Well, blow me down.
I got a little pre-Christmas thrifting and antique mall shopping in last week and thought I'd better show you the goods before Santa gets here and decides he wants to haul some of this stuff up to the North Pole with him.
I have started collecting thermoses and thought they were perfect for a little vignette on the kitchen counter. Let's face it, anything that has red in it is good for Christmas decor.
The gray bodied one with red lid/cup to the right of Santa (our right, not Santa's right) and the red, gray and dark brown shorter one to the left of Santa (again our left, not Santa's left) are the newest ones. He has no hands, so pretty sure he would be confused by left hand and right hand anyhow.
The cardboard Santa box to the far right (let's not get into whose right) is actually a small promotional item for a Christmas club at a bank in Terre Haute, Indiana. It has a slot in the top where you can insert your spare change. What ever happened to Christmas clubs?
And I know you are all going to be as excited as me about this next find. I found some new-to-me blow molds this year.
Yes indeedy!
This is where half the people reading have just exited from my page. Let's talk about them now that they're gone.
Can you believe not everyone likes blow molds? I know!!!
When I first saw these vintage outdoor Christmas candles sitting on the porch of a little out-of-the-way antique mall, I about peed my pants.
And then when I flipped the price tag over, I really did pee my pants. $8.25 for the set.
Do you hear the orchestra music and see the rays from heaven shining down on this booth of kitschy Christmas goodness? Oh, I did.
And this is how my porch ended up this year (you can see more of it in it's own post - Adding Retro To Your Christmas Porch Decor). Still using the candles, but more greenery going on!
My #1 Tip For Thrifting For Vintage Christmas Decor
Another of my favorite thrifted blowmolds is this Santa.
He must have toppled over a few times on someone else's front porch because they attached his feet to a piece of wood to keep him steady.
I think my favorite thrift store find for Christmas was this vintage ceramic Christmas tree I found for a few bucks a couple years ago.
I couldn't get out of the store fast enough with this thing, thinking they may change their mind about the price and come running after me 🙂
A couple years later I found this much smaller ceramic Christmas tree with a holly base, which I did a Christmas giveaway for my readers with in 2018.
And just this year I found a white ceramic Christmas tree with red birds!!!
OK, I have to admit then when I found it I didn't even realize it didn't have a base to it. I'll just stick a battery operated candle in it until I run across a decently priced white base somewhere.
This styrofoam snowman ice bucket by Gotham Industries was on my bucket list for the last few years and I finally found one at a thrift store this summer. Gotham also made a rather jolly Santa Claus version of this ice bucket I am still searching for.
These were made in the 1950's or 60's I believe. It goes perfectly with my Tom And Jerry Cocktail Recipe from the same era.
Speaking of vintage Santas (we were weren't we), I found this Rushton Coca-Cola Santa in 2017. And he goes perfectly with some of his other Santa cousins on my dining room buffet.
The Rushton Coca-Cola ones (on the left in this photo) originally held a mini bottle of Coke, but I have NEVER seen one in the wild with the Coke bottle still attached.
You can see the rest of my 2018 Christmas Home Tour: Thrift Store Decor Style HERE.
Both the scale and the vintage plastic Santa with sleigh in this post about A Nostalgic Christmas Breakfast Room were thrift store finds. I think Santa may be a 70's Christmas decoration?
Practically everything in my Vintage, Rustic, Industrial Holiday House Tour is thrifted including quite a few thermoses and this cool old syrup tin.
This vintage Santa and his flocked deer friends are also thrift store finds from my Vintage Farmhouse Christmas Decor where I show you how I mix a bit of farmhouse with a bit of vintage.
Speaking of deer, I've found quite a few of these hard plastic Christmas deer at the thrifts over the years, so I just casually place them around my house to add a bit of fun to my Christmas decor.
I have a whole post dedicated to the little guys, called Oh Deer.
My skis on my Holiday Front Porch For The Picnicking Ski Bums started off life as a nasty old pair of chipped skis I found at the thrift store and transformed them into one of my favorite pieces of holiday decor with a little bit of paint.
I run across nasty, banged up, chipped skis ALL THE TIME at the thrift stores and they are normally under $5 a set.
And of course, Santa Mugs are one of my favorite vintage Christmas decor that can be found every so often at thrift stores. I just love the thought that some kid in the 40's used to get all excited to drink out of this mug every single year.
Have you found any fun Christmas stuff at the thrift stores?
Any pants peeing incidents? Related to thrifting, of course.
KayCee
I loved your blog about the vintage Christmas haul! I love blow molds! I WOULD pee myself if I saw those things for such a crazy price! Thanks for sharing! I have a blow mold Frosty that we put out every year. I paid 20 bucks!
Pam
I actually passed on one this year, because it was just too ugly (never thought I'd say that about a blowmold), and then people on instagram told me that it was rare and worth at least $150 on ebay. It still didn't make it any cuter though 🙂
Mj
At GOODWILLthis week, I found an old sled for$18.00 and a pair of white figure skates for $3.00 PLUS,a 30%'of discount on both because I purchased them on Wednesday and I am 55+!!!! Real good finds especially since I live along the Texas Gulf Coast where it doesn't snow!!!! I can't wait to decorate with them!!! Wahoo!!!!
Pam
Fantastic finds! Around here they have half price days once a month and I always make sure I'm there first thing in the morning 🙂
Katie Mansfield
Well, this is a hilarious post for a Friday morning. No peeing my pants over blow molds but I do have a fondness for them. I love, love vintage thermoses and you have some good ones. I'm not sure that I've ever found my way here but I'm certainly glad I did. What a cute blog.
gadawn57
Yep... this is THE post that hooked me on looking for thermos for display and in particular, to reproduce this exact look on MY kitchen counter this Dec 2014. Yep... I am your #1 copy-cat!
Anonymous
One of my college jobs was working in a ceramic shop making those VINTAGE, watch it, trees. The garden club ladies came in and cleaned the mold marks off, etc and I "fixed" their mistakes! The mold for these was hard to pour as it weighed about 30 pounds full of slip. They never knew how much of their work was my work!.
ScrappyMama
Hmmmmm...where IS this "little-out-of-the-way antique mall" ??? I live in Marysville (I think I've mentioned that before) & am wanting to take advantage of this beautiful weather we're having...while we have it!
Pam Kessler
That one is in Rockbridge down near Hocking Hills.
Vintage Home
oh how delightful! Love the vignette!
Alice Wingerden
Came by way of Common Ground...love your little thermos vignette! So adorable and unique!
Gayle
Pam, have you ever considered writing for comedy? You are a stitch!
Happy for you on the finds.
Ann Krucek
Love your sense of humor - just joined as a follower. I don't know how I had not found your blog before this - but I will be back!!
Dawn WeCallItJunkin
Whoa! That's an unbelievable deal! I wouldn't have hesitated. I also see some fabulous vintage milk glass bowls I'd have loved to get, too! Hope your Christmas was great, Pam, and Happy New Year to you! -Dawn
Sarah
Not a fan of blow molds, but happy for you that you found these. 😉
I am a fan of plaid thermoses and have a few of my own. Always bring them home when I find one.
Happy Holidays!
Olive
I love your love of blow molds. Every time I see any I think of you up there in the snow with the blow molds on the porch and in the snow. The gaggle of thermoses is very fetching with the Santa's. I have not been thrifting lately and really need to get some done. I did get a box full of antlers a couple of weeks ago. That's it though, no peeing. xo, olive
Musings from Kim K.
I have candle blow molds but they aren't nearly as dandy as your pair! Those Santas make them over-the-top fantastic! Great price too! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas, Pam. Can't wait to see what's in store for 2014!
Denise @ secondtimearoundfinds
You have some great finds.
I really like the thermos's.
Merry Christmas and all the best in the new year.
Denise
scott7258
So wonderful. I have never seen those particular candle blow molds before. They look perfect as does your thermos corner! Merry Christmas to one of my favorite bloggers, Mary