Christmas!

Posting this, today, means we are now officially caught up with our postings!

Christmas was at the end of the week which meant it would be a short week of work and, in all likelihood, a week without sales. That would be okay. We were done with most of our Christmas preparations and it was time to embrace the season! 

We always find a night to just drive around our neighborhood and look at the Christmas decorations. This year was no exception.

 Every spruce tree in this yard became a Christmas tree.

 One of the better decorated houses in the neighborhood...there were lights and blow molds everywhere!

 Santa had his own little room surrounded by carolers

 Santa and his reindeer were there!

 Another greatly decorated house. More is better! 

 A giant plastic Santa head was attached to the tree. It's this kind of thinking that earns a house bonus points in our mind

 This was the best house we saw all night!

 Santa and his reindeer were at this house too! 

 The Christmas squirrel?

Bumble, Yukon Cornelius, Rudolph, Hermey and a delegation from The Island of Misfit Toys were all there.

When Christmas Eve arrived, we went for dinner at Monica's sister's house (we made the lasagna)

Marissa and Peter opening a few Christmas Eve presents

They seem excited! 

Sweetie had the Christmas spirit too!

Then we went to Monica's dad's house for the arrival of Santa, a tradition at her house since she was a little kid. 

Santa and the kids

Santa and dad

Santa and the family

We were ready for Christmas. Our house had been decorated for awhile now. We couldn't put everything out. There was just too much. We knew that before the decorating started. Here are some of our Christmas decorations (more pictures in a later post):

We got this cabinet in 2013 after looking for one like this for years. We filled it with Christmas decorations. Every piece is from the 1950's or 1960's. Every piece is marked Japan.

Napkin holders, a snowman toothpick holder and some other ceramic Christmas items. All marked Japan

A light up Santa head from the 1950's or 1960's

Christmas salt and pepper shakers. All marked Japan.

A small section of the downstairs decorated for Christmas...a Christmas decoration (made in Japan), some Hazel Atlas mugs with elf heads inside (all the elves are marked Japan), a ceramic Santa, sleigh and six reindeer (marked Japan), some cast Christmas figures from the 1940's, some elves atop a vintage radio (marked Japan) and a dream pet reindeer (marked Japan), all atop a vintage Christmas tablecloth. Even the vintage cats have Christmas hats! 

Vintage plastic Santas

More vintage plastic Santas

Vintage plastic snowmen

Vintage tree toppers in a Pyrex bowl

One of our aluminum Christmas trees. We have four but only two are out this year. This is a pom pom aluminum tree. We only used vintage sputnik ornaments on it. A color wheel stands beside it and it is guarded by a 1960's blow mold soldier and by our mannequin, Sharon, who stands here all year. The tree skirt bis marked Japan.

Creepy Santas and a creepy snowman. All are marked Japan.

Knee hugger elves...marked Japan

More knee hugger elves

More knee hugger elves

More knee hugger elves in a sleigh

We try to find space everywhere...even atop this wall hanging

A small aluminum tree (four feet). This tree skirt was made in Japan too

We love reindeer

We love reindeer a lot

We really, really love reindeer! 

A corner shelf in our living room

Christmas Day came and, after we exchanged gifts,  we went to Monica's sister's house for Christmas where we always have a great time with her beautiful family. 

Valerie, Lenny and Laurie. Lenny is seriously bogarting this picture!

We brought traditional English Christmas crackers. Everyone got one,. Everyone wore the crowns inside. We all got a cheesy gift inside. Peter and Marissa read the lame jokes that were inside each cracker. We all laughed a lot! It was all great fun! 

Marissa, having just pulled the first cracker. looks for her gift

It takes two to pop the cracker. Laurie and Richard popping their first one

Monica helped Dad with his cracker. Laurie seems amused. 

Monica seems amused but Dad has this cracker thing under control. 

Monica's cracker had a red crown which she so proudly wears. Monica is having fun and Rob is interested in what gift his cracker holds inside. Laurie is loving all of this!

We had different colored crowns. Rob got a shoe horn. Monica got a mini stapler.

Richard, Laurie, Marissa and Peter posing

Christmas cracker residue everywhere! 

The boys! 

Kiwi was enjoying Christmas]

Peppa was too! 

Dad's buddy!

It was a beautiful Christmas and we know a beautiful new year awaits.

From our house to yours, we hope you had a Merry Christmas and we wish you a very happy new year!