Tag Archives: lefton christmas

Jingle in July: Vintage Christmas Celebration

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Greetings, fellow vintage lovers and Christmas aficionados! The sun may be shining, and the beach might be calling, but here on our cozy corner of the internet, we’re channeling a winter wonderland with a kitschy twist. Yes, it’s that magical time when we blend the nostalgic charm of yesteryear with the sun-soaked joy of summer—welcome to Christmas in July!

Vintage Vibes: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Imagine stepping into a time capsule where tinsel shimmers, Santa sports a Hawaiian shirt, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the sweetness of candy canes. That’s right, we’re taking a trip back to the 1950s and 60s, when Christmas was all about big, bold decorations, and the spirit of the season was captured in the most delightfully kitschy ways.

Mid-Century Modern Merriment

Vintage Aluminum Christmas Tree
Vintage Aluminum Christmas Tree

Nothing says mid-century modern like a sleek aluminum Christmas tree adorned with vibrant, colorful ornaments. Picture your living room bathed in the warm glow of vintage fairy lights, casting a festive hue over your cherished collection of retro baubles. Add a few classic mid-century furniture pieces, and your space is ready for the ultimate Christmas in July celebration.

Pinup Perfection: Fashion to Flaunt

Vintage Christmas Fashion
Vintage Christmas Fashion

Let’s not forget the fashion! Channel your inner pinup girl with playful, flirty novelty print swing skirt, and cherry red lipstick. Imagine greeting your guests in a darling vintage-inspired apron, serving up frosty eggnog and festive treats with a smile that rivals the twinkle of your Christmas lights.

For the gents, think dapper with a twist: Hawaiian shirts in holiday prints, bow ties, and perhaps a jaunty Santa hat. After all, Christmas in July is all about embracing the unexpected and having a little fun with tradition.

Collectibles and Curios: Deck Your Halls

This is the perfect time to showcase your collection of vintage Christmas decorations. From ceramic Santa figurines to glittering tree toppers, each piece tells a story of holidays past. Create a whimsical display on your mantel or a festive centerpiece for your July soiree. And don’t forget the stockings—hang them with care, and maybe even fill them with summer-themed goodies for a unique twist.

Spread the Cheer: Kindness and Compassion Year-Round

Christmas in July is more than just festive decorations and joyful gatherings—it’s a reminder to spread the spirit of kindness and compassion every day. Just as we go the extra mile to make others feel loved and cherished during the holiday season, let’s carry that warmth into our everyday lives. Small acts of kindness, like a thoughtful note, a warm smile, or helping a neighbor, can brighten someone’s day. Volunteer your time at local charities, donate to those in need, or simply lend an ear to a friend. By embracing the essence of Christmas—generosity, empathy, and love—we can make every day a little brighter for everyone around us. Remember, it’s the little things that create the biggest impact, and there’s no better time to start than now.

Closing Thoughts

Christmas in July is the perfect excuse to blend your love for all things vintage, kitsch, and mid-century modern with the sunny spirit of summer. So, deck the halls, don your pinup finest, and raise a glass to the most whimsical, wonderful time of the year—no matter the season!

Remember, it’s not about the date on the calendar but the joy in your heart and the sparkle in your eye. Here’s to celebrating Christmas in July with all the charm and cheer of a true vintage holiday. Cheers, darlings!

Craving even MORE vintage Christmas magic?

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Dive into a treasure trove of Vintage Christmas Ceramics history, discover forgotten manufacturers, and feast your eyes on stunning photos of vintage decorations, all in one fabulous book! Unwrap the magic of Christmas past and add this gem to your collection.

Uncover even more festive history, rare collectibles, and the stories behind those treasured decorations. My Vintage Christmas Collecting Series is your one-stop shop for everything vintage Christmas. Don’t miss out!

Get your twinkle on with the Starry Eyed Santa top, and other vintage kitschy designs available in a wide range of styles to suit everyone:

  • Sizes: Small through 4XL, ensuring a perfect fit for all body types.
  • Colors: Choose from winter white, sleek black, and more.
  • Women’s, Men’s, Unisex Styles:

Find your perfect looks and spread the cheer in style at Crazy4Me Style Shop!

Vintage Christmas Noel Sets: The Best 5 Tips for Collectors

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Yasmina Greco with her Vintage Christmas NOEL Collection

Vintage Christmas Noel Sets: The Ultimate 5 Tips for Collectors for collecting Noel figurines and candle holders from Santa Claus, Elves, Poodles, Snowmen, Angels, Candy Canes, Holt-Howard. You may have noticed that Christmas is in the air. That feeling of festivity and joy that comes with this time of year can be attributed to many things, but one of them surely has to be all the vintage kitschy decorations.

Vintage 1950s NOEL Angel Girl Bells - Japan
Vintage 1950s NOEL Angel Girl Bells – Japan

For me, one of my favorite things to do is pull out the vintage NOEL sets that I have been collecting for years and display these treasures as I get my home ready for Christmas. If you love a touch of nostalgia with some Mid-Century flair then you’ll want to curl up with your cocoa and read our new blog post on Collecting Vintage Christmas: Noel Sets for tips on buying, selling, and searching for these treasures.

Yasmina Greco’s Vintage Christmas NOEL Collection Kitschy Mid-Mod Decorations

Today’s blog post features some of my vintage Noel collection that dates from the 1950s-1960s and features Noel candle holders, Noel bells, and Noel figurines. When it comes to vintage Noel collectibles there are so many varieties and themes from Santa Claus, Elves, Poodles, Snowmen, Angels, Candy Canes, and even Clowns, that there really is something for everyone and you can easily have a theme each year for your holiday decorating too!!

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Shopping the Petaluma Fall Antique Faire 2013

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Antique Fair 1

Today we went to the Petaluma Fall Antique Faire. The show is all outdoors and there are over 180+ dealer booths all setup in the historic downtown. We first went to this show in the Spring /Summer time and it was so hot outside but today it was breezy, warm and by the time we were leaving it almost looked like rain. Perfect weather for the time we were there! Lots of dealers from all over the country selling all sorts of things from furniture, jewelry, Bakelite, linens, kitchenware, collectibles, toys, books and magazines, art work, paintings, repurposed and up-cycled items to chandeliers, clothing, rugs, bikes, tools, etc…. something for everyone.

We got to the show about 2hours after it opened and there was a good amount of shoppers. Dealers were not yet quite ready to bargain or negotiate very much, if at all. They pretty much all said the same thing ‘come back in a couple hours and if it isn’t sold maybe we can come down on the price’. I totally understand, but, me too, being a buyer to re-sell, I have to at least give bargaining a try and I think I am pretty reasonable and certainly not trying to insult the dealer.

We did find some cute items like this really rare 1950s Lefton blue spaghetti poodle dog set of mom and pups chained. This blue poodle set is rare because you usually do not find it with the hats/roses and rhinestones. I also found the 1950s pink spaghetti poodle dog with her tam on her head and all these adorable Napco angels for March – St. Patrick’s Day, February – Valentines Day, and November – Thanksgiving. I couldn’t believe it when I found this darling little Lefton Christmas candy cane boy figurine and the pretty vintage blue stenciled ornament, a pair of vintage 1950s plastic turquoise salt and pepper shakers and this tiny yellow vintage Ceramicraft fish wall plaque.

Antique Faire2

Antique Faire 3

Antique Faire 4

I did find a pair of vintage kissing angel figurines with one hiding a comic book behind his back and the other hiding a puppy dog but, it turned out that even I didn’t follow one of my rules and that is – no matter what, each item needs to be fully inspected and I even brought my magnifying glass but thought since the show was outdoors, there was plenty of light to ‘see’ any damage so I didn’t take it out of my bag. When I unpacked the angels, part of the halo was broken in the wrapping paper….when I looked at the other angel’s halo I saw two spots where it was re-glued….bummer!! But, it was my fault. I came prepared and didn’t follow my own rules.  I am really happy though with the items I did find today!!

You can find all these items and more in our Ebay, Etsy and Rubylane stores.

Vintage Christmas Wish List is Ready

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Hmmm…. Lately many of the antique malls I have been visiting have started to put out holiday and Christmas decorations. Yes, it is still early for the holidays but it is not too early nor is it ever too early to have merchandise out for the holidays and Christmas as folks that are collectors are ALWAYS on the hunt for items to add to their collections. Also, I remember doing a post about a year or so ago when I was frustrated with the antiques and collectibles malls in my town really did not have much inventory or selection of items out or displayed in their booths for Christmas and the holidays so I sure hope things continue the way they are as I LOVE the holidays.


My “Wish List” for Christmas and Holiday Collectibles:

  • Vintage Spaghetti Santa’s
  • Vintage Napco Christmas Figurines and Shoppers
  • 1950s Santa and Mrs. Claus figurines
  • Vintage Santa, Angels, and Pixie figurines and ornaments
  • Gorgeous Lacquered Hand-Carved Russian Santa’s
  • Antique Belsnickel Santa’s
  • Vintage Holt Howard Christmas Collectibles
  • Vintage Josef  Originals Christmas Collectibles
  • Victorian Christmas Greeting Cards
  • Vintage Christmas Tablecloths and Tea Towels
  • Mercury Glass Ornaments
  • Vintage Snowman Christmas Figurines & Candle Holders

And lots more!!

Estate Sales and Christmas in July

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The past few weeks have been terribly difficult with family health issues.

I had not been to any sales, antique malls, or thrift shops in many weeks. But, life must continue and with that, it felt so good to go to a couple local estate sales this weekend and it felt especially good to have found these amazing items. When I am on the “hunt” I don’t think about anything but my task at hand and it was much needed this time to be able to clear my mind.

At one sale I came across a collection that belonged to an elderly man who had been collecting for the past 40 years and he had some of the most fantastic items I had ever seen. The sale was really marketed and so many people were there that I felt so privileged to have been able to acquire a couple of his items. The estate sale worked a little different than sales I had gone to in the past in that a lot of the collections were auctioned off right then and there.

The last couple sales each had vintage Christmas goodies and I just can’t pass that up. I found some vintage Holt Howard Christmas items, vintage Napco and vintage Lefton Christmas  candy cane kids and salt and pepper shakers, vintage Napco Christmas girl planter and a gorgeous vintage Christmas tablecloth. I just love vintage Christmas items and the feeling of nostalgia and yester-year they evoke.

You can find many of these items at Crazy4meEbay and our RubyLane store