It's a Vintage Christmas

Much to the chagrin of my children, I love vintage Christmas decorations. The sad part? They remind me of my childhood.

From now until February I get obsessed at looking at vintage Christmas decorations on Ebay. And now am realizing that I have some of these items. Not that my childhood was that great (who's was) but Christmas was always magic and looking at so many of these items take me back and I love it.

Some day, I want a Sparkler style aluminum Christmas tree. A full one. My kids think they are the ugliest things that ever graced the planet. I love them. I grew up with one just like this that was graced with only green ball ornaments and, of course, the color wheel that magically changed the tree from red to green to blue to gold. It was the best. I remember how sad I was went we went to a green artificial tree. It I could get ahold of one of these, I would put it in my room (because my kids wouldn't allow it anywhere else) and I would leave the color wheel on it all the time.

We also had this plastic Santa wall hanging that was about 4 feet tall with the image of Santa and one eye that would wink at you when you moved up and down when I was a kid. I keep watching for one of these. I haven't seen one yet. However I do have the gold bell that you pull the string and it plays Jingle Bells. It even works but I am dreading the day when I pull the sting and there it stays. I can't remember not ever having it so it has to be at least 40 years old.

I am also lucky enough to have a pleathera of antique ornaments that did belong to my grandparents. I treasue these and they are among the first to go on my big tree every year. How about those little felt elves that hug their knees? My mom had a ton of those and I don't know where they are now. Lost in the fray, I'm sure. I wouldn't mind having a couple of those again some day.

Though I see so many things I would love to buy, one thing I have learned about shopping for vintage Christmas things is that, unless you can tie them to something, a memory or family, they don't mean quite as much. So many fun things to buy and I pass up vintage ornaments all the time just because....I don't have their story. Not that I tell stories about my thing when people come over, but I guess it's just that I know.

To me, each one has a soul. Each one has weathered so many Christmas seasons, wars, family changes and they are still here to tell the story if only they could. Yes, along with my gingerbread, my vintage things are by far my favorite.

I don't see an end to my monitor shopping with my eyes wide for hours. Not at all. I still may find that huge silver sparkler tree with lots of branches for a price I just can't pass up. I know my kids can hardly wait!