Favorite Vintage Christmas Decorations

When you’re as old as I am, the Christmas decorations you had as a child can be considered vintage! I wandered through my parents’ freshly decorated house, picking out my favorite childhood decorations. I hope you enjoy seeing the pictures, and learning about the story behind these “special to me” Christmas decorations…

1.  These four candles go back as far as I can remember, and I always remember them being on display in the kitchen window. I distinctly remember the first year Mom put snow under the candles. It was so beautiful I thought I’d died and gone to heaven!

2.  When I was little, my papaw occasionally spoiled me with cute little gifts when he went to town. One year when I was about four, he brought home this little elf. His legs have been broken off  and glued back on many times, once by my first grade teacher when she dropped him during show-and-tell. Many shades of red nail polish have been used over the years to cover up those break lines, and that just adds to his whimsical character.

3.  Our family always went into town to shop and look at the lights on Main Street one evening before Christmas. One particular year, Mom and Dad bought Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the lamb, and the donkey. There were made in Italy, and were 19 cents each. I know this because each of these figurines has 19¢ written on the bottom in pencil. We bought the angel, shepherds, wise men, and camel a few years later when we found them for sale again at the local five-and-ten cent store (either Roses or Ben Franklin). Years later, but still 27 years ago, I bought the manger to add to my parents’ nativity display.

4.  When I was about seven, a little neighbor got very sick with Rheumatic Fever, and had to be taught at home for several months. In addition to teaching her third graders in the classroom, my mom went to the little girl’s house and taught her for several hours each week. That Christmas, her family gave my mom a gift to show their appreciation. I have absolutely no recollection of what was in the gift, but I will always remember that these little now-faded blue elves were attached to the bow on the package and I thought they were the cutest things I’d ever seen. We attached them to our Christmas tree that year, and they’ve held a place of honor, front and center, ever since. They’re faded and stretched, but still are magical in my eyes.

5.  When I was in fifth grade, the high schoolers on my bus were selling various items to raise money for their senior trip. As soon as I saw this beautiful candle, I knew I had to buy it for my mom for Christmas. I had saved my allowance for something special, and this was it. Mom still puts it out every year, and it still makes me proud to remember that I spent my hard earned allowance on something she still cherishes.

I hope you enjoyed your walk down my Christmas memory lane; and next time you’re at your parents’ or grandparents’ house, stop and reminisce as you look at their special decorations!

• Questions:
• Do you have a special holiday decoration from when you were a child that you cherish?
• Did your parents save your hand made decorations?
• Who is racing this weekend? ~ I’m running in the Run With Santa 5K