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Collectible Christmas items range from antique hand-crafted folk pieces like blown glass tree ornaments, to vintage Christmas decorations and manufactured items like aluminum trees and limited edition plates. All are rooted in longstanding tradition (bells and tree ornaments, for example, have been associated with Christmas for hundreds of years).
Until the Victorian era, most Christmas trees were decorated with candles, cookies, and fruit, but in the mid-1800's German craftsmen began producing blown glass tree ornaments in shapes like stars, fruit, and angels, and the ornament tradition was born...
With the advent of electricity, Christmas lights and lighted trees became popular in stores and homes as the center of the Christmas celebration. Other Christmas decorations became popular as well, including crystal, plates, table decorations and dinnerware, nativity sets, celluloid Santa figurines, elves, reindeer, nutcrackers, and cardboard Putz village houses.
In the 20th Century, major retailers like Sears and Montgomery Ward began issuing Christmas catalogs, which themselves are now collectible. Department stores also featured model train sets at Christmas, helping to establish that tradition. Coca-Cola featured Santa Claus heavily in their early advertising, and Christmas Coca Cola items are now highly collectible.
Whether you're looking for a one of a kind sterling silver tree ornament or a Santa shaped chocolate mold, or simply a fun vintage Christmas record, there's plenty to choose from.
Ever wonder about that box of vintage Christmas decorations in the attic? From wooden nutcrackers to glass Ch… [more]
The following is a history of these wondrous little artifacts called cardboard Christmas village houses -… [more]
Theodore H. Althof, Jr's beautiful collection of vintage dimestore cardboard Christmas 'putz' village houses. Start… [read review or visit site]
George Nelson's incredibly detailed chronicle of vintage Christmas tree lighting. Browsable by decade and special t… [read review or visit site]
This simple site showcases over 500 artistic Gablonz glass bead antique and vintage Christmas tree ornaments, made … [read review or visit site]
This site showcases over 1000 old Soviet Christmas and New Years cards from 1950 to 1990. Browse through page after… [read review or visit site]
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Wilkes Barre Times-Leader
If you've never been to the auction before, you'll be amazed at its dizzying variety – from Star of David cookie cutters and vintage Christmas ornaments ...
Cincinnati.com
In the Taft Museum annual holiday exhibit, vintage Christmas decorations from area private collectors including German feather trees made of wire and goose ...
News-antique.com (press release)
Collectibles Shop Closes - Everything Must Go
News-antique.com (press release)
Items include antiques, collectibles, artwork, dolls, limited edition plates, figurines, glassware, vintage Christmas ornaments and decorations, ...