Meet sixties Santa.
Not sure what happened to his hands but he's one of the first Christmas ornaments I remember. As you wheeled him along the little reindeer in his sack would pop up and down in excitement.
Then there's sleighing Santa.
I remember being amazed by the detail on this one. To me this was a true representation of what would be flying through the sky on Christmas Eve. Mum remembers it being displayed on her grandmas dresser alongside toddling Santa (more on him later).
Each year it was my job to check that all of the presents and snowmen were tucked safely into the holly on the back.
But there's one missing.
A small plastic Santa with moving feet. You would put him on a slight slope and he would merrily walk along. When I asked mum about him she rifled through her Christmas box and found him skulking at the bottom.
He's not the prettiest Santa Claus, and his paintwork has certainly seen better days, but he still reliably toddles down any given slope with his sack of goodies.
I realise that I may have given the impression that for two weeks of the year I did nothing else but push tiny Santa down tea trays and watch reindeers bob up and down. Not true. But these were the Christmas staples. I could rely on the fact that once these were out of the box Christmas had officially 'started' (and not some time back in October!)
So for some not very expensive plastic ornaments they represent a lot. Forty years on they are still going strong. And forty years on mum and dad still put them in pride of place.
(Apart from toddling Santa - he's come home with me!)
Have you got any ornaments that remind you of your childhood?
Jane
xxx
I remember a few special ornaments, one being a red plastic cardinal that could be screwed onto a light on the tree. Who doesn't want a light-up cardinal?! Sadly, the box of Christmas ornaments that my parents had were pretty much ruined by the time I found them in clearing out their house. Your little Santas are very cute, and I understand completely what they mean to you. We used to have some of those "toddling" toys too, but they weren't Christmas. Your tree looks so cute and pretty in the window Jane! Have a wonderful weekend :) Wendy x
ReplyDeleteI think they are lovely. I have two ornaments that were my Grandparents that I display all year, they are fragile and I have them tucked into a cabinet so nothing happens to them.
ReplyDeleteHugs to you,
Meredith
Mum still has ours. I'm longing to nick the ugliest sixties fairy that topped the family tree every year but that means finding the box in her attic! Perhaps next year.
ReplyDeleteInstead I have dated and named ornaments for each of my children which adorn our tree and will go on to adorn theirs when they move out!
I have a collection of little wooden ornaments from Dr Bernadoes that my Mum gave me, which are very special!
ReplyDeleteJacqui x
I used to be so excited as a child when the box of tree ornaments came down and all the favourites were placed in their special places. My mum and dad moved house a few years ago and I was so upset to find that they'd given all their old ornaments to the charity shop, I could have cried. My mum isn't sentimental about possessions and didn't realise that I would have loved them.
ReplyDeleteI remember a white and red plastic santa and sleigh which used to come out each year - similar to the one in your photos but much smaller of course. Also a white feathery fairy which got greyer each year. I don't have any decorations from early days and I've no idea what happened to them but I do have a little christmas tree which was bought for my first christmas when I was about 4 months old - it is in a box with my childhood teddies and books:)
ReplyDeleteLove this post Jane. I have one very old paper angel from my Grandmothers tree, who I adore. All the old decorations from my childhood home have disappeared in favour of a matchy matchy tree so I know how you feel Jo. So, every year myself and the kids treat ourselves to one new one to keep forever!
ReplyDeletelove these old plastic ornaments - we still have our old plastic tree lantern lights, we don't use them anymore but can't bear to throw them out
ReplyDeleteCaz xx
Your ornaments are lovely!!! I don't have any of my old family ones, my Mum got rid of them all some years ago without telling anyone... We have some from my hubbys family, but don't use them. I love yours, especially the sleigh, I can see how they would appeal to a child especially and I am sure that you will treasure them for a long time to come! xx
ReplyDeleteHow delicious Miss Jane - I have the sleigh Santa too though somewhere along the line I lost the tree in the middle. I love a bit of tat at Christmas (my tat - not your tat - I'm not saying that this is tat - oh dear - I've dug myself a hole). All of us sister and my brother have a tiny piece of chenille type rope which was always hung around the room at Christmas time...precious bits.
ReplyDeleteAll the best of the festive season to you and yours
Jenny
BEAUTIFUL tree Jane,thankyou soo much for sharing,I do love vintage ornaments,I remember those lovely crepe paper garlands strung across the ceiling.My mum used to put the decorations up whilst we were in bed and we'd come down in the morning to a lovely clean house and magical decorations and a real fire, bliss!! Wish I could time travel back to that just for 5 minutes! Merry Christmas Love Pamx
ReplyDeleteYour tree looks beautiful.I haven't got any really old decorations but I do still have a little santa in my cake box that my mum would put on the christmas cake when I was little, that must be at least 50 years old and I wouldn't dream of throwing him away.
ReplyDeleteYour tree looks so lovely. I think most of us long to recreate the Christmasses of our childhoods and those old decorations take you right back. Have a wonderful Christmas. xx
ReplyDeleteI love your tree, and the old decorations bring back fond memories for me of my childhood. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't have any ornaments from when I was a child. All I have are ornaments from when my sons were children - still quite a long time ago but not 40 years!
ReplyDelete