There are actually bubble lights in the two bubble light boxes! I had forgotten I had these.

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Connie asked, "No reindeer?" Why, yes. Of course I have a reindeer collection! LOL I've run out of surfaces and haven't got them out....... wait! Maybe there's room in Philip's room! Ooo! I'll try that!

The Snowmen

Snowmen seemed appropriate for today. Our high was 77 °. But I just heard on the weather report a rumor of snow flurries this weekend! That's weather in Alabama for ya.

We're still home. Who knows when we'll get outta here? It's such an ordeal for us to go anywhere. Ricky was determined the yard and carport would be clean before we left and the warm weather has had him working outside all day yesterday and today. It looks good, too.

This is the snowman collection. I'd say 99% of them are 1960s and earlier. The fence is a Christmas fence from the 1940s or so. The box is as cool as the fence. Hmmm... Where'd I put the box? I got lucky at an auction a few years ago. I couldn't stay and left bids on a bunch of Christmas lots and won most of them! The fence came from that auction. The snowmen are from here, there and everywhere.

Everyone loves the roller coaster. I had it until I was in about the 7th grade, maybe longer before it was sold or given away. It was only in the house for Christmas and, like Meggie's, it went from the living room to the kitchen. When I was small it seemed so large, but as I grew, even though I was still pretty small, it shrunk. It only stood about 2-1/2' - 3' tall at the highest point. We rolled down that little hill and up another, smaller hill before coasting off the end. Yes, it was tons of fun. All my friends loved to ride, no matter their age. My babysitter loved it just as much as I did. I think Santa's elves made them for Sears. Or maybe Santa bought it from Sears.

Vacation?

We've been working hard trying to leave for Florida, but there's still a lot to do. Looks like vacation will be put off a day or two. As for me, I've been cleaning and trying to finish decorating. I don't like to leave a messy house when I'm gone for a few days and I sure don't want to have to finish the decorating when we get back.

I decided today that I have enough Christmas decorations now. I don't think I have to keep every ornament and decoration I find any more. That's a milestone for me! I'm taking pictures, but need to retake most of them. The color is just weird.

This is one of my best Christmases ever. I believe it was 1958. Santa brought that roller coaster and the drum set among other things. How can you get better than that?

Just a quick check-in

OK, OK. Sergeant "Holding Patterns" Sandi is on patrol making sure we slackers pick up the pace. I've been lazy. I admit it. Actually, I just haven't had much to say. We finally got a tree and I've been decorating it for three days. No, not constantly, silly. Off and on. I decorate as long as I can stand it, then go do something else. It's real purty, but not finished, yet. Pics will come later.

Ummm.......hmmmm.... I told you I don't have much to say. I will, but want to put pictures with the words and I don't have the pictures yet.

Hey! I do know something I need to ask you Florida folks and people who know about Florida. We'll be traveling down the west coast of Florida and cutting over to the east coast to visit son and daughter-in-law, Philip and Lisa in Port St. Lucie. Normally, we get on the turnpike, or occasionally cruise the east coast, but we've never been down the west coast. We have plans to stop in junk stores, thrift stores and antique shops. Do any of you have suggestions for the places we don't need to miss? We're going to take a couple of days to arrive at our destination. If there are any shops with especially wonderful displays, I need to know. I'm collecting a file of inspiring shops. I hope to eventually be one of those inspiring shops.

I've enjoyed going through the boxes of decorations and have found some things I've forgotten about like the two doll ornaments above. I need to get finished before we leave for vacation.

A Right Jolly Old Elf

Me at just over a year old. I didn't know what to make of that Santa, but got comfortable enough with him pretty quick:

And he soon became a very close friend.

(I wish I could get my hands on those figurines on the corner shelf now, not to mention the toys!)

I don't know if Santa was new that year or if he'd been around awhile, but he has stuck with me and I've loved him every Christmas of my life. My kids grew up with him, too. He's become a tradition in our family. He's much worse for wear now, having lived in the attic, he became brittle and beat up and we burned a too strong light bulb in him causing a brown spot on his front. We say he has heart burn. He has a couple of friends now, but he's still our favorite.

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I've collected a lot more Santas through the years. Most of these are older. Some, usually a gift, are "new". I just found a box of Santa and angel candles yesterday, after this picture was taken. I think I need some greenery or something at the top of the mirror. The Merry Christmas banner is the one I grew up with.

Look at the expression on the big guy on the left. Wonder what he saw? The fellow sitting in front of him is probably my oldest and the round headed guy on the far right is a bobble head.

I'm not sure if any of these are originals from my childhood. I just don't remember if any of them stayed around or were sold, but the smaller, pointy hat Santas are like the ones we had.

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In spite of decorating and Christmas shopping, I just can't seem to get in the Christmas spirit. It just doesn't seem like Christmas for some reason, but it's always like that for me. I seem to be ready for Christmas by February.

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My darlin' daughter has done me a disservice. She works three twelves, so she's off four days a week and has started watching The Waltons every morning. Now, she knows how much I've always loved The Waltons and will tell me which episode was on the day before and what it was about. Well, now I get up every morning and turn on The Waltons. And watch TV for TWO HOURS!! I should be walking to get healthier...erm...lose this weight... or cleaning or something constructive. I feel so guilty. I'm thankful for the luxury of not having to work, but feel terrible that Ricky goes off to work every day, working doubles (not by choice), basically working and sleeping and I'm watching TV for two hours in the mornings and not cooking and cleaning like a good Olivia Walton... I mean Domestic Goddess. If I'd make up for it the rest of the day, I wouldn't feel so bad, but I don't. You see, I was supposed to be a Princess or at least an heiress, but there was some mix-up before I was born. Or I could have listened to Momma when she told me it was just as easy to love a rich man as it was to love a poor man. But you know what? I love my hubby and my parents and wouldn't trade any of them for all the riches in the world.

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We're having girls night out tonight to celebrate my and another friend's birthday. Hers is actually today. Or was it yesterday? Mine was last week. We always have a fine time when we get together. We're going to try to have our Christmas party here at my house. I hope we can find a time we can all get together. I'll be gone to Florida most of next week, so it'll have to be this weekend or the week before Christmas.

Angels We Have Heard On High

The angel hanging from the lamp with the arrows pointing to him has been moved. What an unfortunate placement! I didn't realize until sometime after taking this picture that it looks like he's been hung by the neck from a tree. The effect was supposed to be of flying in the air, but that is definitely not how it appears. Now, he hangs on the tall, green vase in the back. Much better.

These are just angels I've picked up through the years and some were gifts. There's no special story about collecting angels. Oh, wait! I was an angel in my first grade Christmas program! So there. Oh, I've got to dig that picture out.

I've been on the road most of this week. Doing some shopping and tree hunting. Then I decided it was time for a new web host. I had the money and wanted to do it before I spent it elsewhere. I moved one site over to the new host and what a disaster it was! It's all just about straightened out now, but I burned the midnight oil last night before giving up and going to bed. I've also purchased www.justvintagetoo.com. Actually, I didn't have to buy it. I was allowed one free domain name with the new host. I don't know if that will ultimately be the site name, but it's the one I'll play with for now. Another thought was justvintageboutique, but that was harder to type, so I settled for "too". What do you think? "Too" or "Boutique"? Boutique looks better, but it's so long. I still might be able to get justvintage. It expires this month. I'm holding out to see it if gets renewed or not. But all that is so boring. I'm telling you this because I'll eventually be moving my blog to justvintage something and building a whole new website there. This is exciting for me. Snapdragon Antiques has been around for several years, but I'm ready for a whole new look and feel to go with the new shop. I'll probably keep the Snapdragon Antiques website for awhile too.

Ah! Here it is! This was cropped out of a photo of all the angels. It hardly looks like me.

Look at those shoes! I can't believe my mother let me wear those! Bet she didn't know. I'm thinking I still have that costume around here somewhere. Probably in the attic. I know I've still got the pattern. The gold stars were glued onto the dress. Hmmm...where are the wings? I know we had wings......

Saga of the Pine Cone Elf Band

One of my most favorite childhood Christmas decorations was a little, six piece, pine cone elf band. I loved putting it on an end table or some special spot every year. They came in a box, each elf with his own compartment. When Christmas was over, I'd lovingly put each elf back in his place. We took really good care of these little guys. At some point after I moved out, Momma put them in a yard sale. Remember, she just didn't care for all those dime store ornaments. I was heart broken and have looked for that band ever since. Oh, I've found it, alright. A bit more than I can afford. Just a tad. No, I'm holding out until I find one for a few dollars at a sale instead of $50+ on eBay or in a shop - that's when that exact set even comes up for sale. In the meantime, I've collected these onesies. Most were a dime or a quarter each. Occasionally there will be two or three together, but usually it's just one. And none of these are exactly like the ones from my childhood.

The wire trees in these two pictures are new. Bought last year on clearance.

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I've been on the road this week shopping. Looking for a fake Christmas tree (That's a story for another day.) and a mid week, estate "pre" sale. Another day's story. You all have been prolific writers while I've been away. Add that to last week's blog updates I haven't got to read yet, well let's just say I'm way behind. I might end up having to start fresh. I need to list some things on eBay tonight and probably won't get to read many blogs. If I haven't gone in and commented on your blog lately, I apologize. I'm trying to get around to everyone, but feel hopelessly behind. I'll be gone all day again tomorrow, too. Maybe next week will calm down some. I sure hope so.

How my collection came to be

This is a picture of my collection of vintage tree toppers. Most cost a dollar or less, but I think I remember paying as much as $5 for one of them. Yes, you really have to hunt for the bargains. I usually have them in candlesticks, but this year piled them in the Roseville console bowl I inherited from my mother. She had a cactus planted in it. I tried to keep the cactus alive for years, but it died a slow death. I'm happier with it empty, anyway.

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But how did all those boxes full of decorations I shared in a previous post come to be, you ask? Well, sit back and I'll tell ya.

Ever since I can remember, I loved Christmas. All things Christmas. The meaning, family get togethers, food, gifts, and yes, the decorations. The gaudier the better. I loved the late 1940s - 1950s, dime store ornaments my mother had. She didn't share my love. She'd say, "Those old, cheap, dime store ornaments? I don't want to use them." But I'd insist. Every year, I'd lovingly put the ornaments on the tree and find the perfect spot for the little pine cone elf band. She'd just roll her eyes and shake her head. She really wasn't into Christmas as much as I was. She was the type who always got depressed at Christmas. She thought her life was too much UN-like the movies where all was perfect. She had unrealistic expectations of the season. There was a lot more that went into all that such as her shyness and insecurities, that type thing. The point is, I was the reason we decorated. I pushed. Daddy never enjoyed decorating for Christmas. Still doesn't.

I grew up and got married. I still have the first Christmas ornaments I ever bought. A box of four glittered, Styrofoam bells I bought at Bob's Bargain Barn for 5¢ for the box. (I ran across them the other day, but can't find them right now or I'd take a picture for you.) That was in the summer of our first year together. Our first Christmas rolled around and all I had was those four ornaments. We cut down a tree on his dad's land and bought a few lights and some balls on sale at Zayer, 50¢ a box. That tree was pitiful. We had no money, you see. But it was ours and we were so proud.

We were still broke the next year and the next and I took to making ornaments. Nothing like you all are making these days. Those things I made were tacky smachy! Uuuugleeee! I also started shopping after Christmas sales for marked down ornaments. Got some good ones then. Or so I thought. I refuse to use any of them now. Do you see history repeating itself? I finally understand why Momma didn't like those dime store ornaments of hers. One thing, for her they represented a time when they couldn't afford anything else. But more than that, she truly thought they were ugly. Just like I think the ornaments from my early married years are ugly. However, I do think 1970s ornaments are not as pretty as 1940s ornaments.

I was determined never to have an ugly tree again and when I began going to estate sales in earnest, I started finding the old ornaments I loved so well and started stocking up. I continue to find them and just can't bring myself to part with any. So the collection grows and grows. I won't get rid of the '70s ornaments in case my grandchildren find them charming. Erin likes the same older ornaments I like and Philip is like my dad. He grouses and grumbles when he has to decorate much. I'm not sure how his wife feels about Christmas decorating, but I do know she's not a sentimental type person.

So there you have it. The story of why I have this much Christmas stuff. It's a compulsion. It's like when people who lived through the Depression save string and aluminum foil. I chose one, small collection to show you to begin with so as not to overwhelm you. I'll continue to share one or two collections at a time.

Walp. I think I'll pull out a few more boxes tonight. See ya!

Still here

Yes, I survived the dinner Friday night and have been recuperating all weekend. It was a smashing success. Lots of laughs and good food. We ended up with 30 people here, only 4 of those were small children. Twenty six adults were sitting around eating and there was food left over! We had a lot of food. We still have a lot of food. We've been eating the same meals twice a day for a couple of days now, and eating some of the dessert for breakfast, mid afternoon snack and dessert after supper (or dinner depending on where you live). We're getting tired of it, but don't like to waste anything. Can you freeze dressing?

My dad and step mother came home early from their little vacation and came over for the fun. Ricky's three sisters and one of his brothers were here. Plus their kids and grandkids. I'd managed to get the house clean except for Erin's room, which is my sewing room/throw-it-in-here-when-I-don't-know-what-else-to-do-with-it-room. The door was closed to that room. I did make one cleaning mistake. There was a dead bug by the window next to the big dining room table. I'd meant to get it up and forgot. Guess where my step mother chose to sit? Um hmm. The chair right beside the bug. I'm hoping she was watching the plate and the chair and didn't see that big ol' bug. Anyone else seeing that bug would not have bothered me at all. She's the only person I cared if she saw it. And she sits right next to it! Wouldn't you know it?

I was able to get a lot of the Christmas decorations out and placed in their spots during the day Friday and will be sharing pictures throughout the month. I thought the cherub pictured above was appropriate to herald in the season. He's not old, only 10 years or so, a gift from a former piano student and I've always enjoyed using him. I've got a long way to go with decorating, but I can see the end. I think.

The weekend rest is over now. Back to life. Yesterday, it was so dreary, I laid on the sofa and watched TV all afternoon, drifting in and out of sleep. I never do this! But I sure did yesterday. Today, my back hurts from all that lying around. But I did get to see Pirates of the Caribbean, The Curse Of the Black Pearl. I'd never seen any of the three Pirates movies. Now I want to see the other two. I'd forgotten Johnny Depp "channeled" Keith Richards for the role. Remembered that real quick. LOL So today is dreary too, but I'm resisting the urge to be completely and utterly lazy. I need to do stuff. And I got way behind reading everyone's blogs. Need to start cruising. Right now, I'm getting hungry. Hmmmm....wonder what's in the fridge? Oh, yeah. I remember. Green bean casserole, dressing, gravy and cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, chicken salad, macaroni and cheese, slaw, cheesecake and bread pudding. Sigh. It sounds so good, and it is. I'm just needing a hamburger or something.