Collecting Vintage Christmas

I love Christmas...everything about it. I especially love that it is an entire month dedicated (or should be) to our Savior's birth. But, I also enjoy the St. Nicholas part too, and items that evoke thoughts of simpler times, like vintage Christmas.


I think I started with Santa mugs, and then books and on to figurines. My favorite items are by Holt Howard. I search out Christmas at yard sales, flea markets, antique malls & Ebay throughout the year. My girls have generally teased and made fun of me until about a year ago and I won Jill over to collecting Angels.

About 8 years ago Jeff found me an adorable set of 8 placecard holders and since then he has found me 2 more sets.

I have an adorable bobblehead Santa with an open sack that I fill with candy canes, many of my figures are salt and pepper shakers. One Santa's bag is a bank. I also have Santa mugs in every size and shape.

I have a few vintage Christmas books, my favorite is How Come Christmas by Roark Bradford, copyright 1930 and is illustrated with woodcuts. It's a mingled story of 'modern day', the baby Jesus, Sandy Claus, Methuselah and Moses.

An excerpt from How Come Christmas: Well, hyar we is, chilluns, and hyar hit is Christmas. Now we all knows we's hyar 'cause hit's Christmas, don't we? But what I want to know is, who gonter tell me how come hit's Christmas?

When shopping for vintage Christmas look for items in good overall condition, no chips or breaks and stay away from items that have been repainted. Also, try to purchase items that still have their original box, many of mine still have their boxes that are like a cardboard jewelry box with Christmas designs printed on the box. Also check for their original labels on the bottom, signatures such as HH (Holt Howard) and sometimes even original price tags are intact on the bottom of the figures. What about price? I have paid as little as a .25 for a small mug but as much as $7 for a small HH mug. Figures like the bobblehead Santa and the Santa with Mrs. Claus, sleigh and reindeer or the stage coach Santa NOEL could be more than $50.

Merry Christmas and Happy Collecting!

Julie