Christmas teatime bargains

When Aunt Jane and I went in a Salvation Army store last week, I doubted I would find any good Christmas items at this time of year. The good Christmas stuff gets gone early, but lo and behold, I came across two goodies that delighted me in both style and price, including this vintage sleigh, which I suspect will appear on my tea table this weekend. The sleigh features what I have learned is known as "spaghetti" trim.

See the spaghetti?

And what about the sweet bells?

Or the holly? Could this piece BE any more Christmasy?

Oh, and it has crackling. I love crackling. And all this beauty for 70 cents? I was quite happy!

Then I found this pretty tray that I couldn't help noticing was exactly the right size for a loaf of tea bread. I thought the ribbon-and-bell design was pretty.

I was looking up a Mikasa pattern online and happened to discover that this crystal tray is by Mikasa, and if I wanted another just like it, I could get it from Amazon here. I like my price much better, don't you?

As if all that weren't enough, the cashier directed my aunt and me to two overflowing carts, where a distributor had dropped off loaves of bread, English muffins, bagels, and other baked goods, and she told us to help ourselves for free! My whole-grain bread and cinnamon English muffins were one of the best gift-with-purchase deals I've ever gotten, and that made it some merry Christmas shopping indeed!