Some Vintage/New-to-me Christmas Goodies

Every year I put up many of the same things. And I love it! Much of it I have very early memories of, either from my Great-Granny, my Grandmas, or my own family. Ever year, when I get out the boxes, it is like opening memory after memory. But I usually acquire a new thing or two each year, but that new-to-me thing is often vintage. Take the little duck above. (Don't be so literal, it'd be a knockdown drag-out fight for you to get him from me ;). He is one that my two oldest boys found in a flea market in Siloam Springs when they were very young. Neither had the money to buy him outright, so they pooled their money and each paid $5 for their half of the duck! He hung in their bedroom from then on, and when Devin left home, he left the duck with Seth. Seth is now married and got to thinking that wifey might not appreciate Mr. Duck all that much. So he came full circle and lives with me again. This is his first year to be in costume and I personally think he feels quite dapper and in the Christmas mood.

When I was little, my Grandma Betty crocheted a snowman couple for each of the married kids in the family. Moma put hers out every year. Then, one year when I was in High School, she asked if I wanted them. Well, no, not really. And I didn't think any more about it. But then I got married and had babies. (I almost put I grew up at the beginning of that sentence, but we are being serious here.) I got a hankering for the snowpeople, so I asked mom if I could have them. But she had given them away!!! Yeah, yeah, I know that I said I didn't want them before, but now I wanted them! And surely you know you can't trust what a teenager says at the moment. All the sudden I had a terrible, anguished longing that only Grandma Betty crocheted snowmen could fix. Thankfully, Grandma had kept a set for herself, and when she heard of my saddened condition she wanted to give her pair to me. Isn't that the sweetest thing? And now I put them out every single year. But, in between them, is a new to me item. It is the candle that Grandma Betty set out every year when my moma was a girl. It always astounds me when these old candles aren't wilted or deformed. Now the snow couple have a fireplace! Right, just what every snowperson longs for...

I've shown you the stockings above before. The big ones were my Grandpa Bill's (my Pop's daddy) and his brother Jack's when they were boys in the 1920's. The little sock in the middle is one I found in a box of old linens. It was too worn and adorable to throw away, so it became a stocking. And this year I got another Grandma Betty treasure, a little felt stocking to go with them that once held candy. A perfect addition!

Below is an apron my dear friend Andrea gave me back in the summer.  It's adorable mitten-patterned mitten pockets (say that five times fast) were just waiting to go on display at Christmas. And you can bet it will be worn also...

The Stewart plaid that my Great-aunt Jessie got in Scotland always graces the house somewhere in the holiday. Here it's in the window with some mica crusted bells that belonged to Duane's Grandma Marion. And in the windows are hanging some new decorations. The wreaths were a gift from my dear friend Jenny. They were her mother's and while she didn't want to get rid of them, she didn't have a place for them. I am always so honored when I am gifted with someone's family memento. It means that they know I will care for and cherish it.

And I will.

And now are some pictures of things that are not new, but I love them too much not to include them. My Grandpa Bill and my Pop's old toys, and a tiny tree covered in my Great-granny's ornaments from the 20's. You might remember my post, Oh, woe is me! , from last year. I wrote about how I walked past the room to see the tree had crashed onto the floor and there was broken glass from antique ornaments everywhere. I was very sad, but luckily most of her ornaments were spun cotton, chenille, or some sort of fabric. So most of my very favorites live on.

Don't they just make you so happy?

And I had to add this picture because I recently saw a Country Living magazine where they were talking about how collectible ornaments and other Christmas items were if they were still in the original packaging, and gave ideas on displaying them. Well, I guess I'm ahead of the times, because I've been doing that forever!

If you want to see more of my regular decor, including how Fluffy and Squeaky get dressed for the holidays, see my Christmas posts Christmas 2017  and  The Tree . I know it might seem boring to some to think of decorating with the same things, but to me it is like unpacking tangible memories, year after wonderful year.

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"I take way too much joy in rediscovering all those things that I've been collecting since I was a kid, always searching for the things that felt "real"--things that felt genuine, had stories.

I shouldn't have to give up my love of going through old boxes and making discoveries of things I forgot existed or imagined must have been given away years ago, as if I've sent a care package to myself from some distant past I only half-remember. Suddenly, surprisingly, a box full of memories will bring it all back into sharp focus."
Eve O. Schaub

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Is there a decoration or ornament that brings back a flood of memories for you, Dear Reader?