Saturday, December 8, 2012

Special Santas ~ Favorite Things

I have lots of Santas to be displayed at Christmastime, but two are very special ones.  They both belonged to a very dear aunt and I am so glad that I have them today.



 I remember this roly-poly one on display in her home every Christmas. She painted it and I remember asking why the fur on his hat was black. She said it was so that you could see it since it was right next to his beard. I guess that satisfied me, but when Noli asked the same thing she insisted that it should be white and "of course you can tell his beard from his hat!" Can you believe it -- some 50ish years later, she asks the same question!



As you can see, he has a very round tummy! He's heavy so I guess he must eat a lot of Christmas cookies! He's made of a solid plaster -- I imagine my aunt painted him back in the 40s or 50s. She would spiff him up and repaint where necessary every few years but I have left him as he was when she gave him to me. I don't want to paint over her art!

I was thrilled when she gave him to me after I had married! She knew how precious he was to me and now he brings back lovely memories of my aunt.



This Santa, on the other hand, has been on a diet so he's not so chubby. The same aunt painted him in the 60s or early 70s and gave him to me sometime in the 80s.  At first I wasn't so wild about him but, over the years, have grown to love him. Sometimes I put Christmas cards in his bag, but lately I've let him hold some poinsettias.



He has sparkly glitter on his fur, and I love his blue eyes and cute bald head! Oh yeah, questions from Noli on the bald head too!!

Now I need to get these two guys put up in their rightful Christmas places. I kind of stopped on the decorating after Noli put the ornaments on the tree!



She decided that those yellow ornaments (another favorite thing by the way) should all be clumped together and there was nothing I could say that would change her mind! We ended up with a big area with nothing, not an ornament in sight, and those yellow ones all clumped together -- that girl can really decorate a tree! LOL! (Not to mention that red bead garland -- her idea of draping and mine are two different things!)

I don't care -- I'm just thrilled that this has become our little tradition each year. Doesn't matter that the tree isn't perfect! Because Noli is.

The yellow ornaments were made as a Christmas gift by my sister-in-law for her mother -- her house at that time was decorated in yellow and green. So Jan made six yellow and six green ornaments. After my mother-in-law's death, Jan asked me if I would like to have a set -- of course I did! -- and chose the yellow ones.




Aren't they beautiful? She wrapped styrofoam balls with ribbon and created the design with gold rick rack, gold sequins and pearl pins. I love them!

..... but I'd prefer them to be spaced out a bit on the tree.....  


♥♥♥  Linking my Santas to A Favorite Thing over at Mockingbird Hill



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14 comments:

  1. OMy...your Special Santas are indeed real treasures! What a neat relationship you must have had with your Aunt. I bet you were very special to her as well. My Grands have decorated my tree in years past...don't they have a their own way of looking and thinking about how things should be? The three year old is now our UnDecorator, and I wouldn't change a thing! Visiting from A Favorite Thing...Happy Holidays! ~ Sue

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  2. You've certainly managed to keep the Santas in good condition since they arrived: the oldest really doesn't need re-painting anyway! As for the rest of the story - what do you expect from a clever lass like Noli sounds to be?
    Have a great Christmas!

    Isobel: www.ColdhamCuddliescalling.blogspot.com

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  3. How wonderful to have your Aunt's Santas!

    Merry Christmas!

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  4. The Santa's are darling. I shall be as rotund as the first one if I keep eating Christmas party food. Visiting from MHC. Olive

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  5. What a nice remembrance of your aunt.
    Balisha

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  6. I love all things Christmas and it's truly the special "pieces" that make it all come together and feel so wonderful when you sit and just enjoy.
    Such wonderful Santas she gifted you and what precious memories they hold!!

    Sarah & the Weens

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  7. I like that tubby Santa. The tree looks very loaded up. Hope it can bear it till Christmas! {:-D

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  8. The Santas are so wonderful and full of wonderful memories. Those sorts of things mean so much - something passed on from a loved one. Noli sounds like a girl with a mind of her own!

    Thanks so much for joining in this week! Did you get that problem with your other blog straightened out? I hope all is well..

    xo
    Claudia

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  9. You're sweet to let Noli decorate the tree the way she wants to. It's hard sometimes not to "fix" kids' decorating. (I speak from experience!) The Santas are great. The skinny one looks like he is wearing eye shadow!

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  10. Your decorations are so great! And how wonderful to have Noli helping decorate :)

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  11. Both Santas are cuties. I love that your Aunt passed it on to you. The tree is perfect-I wouldn't change a thing.

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  12. love the santas! visiting you from blogging buddies! great blog :)

    Saralyn

    www.studiomaisonblog.us

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  13. Lovely Santas AND ornaments even though some are clumped, lol! :)

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  14. How nice you have those really cute
    Santas as a remembrance from your Aunt..
    I love vintage ornaments.
    Thanks for your visit to my blog
    and your sweet comments.
    Happy Holidays to you and your
    family.
    Sandy

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