Being born an Easterner, I grew up knowing that the holiday season officially began when Santa made his appearance Macy’s Parade on Thanksgiving Day and never before! Since he has now appeared, I can safely share some of my Christmas treasures.
I love vintage holiday items because they have a quality and charm to them that is lacking in modern decorations. The first of today’s goodies is a fabulous Santa card, which my husband’s sister, Pat, gave their parents on Christmas Day 1957. The card is quite large – 8 x 10 inches – and it even came in its own gift box. Both the card and the box are in mint condition, as they remained packed away in the closet for many years afterwards.
Santa Claus Card, 1957
The inside displayed Santa in his sleigh, flying through the sky with his reindeer. Notice that there is no Rudolph!
Inside, with greetings
The back of the card includes the Hallmark symbol along with the number code that included the price. This card cost $4.99, an astronomical amount at a time when minimum wage was $1.00 an hour.
The second item I would like to share today is a display of three of my vintage Santas. Santa #1, on the left, is the oldest and dates from the 1920’s-1930’s. He is made of paper pulp. The middle Santa, #2, is a small Napco holiday planter and is dated 1961 on the bottom. Santa #3 on the right is a nodder, probably made in Germany in the 1940’s, although this one is unmarked. #3 is a small candy container and his head jiggles if he is moved.
Trio of Old Santas
If you enjoy these old decorations the way I do, check my blog this month as I will be posting a few more photos.