The Santa mugs wish to thank you for your love and support, and, in return, promise to put in a good word for you with their namesake. They'd also like to introduce you to some of their friends.
Meet a small collection of items that spell out the word NOEL.
The angels, chippy but lovable, came in the original box, which is just as sweet as they are.
Little pajama-clad people - check out the slippers! - that represent an actual Christmas miracle. I used to be much better about selling rather than collecting, and so I displayed a set of NOEL candle holders one season and sold them the next. It couldn't have been more than a day after I shipped them out when my son, who might have been 10 or 12 at the time, asked where I was going to put the NOEL people. I swear it was the first Christmas decoration he'd ever mentioned. Consumed by maternal guilt, I made up my mind to buy the next set I saw, regardless of cost. The next day I found these at the thrift store. Christmas was saved.
I'm not ready to declare the thrift store Christmas drought over, but things were a little better Wednesday. This game (from 1962, by Whitman) is just fun.
It's a variation on "Hi, Ho, Cheerio," if you've ever had the joy of playing that game over and over and over again with a 4-year-old. I also bought the pitiful tin at the right for 99 cents...
because it was chockablock full of glass bead garland - nine full strands in all sorts of colors and sizes!
I think I must be procrastinating today because I had an inexplicable urge to take a group picture of the NOEL gang.
Fabulous vintage Christmas items. I have that same set of Angels and now I have to go and find them. Little by little I am getting everything out, but it seems the more I do, the more of a mess ensues.
♥, Susan
Posted by: black eyed susans kitchen | December 03, 2009 at 11:30 AM
I had the noel pj clan growing up and was thrilled to death to find them again on ebay a couple of years ago--not at a thrift store price mind you!
Your tin of beads for 99cents is killing me!
BRAVO!!!! Enjoy!
Posted by: Theresa | December 03, 2009 at 11:31 AM
It is a sin to covet. But I do it when I'm here. Love your vintage christmas things. They speak to me. I must admit I had similar santa mugs my MIL gave me years ago. They were hers and she would feed my husband and his siblings hot chocolate in them. We didn't take good care of them. My children were little and I didn't realize the vintageness and beauty then. I was too wrapped up having 8 children. Now - I want them. But they have been broken and long gone. Part of it was I am passive aggressive with my MIL. Darn me.
Posted by: Nanette | December 03, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Oh, those precious little pajama people! I know that stunned feeling when a masculine-type person mentions something that you never knew he even noticed. Isn't it odd, the things that make an impression on their XY chromosomes?
Posted by: Janelle | December 03, 2009 at 01:24 PM
I'm late in throwing my 2 cents in, but I love the Santa mugs. I have several in many different sizes. I have the NO portion of the noel Santas. I also have a set of angels spelling NOEL. Your pajama clad angels are ADORABLE.
Visiting your blog always makes me happy, but I especially love it here at Christmastime.
Posted by: Kim | December 03, 2009 at 01:38 PM
I always buy any N-O-E-L things that are in individual pieces. Why? Because I give them all to my dad L-E-O-N and he reconfigures all of them to say LEON at the holidays. It is getting harder to find him a new NOEL/LEON item every year! It is funny to see sweet cerbu faced choirs singers spelling out LEON!
Posted by: Shara | December 03, 2009 at 02:38 PM
Geez, the next time someone says I've got alot of vintage Christmas stuff, I'm sending them right over here! I was just thinking yesterday how sad it is to put all of this stuff away at the end of the season, because it all makes me so HAPPY! I feel drunk after looking at all of your goodies!
Posted by: Carol @ Old Glory Cottage | December 03, 2009 at 03:05 PM
You find the neatest stuff! I'm decorating a little today! Please stop by my blog soon! Happy Holidays!
Posted by: Lavender Dreamer | December 03, 2009 at 03:10 PM
I will NEVER tire of looking at vintage Christmas - and you have such a great collection!
Posted by: HeidiAnn | December 03, 2009 at 03:36 PM
I hate that cherry game with a fiery passion, but that christmas one? I would play that with Jack for hours. Wonder what the chances are of finding on fleabay...off to look.
Posted by: Sarah | December 03, 2009 at 03:38 PM
Love, love, love your vintage stash! The noel angel candleholders are my favorites. Santa game is something I never saw before. Your son is too funny! Your guilt even funnier. Although, I can relate. I need to literally fly to your thrift shop. Ours has nothing of vintage value.
Maureen
Posted by: Maureen | December 03, 2009 at 05:24 PM
I just started a NOEL collection last year, or rather it started itself when I brought home a huge wardrobe box full of christmas stuff from an estate sale. I bought the whole box for $10, it was like a giant grab bag because I had no idea what was in it. One of the items was a fabulous NOEL candle holder thingie, and then I remember that I had another set that I had gotten somewhere. Then the next day I found another at a thrift and you know what you have 3 of something, you've got a collection. Now of course I'm looking to add to it, because why not? I've especially like those Santa mugs, I've not seen those before. xo, suzy
Posted by: georgiapeachez | December 03, 2009 at 06:13 PM
omg, all those typo's and grammatical errors. Yes, it's been a long day and I deserve this glass of wine damnit.
s.
Posted by: georgiapeachez | December 03, 2009 at 06:14 PM
Oh boy - now I'll never be able to walk past a tin in a thrift store without picking it up. Just in case its 'chockablock full' of something amazing. Your finds kill me. -amy
Posted by: Into Vintage | December 03, 2009 at 08:19 PM
I LOVE YOUR POSTS....they always make me happy, happy, happy! The last photo is just plain silly Christmas fun! (score on that tin of garland....BIG SCORE!)
Posted by: Laurie magpie ethel | December 03, 2009 at 10:24 PM
Dang woman, now I have to open all those crappy, non-vintage tins, don't I? Please tell me that it wasn't at the SA in Auburn because I think I saw a tin like that there two weeks ago. And that cherry game? Beyond cute. Of course I'm green.
Posted by: Linda | December 03, 2009 at 10:29 PM
I loved hi ho cherrio and I love your Santa game! I love the faces on the pajama kids.
Posted by: Tina | December 04, 2009 at 12:23 AM
You always have the best eye candy - thanks.
love the trim a tree game.
barb
Posted by: barb | December 04, 2009 at 08:09 AM
You certainly do have the coolest Christmas stuff! I have a set of little santa mugs just like the 2 tiny ones on your bottom shelf! They are so cute, and I found them in their original box at a garage sale here in Juneau! Maybe you have noticed as well they are just the right size for shots of peppermint schnapps??!!!
Posted by: Wendy | December 04, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Oh, MERCY! I just found your blog a couple days ago...and you're just killin' me with all this vintage goodness for Christmas! I love it, absolutlely all of it, and how much cuter can it get?! You have a wondrous collection that I'm so glad you're sharing with us!
XOXO
Joni
Posted by: Joni | December 04, 2009 at 01:34 PM