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Ayer's Cherry Pectoral Santa Claus advertising store display

From Advent calendars to wreaths, and more, the biggest spending holiday of the year features the biggest opportunity for collectors with an almost unlimited array of items to satisfy every taste and budget. Here are the most common Christmas collectibles:

Advertising
Manufacturers pull out all the stops in their Christmas advertising campaigns. Probably the most successful of all time was the Coca-Cola campaign of 1931, in which artist Haddon Sunblom gave us the rosy cheeked, fur and velvet clad Santa Claus we know today. Collectible advertising includes ads from publications, special edition tins and packages, store displays, die-cuts (pictured), and advertising postcards.

Advent Calendars
The first one was printed in 1908, and since their introduction, have been made of paper, cardboard, wood, and fabric.

Books
Look for vintage, well preserved copies of illustrated children’s books, especially those illustrated by Frances Brundage (1854-1937), Kate Greenaway (1846-1901), Richard Doyle (1824-1883) and Tasha Tudor (1915-2008) T’was the Night Before Christmas is probably the best known, but other popular volumes include early Christmas cookbooks, and, of course, handsome editions of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Candles & Candle Holders
Always a big part of holiday decorating, from figurals to geometrics, both candles and candle holders are available in an almost infinite variety of vintages, materials and price ranges.

Cards and Postcards
The first Christmas card was created by Henry Cole of London in 1843, and people have been sending Christmas greetings via post ever since. The most beautiful and highest quality cards and postcards were produced from 1890-1930, and these are avidly sought by collectors.

German Christmas deer papier-mache candy container

Candy Containers
The most collectible of candy containers are German made, and were meant to last no longer than the holiday itself.

Dolls
Special edition Christmas dolls abound, from American Girl to Barbie to Madame Alexander to Cameo Doll Co.

Jewelry
Jewelry designed specifically to be worn during the holidays has been produced for several centuries. High quality costume pieces from the 1920’s-1960’s, are still affordable and very popular. This Bakelite brooch has a Christmas motif.

Nativity Sets
First appearing in 13th century Italy, nativity sets have been fashioned from marble, wood, coral, plaster mother-of-pearl, pottery, wood, plastic, paper and more. These are probably the earliest of Christmas collectibles.

Nutcrackers
Originated in Germany, where they began to be mass produced by Wilhelm Fuchtner in 1872. At first, the figures were always soldiers, but now are available as golfers, skiers, tennis players, rock musicians, pirates, bakers, famous personalities and more. Although inexpensive Nutcrackers made in China are everywhere, collectors look for nutcrackers from Fuchtner, Christian Steinbach, or Christian Ulbrecht.

Plates
Meissen, Wedgewood, Spode and Royal Copenhagen were producing collectible porcelain plates by the middle of the 18th century, but Bing & Grondahl was the first to create the limited edition plate. By 1910, Rosenthal and Royal Copenhagen were producing an annual Christmas plate, and by the 1950’s millions were produced annually in every price range by a long list of manufacturers. Pottery makers have also made plates with Christmas themes including Pennsbury and Breininger redware.

19th century Shephard Hardware Co. cast iron Santa Claus bank

Santa
Although Santa’s looks have change over the years, he’s always been a popular Christmas collectible. Because he’s been so well documented, it’s often easy to determine the age of a Santa figure. From the tall and thin St. Nicholas, to the Jolly old Elf we love today, Santa has been rendered in every possible form and material. His likeness can be found on every type of Christmas collectible, like the cast iron bank pictured.

Tablecloths
Christmas linens are eagerly sought by those who love textiles. Whether its handmade lace, Irish linen, or the colorful screen print patterns of the 1930’ & 40’s, no Christmas dinner is complete without its festive covering.

Wreaths
The circle form symbolizes everlasting love, and the wreath is found in a variety of materials and forms, from ornaments to table decor.

-By p4A Contributing Editor Susan Cramer.

Reference & Further Recommended Reading:

Thanksgiving turkey candy container, German, first-half 20th century

If you are a Thanksgiving collector, you can help yourself to seconds and even thirds without a lot of competition, good fortune that surely makes you thankful.  Not yet as popular as Christmas or Halloween, vintage Thanksgiving collectibles are still plentiful fairly low in price, and may well be the next big thing.   Look for pilgrims, Native Americans and harvest themes.

Food Themed Thanksgiving Collectibles

Not surprisingly, a large majority of Thanksgiving collectibles have to do with food.  Corn, pumpkins and turkeys top the list, with autumn harvest themes and cornucopias abounding.   Since Thanksgiving festivities center around a traditional dinner, mementos that symbolize that dinner are highly popular, whether in ceramic, paper, cardboard, fabric, or wax (candles).  In keeping with the traditional dinner theme, Thanksgiving collectibles lean heavily towards serving pieces and table displays.  Platters, bowls, gravy boats, salt and pepper shakers, casseroles, and dinner plates are all popular usable collectibles.  In the late 1800’s, a variety of manufacturers started producing Thanksgiving transferware dishes for the American market that are still used today. Manufacturers include Johnson Brothers, Wedgwood, Spode, Fitz and Floyd and Staffordshire.

Food and soap molds are popular, as are candy containers.  Candy containers are most often found in the shape of turkeys and can date as far back as the early 1900s. These containers were often made in Germany and Japan of papier-mache or composite, or plaster and used as table favors well into the 1950s. In the U.S, Dennison made many cardboard and crepe paper candy and nut cups.

Turkey Candles and More

All lovely dinners require flickering candlelight, and Thanksgiving is no exception.  Figural candles in the form of turkeys (of course), Native Americans, and pilgrims are all readily available.

Thanksgiving Paper Ephemera

Dennison and Beistle made a variety of paper Thanksgiving decor, from crepe paper honey-comb cornucopias, to standing turkeys.  As these were designed to be used and discarded, they are available, but hard to find in excellent condition.  A large turkey centerpiece with a crepe paper honey comb body can go for as much as $75.  In years gone by, it was not unusual to send Thanksgiving greetings via the Thanksgiving postcard.  These are readily available cards with pleasing graphics in a variety of Thanksgiving themes.  Common cards sell for as little as $5 each, but an unusual or heavily embossed made in Germany card can cost much more.  Cards with crossover appeal such as artist signed or black Americana are costlier still.

Macy’s Does Thanksgiving

Begun in the 1920s by mostly immigrant employees of the Macy’s department store, the parade in New York has evolved into one of the country’s most famous holiday events.  Collectibles from the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade include posters, jigsaw puzzles, tote bags, snow globes and VIP passes.

-By p4A Contributing Editor Susan Cramer.

Reference & Further Recommended Reading: