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Papier-maché Santa (7” h), surrounded by two brush trees and two flocked reindeer

Santa & sleigh windup, with rocking action,
“Jingle Bells” music box, and star bulb. 20” l

“All Is Merry And Bright”
For collectors of Santa memorabilia, there’s a boundless treasure
in an 1897 New York Sun editorial. Eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon trove to choose from. There are Santa figurines. Santa bubble lights.
had sent in a letter asking if Santa Claus was real, as her little friends Plastic wall Santas. Some Santas even talk: push the button,
had told her differently. Church responded: and a merry voice booms out “Ho, ho, ho! I’m Santa!” (As if
“Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and introductions were really needed.)
generosity and devotion exist … No Santa Claus! Thank God he lives, and he And it’s not just Santa. Joining him is an entire sleighful of
lives forever! A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand North Pole denizens: Mrs. Santa, the elves, the reindeer (with
years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.”
Rudolph lighting the way), choruses of carolers,
and an avalanche of snowmen, making the
“A Holly Jolly Christmas” seasonal circle complete. Who knew there could
Santa Claus has had a long, long, really long life. That means, for be so many variations on a theme? Santa & Co.
Santa sleuths, there’s plenty of Claus-related trivia to memorize and have been featured on holiday candy dishes,
spring on unsuspecting guests at your next holiday get-together: ashtrays, tea towels, drinking glasses, mugs,
cookie plates, tidbit trays, salt-and-peppers,
• If the feast of St. Nicholas is December 6th, when did Santa start and candle holders.
giving out goodies on Christmas? Well, when Henry VIII formed the Source materials for Santas have run the
Church of England in the 16th century, December 6th was no longer gamut, from glass and plastic to wood and
a religious holiday. So, Santa metal. Over the decades, homemaking
“Mr. & Mrs. Santa” spaghettiware was on the move to the next
salt-and-peppers. Japan, 4” h magazines have encouraged the especially
logical date.
crafty to rummage through whatever was at
• In the Swiss-German hand for homemade artistic inspiration, resulting
region of Switzerland, no in a merry multitude of construction paper Bubble-light Santa, 7-1/2” h
elves accompany Santa Claus Santas with cotton ball whiskers.
(“Samichlaus”) on his rounds. Most popular with collectors, however, are vintage Santa represen-
Instead, it is “Schmutzli,” tations from the 1950s and ‘60s. Of these, the most prevalent (and
who is on the lookout for durable) are Santas fashioned from ceramic. Thanks to the introduction
misbehaving children to swat of airbrush painting just after World War II, Santa features could now
with her broom. be more delicately and smoothly styled. Goodbye to flat-faced stares and
clown-like red cheeks. Other attributes adding to the desirability of
• In the United States, postwar ceramic Santas:
Santa settles for a Christmas Metallic accents.
Eve treat of cookies and milk. Where would Ol’ St.
He’s somewhat luckier in Nick be without his gold
Great Britain and Australia, belt buckle? After a
where the treats include ceramic was painted and
sherry and beer.
fired, metallic accents
• Santa Claus won an Oscar! Well, actually it was Edmund Gwenn, were often hand-applied.
who played “Kris Kringle” in the 1947 movie classic, Miracle on 34th Street. The piece was then fired
again at a lower heat. A
• Miracle was set at Macy’s Department Store in New York City, touch of gold gave
and Santa has been a star of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade since the Santa’s red and white
very first one in 1924. Visiting Santa at Macy’s is a time-honored tra- outfit visual pop. On
dition, and kids of all ages are welcome. (I speak from experience).
some pieces, the gold
• The “NORAD Tracks Santa” Christmas Eve program began as a highlights were sponged
happy accident. A 1955 Sears Roebuck ad in Colorado Springs on, creating an attractive
misprinted its “Santa Hotline” number. Calls instead reached the stippled effect.
Continental Air Defense Command. In the spirit of the season, Spaghetti art. A
Director of Operations Col. Harry Shoup told young callers that radar ceramic Santa gained
indicated Santa was on his way from the North Pole – and a tradition texture and dimensional-
was born. ity through the applica-
tion of thin, entwined
• Around the world, Santa has plenty of helpers. The largest- clay strands, visually Santa Claus, as baby-boomers remember him. A
ever squad of “Santas” gathered in India on December 27, 2014, to amplifying everything treeful of smiling Santas, by artist George Hinke,
ho-ho-ho in the holidays. graces the cover of Ideals, 1950 holiday edition.

38 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles