Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

As in so many families, our Christmas books come out when all of the rest of the Holiday decorations do. They are stuffed into this large metal tub. That used to be used for something else, I have no idea what. But somebody painted it all Christmas-y red with sprigs of Holly all over and I bought it.

The books fit awkwardly into it and I always feel the need to straighten it, which TRULY who wants to spend the best part of the year doing?

And did I mention it is heavy?

I need something else to put our holiday books into, but what? I am thinking a couple nice softer woven baskets with leather handles. The books will be far more accessible that way and we can drag the baskets around the house easily.

And then maybe I can focus on other silly things that don't matter all that much, but somehow DO.

Thrifted Christmas Yummies Part 2

OK, Let's see what we have here...













This was a battered little Santa and Reindeer set that I wasn't sure what to do with. Until I turned around from taking the photo of it and saw the wooden house! Up On The Housetop!!



This was a $2 find at the store I don't want to tell anyone about because it's my secret happy place...its an old handmade advent calendar that came with a little baggie of plastic-y toys to hang!











I believe when I spotted it, a loud squeal erupted from my throat. I still squeal every time I walk past it. How could someone let this treasure go? But thank you, person who got rid of it, it has found a warm place in our hearts and home.

Thrifted Christmas Yummies!

Truly, yesterday, despite all its cold and snow, was just a great day for finding treasures. Here is a smattering of some of the finds, the less Christmas-y ones will follow in the new year.

A set of little plastic houses that have holes in the back for tree lights, I assume? Notice Callie-The-Cat in the background.
















Another shot of the little houses.











This is a red pedestal glass dish for Christmas Treats! It's a little scratched up, but that just adds character for me.







Frosty the Snowman, warming himself by the fire. I don't collect snowmen as I once did, but this little guy has such a great expression, I had to scoop him up!







A little plastic Nativity. One cannot have too many of these set in little spots around the house.







Yes. I bought another. I may need some therapy about these.















And these little clear deer are just too sweet and small enough to add to the decor that is already up.

I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas!

Oh! Here is one of my favorite little guys...a spin off of the song. He wasn't thrifted, but he was bought on clearance last year at Target for roughly a dollar. I wish I would have grabbed another, I have no idea why. Other than I have a problem collecting?

The little Hippo, which would fit nicely in the palm of my hand, is on this shelf year round. I should make a little sign for his neck as I did for poor extra Joseph (see previous post) saying "There's lots of room for him, in our 2 car garage".

And then I am going to GLITTER it!

The sign. Not the Hippopotamus.

Have A Shiny Brite Christmas!

Ohhh, this is one of my favorites...its an old dime store plastic set of a Shiny Brite Nativity. There are 2 Joseph's and 2 Wise Men, so the extra Joseph stepped up to play the part of the missing 3rd Wise Man.

Can you see the little sign he is wearing?

On the bottom of the statue of Mary, there is a little dime store sticker that says 15 cents!

This makes me so happy whenever I walk past and see that H has rearranged them, over and over again...they are so touchable!

He Knows When You're Awake...

In this bowl are thrifted Santa's found in the bags of Christmas Junk that I buy from our local Goodwill's. Some are so cute, others intimidating, all are charming. And for pennies I have a ready-made centerpiece on our dining room table.

Incense and Owls...Whooo Knew?

Wow, what a title.

A gift I recently received was a little owl, plate and incense from someone's trip to Japan. Incense? I don't know...I am not really an incense sort of girl. More a cappuccino scented coffee candle girl. But incense?

And then last night it began. My new obsession.

I lit an incense stick and stuck it in the owls head as I was told to do. Happily watched it burn down. And then lit another. And another. And then panicked because I was picturing using all 25 sticks up at once and never finding more!

Thankfully, today while getting H's haircut, we walked passed a store that I had been in before that I thought I remembered seeing incense in before...and they had it! Japanese-type! Whoooohoooooo!

And you know about my little owl craze...doesn't he have the cutest little look on his face??

Silver Bells, Silver Bells...

Over the summer and this fall I found boxes upon boxes of old Shiny Brite ornaments at tag sales and thrift stores for such a reasonable price that I just had to scoop up every one I came across. My apologies to anyone else who was looking for these, I will share.
So some of them landed on an old wire display tree, some in a 3 tiered wire basket and the rest will go on a large wreath that I have the best of intentions to put together over the winter for next Christmas season.

He Knows When You Are Sleeping

This is an interesting find...its a heavy, ceramic, bronzed plaque of a Santa. It was in our dining room until M decided it was simply too creepy for him every time he walked through that room and took it down while A and I were gone over the weekend.

I am SO going to be putting it on his pillow as a fun bedtime surprise tonight.

3 Wise Men

I had never seen anything like this before...it reminds me a lot of the Shiny Brite versions of the nativity, but it is a softer plastic, rubber-y type of material. Taking me, again, back to a simpler time.

Why Can't I Walk Away From These?!

Am I trying to buy up every last one? I remember these from my own childhood, is that why I own 7 of them now? Here is the latest from just this morning! Geeeez...