Some fun Christmas finds

On a recent Saturday morning, I was out running errands early and decided to stop by Treasures Lost and Found, a local antique shop that I gather is the latest iteration of an antique mall that recently closed, Treasures Old and New. I like the new shop even better than the old one, and it almost seemed to have *more* stuff and was more intimate. I arrived early enough that I was the only customer there, which made me happy during these mask-wearing, social-distancing days of ours. I had barely made it in the door before I spotted this Ruby Damask Old Country Roses teacup and saucer for just $8. I knew that was going home with me. I'm not sure this is actually a Christmas pattern, but it looks Christmasy to me, and the price was right. Plus, it had the original Royal Albert sticker still on the bottom, so it's possible this lovely set was never even used.

As I always keep my eyes peeled for vintage Christmas decor, I was delighted to come upon this set of fun little bendable "Annalee Mobilitee" dolls from 1971. They seem so familiar. Maybe we had these when I was a little girl? (I would have been seven.) Or maybe I saw them somewhere else back then? The nostalgia of such items gets me every time.

I love the whimsical style, and I was happy to see a tag on the back so that I could research them.

Their faces are so expressive! And just $6 for the set was a good buy, so I was happy with that as well.

I'm trying to hold off on using my Christmas teacups until after Thanksgiving, and since this one isn't technically a Christmas teacup, and I was sipping the India Wilkes (from Gone With the Wind) blend from Adagio Teas, I decided that using this teacup was okay, especially here at Thanksgiving week. While 2020 certainly hasn't looked like any of us thought it would, I find myself thankful for many things this year, and that certainly includes all the wonderful tea-loving friends who read this blog!

Vintage Christmas finds for teatime

Saturday's shopping included some fun finds at an antique mall in Villa Rica and a thrift store in Douglasville, and while I usually don't buy any vintage Christmas goodies this late in the year (I like to Christmas shop in July, when the thrifting is thriftiest), I actually found some bargains this "late" in the fall. And one reason I mention this is that I am on the lookout for any *vintage* publications with Christmas recipes. I have quite a few but am looking for more for a project I'm working on, so … if any of you happen to see or own old Christmas recipe clippings or booklets and care to share a photo, well, I would be most grateful!

My favorite purchase on Saturday was a vintage Christmas teacup, and surprisingly, it was just $6.95 at the antique mall. I have some other pieces that match it, but even if I didn't, I rarely turn down a vintage Christmas teacup that's under $10. The silver paper labels on the bottom are worn and I can't read them, but if I do a little research, I think I can figure out the maker. I was also hoping to find a new vintage Christmas tree pin at the antique mall, but alas, I didn't see one.

My other "vessels" were even better bargains. The four mugs (no maker, just a number on the bottom) were 20 cent each (new "tea mugs" for this Christmas), and the miniature Santa mug, while cracked and chippy, has character. He was 50 cents at the antique mall.

My other fun find from the thrift store was a box of old ornaments (nothing remarkable inside, and I'm pretty sure most of them were not Shiny Brite), but I loved this old box and figured it was worth $1.01 for the decor value.

Note the Uncle Sam and Santa Claus. Is it a fair assumption that this box was made around World War II? I just love forties and fifties Christmas items, and the prices at the thrift store are great. I also found a couple of inexpensive rhinestone pins, but alas, I found no vintage Christmas tree pin. 

I got back home late that night, and in the mailbox was a surprise from my friend Joy that made me smile from ear to ear … a vintage Eisenberg Ice Christmas tree pin! Now isn't that some fun timing? And don't worry. I'm not one of those women who puts up her Christmas tree the day after Halloween, but I do believe in shopping early for Christmas, and since I collect vintage Christmas items, I need to be vigilant at this time of year. We now return to our regularly scheduled month of Thanksgiving!

The weekend's finds … and some info I *hope* to find!

The Goodwill in Rome, Georgia, provided some goodies for both Aunt Jane and me on Saturday. I'm not quite sure what to call this cheerful Christmas figural … teapot? Pitcher? It's a one-piece deal and doesn't have a lid, so technically, can it be a teapot?

Yet I'm not sure I've ever seen a "figural pitcher," so … maybe I just won't call it anything.

I bought this for Christmas decor more than tea service, and the $2.99 price tag seemed quite reasonable.

I was even happier to find this vintage Christmas tin! I love-love-love to come across authentic vintage Christmas recipes and authentic vintage Christmas decor, and this tin takes the cake.

Or rather, it took the cake. A fruit cake, to be precise. And while I grew up with Claxton fruit cakes (and I happen to like fruit cakes), this one says Shirley Jean, and the address on the tin is Baltimore, Maryland. I expect my Georgia friends are more accustomed to seeing the Claxton name, but I'm curious to know if any of you non-Southern readers know the name Shirley Jean. Yes? No? Is there a popular fruit cake in your neck of the woods? I'd love to know!

The tea-themed tree, 2018 edition

Earlier this year, my friend Carole Ann gave me a couple of these tipping teapot ornaments that appear to be magically pouring tea, and I am so happy to have them on my tree this year. In fact, as I was putting up the tree last weekend, it dawned on me that this tree is rich in memories and friendship, and that's probably why I enjoy it so much. The smallish (six-foot) white tree I bought last year was a hit with my husband, so I decided to decorate the same tree again this year.

Two of my most treasured ornaments: tea-themed ornaments lovingly handmade and gifted to me by thoughtful friends. Tiny gold charms are on both and always make me smile when I pull them out!

A souvenir of a long-past December trip with Alex. 

Another treasured gift from a friend, which I take as a reminder that I, too, am to be "steeped in tranquility" at Christmas, not running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

A local shop owner gave me this ornament years ago. Kind of makes me want to do an all-blue-and-white tree one day. Hmmm …  

Another treasured handmade ornament, this one from Texas!

A tea-loving Madame Alexander doll who came to me from Hawaii.

 

Together, they all make me so, so happy!

I also decided it was time to get a few presents under the tree, so I pulled out the vintage-look gift wrap I've been gathering for the past two years. It reminded me of a cautionary tale from last year …

Note how the gift wrap has a To/From label printed as part of the design (see center of photo). Well, last year I decided I would just write on the paper instead of applying labels. But no one in my family (except me) knew to look for the handwriting, so it probably took us thirty extra minutes on Christmas Day to hand out all the presents since everyone was trying to figure out whose package was whose!

So it's back to labels this year.

And of course I don't have to tell you, dear reader, how I reward myself following an afternoon of wrapping gifts!

I'm dreaming of a retro Christmas

Like many of you, I imagine, I now have so many Christmas decorations that I could decorate my house several times over. This year, I have developed a real hankering for the retro colors and designs from the fifties and sixties, so that's what I used to surround some of my Christmas teacups on the tea trolley this year.

My favorite antique mall find of the season: a white plastic tree with flocked velvet poinsettias and fake pinecones. (I can remember when ladies wore plastic floral corsages at Christmas. Can any of you?)

For those of you who, like me, were born between 1930 and 1970 (I was born the last year of the Baby Boom, 1964), I highly recommend this book, Under the Tree, which shows the dolls, trains, games, and other toys that were so popular during these years. I shared it with my husband for the first time recently, and he spotted an erector set just like the one he got as a child.

I've also started collecting vintage Christmas cards when I spot them for a reasonable price. I love the bright colors and designs on these. (I've also discovered vintage nativity cards, and I'll share those another day once I've got my nativity sets placed.)

I love pulling out my Christmas teacups each year, and it's almost like discovering a new gift when I reach into the box and find poinsettias and holly gracing some bone china cups and saucers. And I will indeed use them all during the month of December. It makes sipping so much more festive!

Another fun antique mall find this year was this Rushton Santa Claus doll. I loved his vintage look and thought he'd be fun to decorate with. As I was paying for him, a man came up and told me he believed this doll was from the thirties. 

Santa's shoes looked pretty old, so I thought, "Hmm. Maybe." But then I got home, did a little research, and discovered Santa is actually a doll produced by Coca-Cola in the fifties (if you look at his left hand in the photo, he is missing the Coke bottle), and it sold for $3. Not surprising, really, that I'd find one of these in this area since I live near Coke's home office.

And this is the topper on the cute little Santa mug arrangement I got last month at that Christmas market. My tea-themed tree is up (I'm saving those photos for another day), and it's truly beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here! How about at your house?