Hello! I won’t even pretend that everything is jolly and bright this holiday season, given that we’ve all been hit with the trying times of this awful pandemic, but I’ll attempt to send warmth and joy with these images of the vintage Christmas things I’ve found at the thrift store and on ebay over the past year. Maybe looking at the cutest kitten figurines you’ve ever seen will bring some cheer.
I’ve changed the way I usually present my thrift store finds this time because I forgot to take photos of each item by itself before putting the pieces into various vignettes displayed throughout our home. So, here are pictures of the displays instead, with details and commentary, including prices, on everything I found included in a Youtube video. And, at the end of the video, you’ll see these same displays brought more to life in a short film.
Pretty well every decorative item we have is vintage, with many being found at thrift stores or on ebay over the years, so, to highlight the new things acquired this past year, the comments below the photos refer only those things.
The Value Village I shop at is the one at Lansdowne and Bloor in Toronto. There are also three things from The Salvation Army Thrift in Parkdale, which I’ve just begun to check out this year.
↑ Beginning with my favourite thing in this whole haul, this ceramic cat family was made by Homco in the 80s. I found it on ebay. ↑
↑ The cat candle holder was made by JSNY, also in the 80s. It was found at Value Village in one of those plastic bag “grab bags” they have, where they group random items together for one price. Most of the time you buy the bag for one of the items within, donating the remaining stuff back to the thrift store. But this time I was lucky to find him plus a great glass snowman (shown further down) in the same bag. There was a third item in the bag, too, whose fate is described in the previous sentence. ↑
↑ I’m guessing that this greeting card is from the 50s. I got it on ebay. ↑
↑ A couple of things to hang on the wall, both found at Value Village. ↑
↑ The knitted stocking is probably from the 80s and was found at Value Village. ↑
↑ The gnome lidded mug is not vintage but has the look. It came from Value Village, as did the stack of Syracuse Restaurant Ware plates below it, which were made in Quebec in, I’m guessing, the 60s. (The enamel looking red ceramic coffee pot is new. It was purchased with a gift card from my mister Nick, from “Blue Banana” in Kensington Market in the summertime.) ↑
↑ I collect vintage Corelle dishes, which we use everyday, and I’ve long wanted a set of the Christmas pattern which were made in the 80s. I got these (plus a few more pieces) in a couple of lots from ebay this past summer, using some of last year’s Christmas money from my parents. (Thanks Mom and Dad xoxo). I cannot wait until the time arrives that it’s safe to have dinner parties again! ↑
↑ I found this heavy ceramic tile trivet at Value Village, and the display easel on which it sits, at The Salvation Army Thrift. ↑
↑ There’s the glass snowman found in the plastic grab bag (with the cat candle holder, above). It’s a delicate hollow art-glass piece, that I’m amazed survived that bag intact. It’s little fingers were actually poking right through the bag but they didn’t get chipped at all. I’m happy to have rescued him because he deserved to live on. That said, I saw quite a lot of smashed glass and ceramic in those bags. It was a bit heart breaking to see the vintage carnage. ↑
↑ This New Year post card was found on ebay. It’s post dated 1936. ↑
↑ This plate is not vintage but I think it has a vintage look. It’s called “Winter Chickadee” made by Kate Williams Design, and was found at Salvation Army Thrift. ↑
↑ The Blue Mountain Pottery vase (left) was found at Value Village and the “Ruby Red” vase is from The Salvation Army Thrift. ↑
↑ Nothing newly thrifted in this photo, but I’ll include it anyway. It’s a section of the cabinet directly above where the vases are displayed. The silver tea service is new to us, and is very old, from 1913. It’s part of Nick’s family history and was gifted to us this year. ↑
↑ Again, nothing newly thrifted in this shot, but there are quite a few pieces from thrifting trips in previous years. The swan was given to me by a friend when I was 20. I’ve long since lost contact with him but imagine he’d be quite surprised to see that I still display this little treasure to this day. ↑
Thank you kindly for visiting my blog. I wish you a safe and (relatively) happy holiday. xo loulou
