Here comes Santa Claus

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Polk Brother's Santa, back right.

It started years ago with a single, "Polk Brother's" Santa (Above, back left side).  He's as tall as I am and was a promotion from 1960 through 1966 at an appliance store in Chicago during the holidays.  Many people who grew up in Chicago and the surrounding towns remember him.  He's fragile now, he's made of hard plastic called "celluloid" through a process called "vacucell" which predates the blow molds that are still manufactured today.  He has lost his base and has hot glue seams holding his feet together but  to me, he's lovely. He's got "history", like most of the things that I love. He tells a story.... about the time when I grew up. 
He stood, for one Christmas season, alone, in my dining room window. Beautiful, but sad.  Then, at some point, I told my brother, Tom, about him. 

I'm thankful that I have a brother who shares not only my parents, my sister and my last name but also my passion for all things "vintage" and for collecting "stuff".  Over the last few years, my brother has helped me to build (actually, he probably found more of them than I did) a "collection" of vintage Santa's that now numbers more than 30. 

They are all "vintage" (predating the 1970's). They adorn every window in the front (and most of the side) of my house. Several stand in the vestibule to my front door.  This year, my friend, Ann, gifted me a 5 foot tall vintage Santa to add to the collection.  Here are a few photos of some of my favorites:


The inside of my home is still not decorated. Maybe this weekend?!  This is the ONE Santa is in place in the foyer.

I'm off to work!

xo,

S