Hi!!!!!!!!!!! The last time you saw me I was announcing the date of the 2012 Academy of Vintage Christmas Ornament Arts & Sciences Awards!!!!!!!!!! It's TODAY!!!!!!!!!!! I AM VERY EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE NEVER BEEN ASKED TO HOST THE AWARDS BEFORE!!!!!!!!! YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!
(Just in case Santa is making some last minute checks to his naughty and nice list, I should probably clarify that I wasn't exactly "asked" to host the awards. But the founder of the Academy is really really super busy. She's cooking and shoveling snow and wrapping presents, and yesterday while she was wrapping presents she was watching the White House Christmas specials on HGTV and sighing and saying things like our house looked "under-decorated." So I decided to volunteer to host the awards!!!!!!!!!! That's even NICER, right, Santa ???????????)
OK, I'm a little nervous, because I've never hosted before, but first of all I'm going to make sure everybody who wanted a good seat is all set. Amy, Carol, Renee, Jewels, Lisa W., Kim, Laurie, Gina and Diane are right up front!!!!! And I see Mitzi, Patty, Patti, Linda, Michelle, Robin, Maureen, Kathy and JKaye next to them!!!!!! I bet you're really surprised I know all of you!!!!!!!!!!! (I read your names on the snowman post, tee hee!!!!!!!!!!!!)
As soon as Skating Snowman gets to his seat, we'll get started!!!!!!!!!!
Let's meet our judges!!!!!!!!!!!! The founder always keeps the names of the judges a BIG SECRET but I believe in transparency!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our judges are Wax Snowman, Pinecone Snowman and Pipe-Smoking Snowman!!!!!!!!! I don't want to give too much away, but a little birdie told me we might be seeing more of these gentlemen when it's time to announce the best Wax Snowman, Pinecone Snowman and Pipe-Smoking Snowman Awards!!!!!!!!! (I took the opportunity to tell the little birdie we won't have time for the Best Bird ornament award this year. Sorrrr-eeeeeeee!!!!!)
Most Sentimental Ornament
It's about time the Academy handed out an award for an ornament with special meaning, like Martha and Whit suggested!!!!!!! And who better than our good friend, the pink coated cardboard snowman????? It's kinda weird, but the founder doesn't really have any ornaments that came down through her family, because her family still has them. But the founder made her dad sit through THREE HOURS of a really SUPER BORING auction until a box of these snowmen came up for bidding!!!!!!!! Time well spent, founder!!!!!!!!!!
I'm happy to see our first award is a big hit with our audience!!!!!!!!!!!
(If you guys don't mind, I'm going to stop using so many CAPITAL LETTERS AND EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!!!! Because my PINKIE is about to MELT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!!!)
best panorama ornament
we cannot even believe the pink panorama snowman ornament got overlooked for so many years if it werent such a happy moment we might boo
super sparkly ornament
ok its really hard to tell from the photo but this is a great big pink ornament with a super sparkly snowman and ruthann wanted to see a sparkly ornament and this is the sparkliest snowman on the tree. also even though we arent very interested in this there is some fancy beaded garland on the right that the founder painstakingly restrung and jkaye was wondering about honoring an ornament that had been repaired so there it is but lets hear it for the snowman.
Best new ornament
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! (My pinkie's feeling better, thanks.) As soon as the spun cotton pinecone snowman in the silver cage came in the house I knew he was going to win the best new ornament of the year award!
We're going to kind of rush through the next 25 awards because it looks like the founder is finishing up in the kitchen and so our next award is the best use of a chenille stem to create a snowman accesso....
Dec. 23, 2012: Today the Academy of Vintage Christmas Ornament Arts and Sciences (AOVCOA&S) released the following statement: "We wish to apologize to anyone who was offended, confused, disappointed or befuddled by the unauthorized broadcast of the 2012 awards ceremonies. The authorized broadcast will now begin."
Best bird ornament
Despite rumors to the contrary, there is certainly a Best Bird Ornament of the Year award, and it goes to this cheerful and glittery pinecone bird that despite the odds has retained both starry eyes and a complete beak. (From the judges' notes - and we do not mean those three fake judges - Bravo, little bird!)
Indent of the year
The Academy regrets to admit this, but it had overlooked the wide variety in styles of indents. Some are pointed, and some are geometric, or star shaped, or like a flower, like this one. A winner for sure!
Best Shiny Brite
Unusual shape, delicate colors and a sprinkle of snow on top ... this Shiny Brite has it all! (From the scoring sheet: Note also the intricacy of the indent design. Rare to see an ornament do so much, and do it so well.)
Best Merry Christmas ornament
Small, silvery, sweet and almost shy - the little "Greetings" Shiny Brite adds just the right note of gentle cheer. (From the judges' notes: Awesome typeface!)
Friends, our time is running short, and while some popular categories (Best Santa, for one, not to mention the Best Christmas Ornament Reminiscent of a Joni Mitchell Song) had to be eliminated this year due to snowman hijinks, the Academy does not really disagree with many of the snowmen's choices. The snowman in the silver cage? The Academy knew it was a winner from the start, too.
The Academy would like to take this opportunity to thank you for coming, and to thank Brenda, a neighbor from Western New York, for making a brilliant suggestion: Perhaps a special ornament should come with the attendees, as a sort of ticket to the festivities. It is not too early to start planning for next year, or to start looking for the very special ornament you will want to send directly to the Academy.
As always, Merry Christmas, and when it comes to the cocoa and eggnog, please: Drink responsibly.
What fun - love the pick of vintage ornaments!
Posted by: Joena Meier | December 23, 2012 at 04:05 PM
That tree is absolutely gorgeous! The face on those Gurley snowmen melted my heart, especially the last snowman. Awwww, just so sweet! Thank you for showing me the sparkliest ornament, but that best Shiny Brite is hard to beat! My fave was the panorama snowman ornament. Merry Christmas!!!
Posted by: Ruthann | December 23, 2012 at 04:18 PM
Well deserved awards this year and especially am partial to best Shiny Brite followed by pinecone bird.
Had me chuckling with the PINKIE MELTING!!!!!!!!
Glad to attend these awards and have a front row seat...well done Mr. Snowman.
Posted by: laurie magpie ethel | December 23, 2012 at 04:25 PM
My favorite awards show!
The indent ornament makes me swoon...
Your tree is beautiful!
Posted by: Kate | December 23, 2012 at 04:32 PM
Love that the snowman hosted. lol Your tree is beautiful. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Posted by: Patti | December 23, 2012 at 06:28 PM
Wonderful ormaments as always. I just love indents but then there is that bird!! Great choices by the Academy. Thanks for another great year!
Posted by: Robin Carr | December 23, 2012 at 07:09 PM
Another great awards show, and I am very happy for all the winners. Thanks for showing the nice big image of your gorgeous tree, which looks so perfect in your adorable farmhouse. It was fun checking out the ornaments on the tree and looking for recent and former award recipients.
Posted by: Martha | December 23, 2012 at 07:26 PM
This is always one of my favorite posts of the year! Snowmen I like you but taking over the awards...tsk tsk! Academy you outdid yourselves this year with your choice of Best Shiny Brite! I think it's the pretties ornament ever! Wishing you a wonderful Vintage Christmas!
hugs, Linda
Posted by: Linda @ A La Carte | December 23, 2012 at 07:43 PM
Love the pink panorama snowman ornament. Glad I was sitting in the front rowwww. Although I still read the title as the 2012 AVOCADO Awards. Your tree looks gorgeous!
Posted by: Gina @ VintageJunkinMyTrunk | December 23, 2012 at 10:16 PM
LOL. You are too funny. :) Your tree is gorgeous. Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Joy | December 23, 2012 at 10:27 PM
Hilarious, as always. XOX
Posted by: Sue | December 23, 2012 at 11:22 PM
We've been traveling this weekend and I wanted to take a peek at a few blogs before unpacking. You never disappoint. Love the awards. You definitely know how to find the BEST ornaments. You tree is gorgeous. Wishing you a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!
Posted by: Kim K. | December 23, 2012 at 11:44 PM
What a thrill to be seated in the front row this year!!!!!!!!!!! All of the ornaments are so exciting and glamorous but I think my favorite is 'Best Shiny Brite' followed closely by 'Best Panorama.' Maybe it's the eggnog talking, but that last photo, the one of the Christmas tree with a glimpse into the kitchen, is like something out of ME's Home Companion. Merry Christmas to all and to all Shiny Brite!
Posted by: Into Vintage | December 24, 2012 at 01:11 AM
All so beautiful! I came across your blog while searching for information on the large, beautiful polish ornaments I found at an estate sale this weekend. I'm afraid vintage ornaments are going to be my new addiction. Anyway, I was wondering if you may be able to tell me if there's any way to "date" the ornaments. The organizers of the sale had no background info on them at all. Thanks, and Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Shelli Starkey | December 24, 2012 at 01:37 AM
Super? What a great tree, too. Merry Christmas!
Hen x
Posted by: Hen | December 24, 2012 at 04:00 AM
Oops, sorry about the unintentional "?"
Posted by: Hen | December 24, 2012 at 04:00 AM
Those pesky snowmen are pretty clever!
Your tree is beautiful, Barbara!
Posted by: Tina | December 24, 2012 at 06:53 AM
Lol! Very funny!
I love seeing your hoosier and I love your green wall color!
Merry Christmas to the winner of the award always! karen...
Posted by: karen | December 24, 2012 at 10:48 AM
I am still laughing about those hijckers! The winning Shiny Brite is amazing but not as beautiful as your tree. Simply beautiful! Thank you for another great "show" and wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Kathy | December 24, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Love the awards. Next year, please sell popcorn and commemorative teeshirts.
Posted by: Kris Saia | December 24, 2012 at 12:33 PM