A Very Special Christmas Dumpster Dive

So this was found on the side of the road in somebody's trash and it works! The only thing that was missing was the cover to the battery compartment. It's my greatest trash-picking treasure ever.

General Mills, Belvidere, Illinois Plant, 2010

I've never worked for General Mills, I just love cereal mascots. It's a very heavy ornament, in fact, I've only had it on one tree.  I usually can't find a branch that can support it. 

Hallmark, Snow Miser and Heat Miser, 2021

Two of the most beloved Rankin/Bass characters from 1974's The Year Without a Santa Claus.

I remember (in the good old days ha) before you could watch whatever you want whenever you want, seeing these two for the first time and just being in awe. For the next month, I would sit and draw them everyday from memory.  I may not have drawn them perfectly but I did capture their coolness or hotness.

Hallmark has released ornaments of them in the past, they are hard to find and they get a little pricey.

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis Christmas Decorations, 1953

Someone just gave me these and they're my new favorite things, for a couple of weeks anyway.

The seller wrote "Christmas cards" on them, which is why someone bought them for me, but I'm just not so sure. Hey, they are red and green and nostalgic, works for me. They may go on a tree even though they're a little big or more likely they'll become a wall decoration. 

Hallmark Ralphie and the Old Man Itty Bittys, 2018

I don't want to go crazy with the Itty Bittys because I was born with that "collector's gene" and that could be very dangerous.  I had to get these, I mean it's a Christmas Story.  I'm only human.

I do think that my friends from other countries, who may not really appreciate A Christmas Story, which is quintessentially Americana, are bewildered how much it's beloved here. And they really can't comprehend it having run 24 hours straight, starting every Christmas Eve since 1997. 

Hallmark Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookie, 1986

I've got to give the artist credit.  There is only so much you can do with an Oreo so the icing Santa and ho ho ho is rather clever.  I have a couple of these because  one is not enough.

Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey

This one holds a special place in my heart, if only because I don't believe I'll ever find any other Nestor decorations. I found it on Etsy a few years ago and the lady that made him did such an awesome job.

I also think the movie, of the same name, doesn't get enough love. It came out in 1977 and I put it up there with the other Rankin/Bass productions like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Clause is Comin' to Town. Well, I guess the songs aren't as good and it lacks a Bumble.

2008 Hallmark View-Master Ornament

Oh, I loved a View-Master. It was like having your own little private magic viewing box. I remember they got fancy and made "talking" ones and projector ones, I also remember those broke easy the standard View-Master was bulletproof.

The ornament does work and comes with 3 discs or "reels" of View-Master's 1958 "The Night Before Christmas."

Hallmark Acrylic Nativity

I love a Nativity and this is one of my favorites. Sometimes you luck out, I don't think I'd like this as much if it wasn't for the emerald green cardboard store display it came with. 

2018 Hallmark, Slurpee of the Season

Well, it is the simple things in life and I do enjoy a Slurpee. I may not have one as often as I did in my Slurpee drinking prime, but it's Christmas, it's nostalgia.  My favorite flavor...Coke mixed with Wild Cherry. Plus, the straw has a built-in spoon, how cool.

Hallmark 1992 Salvation Army Band

As you're walking into your local grocery store and you hear that familiar bell ringing, it's another surefire sign that Christmas is on its way. It's the season of giving and putting some change into the red kettle and saying "Merry Christmas" to the bell ringer in the Santa hat, just makes you feel good.

I was wondering if they made a Salvation Army Christmas ornament and I was very happy when I found this one. It plugs into your Christmas tree lights, so no round batteries, which always makes me happy. 

My Favorite (Favourite) British Crackers

Proper British Crackers, I love these. I didn't even know about crackers until around 1995 when I spent Christmas Eve with an English friend of mine. I've been a huge fan ever since and make sure to order mine early every year.

I found these on Etsy. They are from an antique store in England. I can't find the date but I assume they are from the 1960s. I love the Father Christmas artwork on the cover. Some of them are starting to fade with age and how I get through a Christmas without popping one open I'll never know.

Carol Burnett

(as Princess Winnifred in "Once Upon A Mattress:)

Broadway Legends 2017

I remember as a child lying under my sister's bed (it was a tall bed) watching The Carol Burnett Show every Saturday night. I don't know the play this is from but it's a fun ornament. Not being an autograph person, I did google Carol's autograph...this is not even close, they put no effort into their forgery.

A Proper Glass KISS Bauble, Gartlan 1998

I remember getting this on Christmas morning from one of my nieces. I remember having to tone down my excitement, so as not to hurt others when I opened theirs and I didn't act as enthused. Now, I'm not a Peter Criss fan but I usually have him facing out because the green on his eyes just looks more Christmassy. 

Santa's Pipe, Hallmark 1985

You just don't see many pipes out there in the world today (for obvious reasons), not even sure they'd make this ornament today. This conjures up images of Thomas Nast Santas or Clement Moore's: A Visit from St. Nicholas

"The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;"

This particular one has yellowed nicely with age. I've seen a couple of them that were nice and white but I'm happy with the vintage look of this one.  As for Santa's particular choice of tobacco, I'm going with a nice Cherry or Peppermint.

My favorite ornament and it's not mine. My sister's mercury glass ornament that was used on an episode of Bewitched. She got it in 2017 from an online auction. Am I 100% positive it's "real"?  No.  I just let the Christmas Spirit allow me to believe it is.

I do love Bewitched and this ornament is definitely in my top ten, a Hallmark from 2001. It's a great sculp for such a small ornament. It captures Elizabeth Montgomery's fun spirit that made the show such success. I'm still amazed Uncle Arthur was only on ten episodes, it just seemed like he was on more.

The Rockettes are just so Christmasy. Not being a big fan of cities in general, I've never ventured to see them live. Luckily I've gotten to see them on many a Christmas TV special.

I will say that this is one of the most fragile ornaments I have (one foot is glued on and all the bodies reconnected). I've bought a couple of these and each time they arrived broken (cheap plastic shhh).

I do love Lucy. She's always been there for me.  Always on the television at some point in the afternoon when I got home from school. She was this animated, fantastically funny, live-action cartoon character.

This Hallmark ornament is from 1999. The feather makes her a delicate one so she gets packed away with extra care.

This is one of those ornaments I'm amazed exists. Groucho glasses were big when I was a kid.  I was a huge fan and still am. I actually have another ornament of a ghost wearing Groucho glasses.

A Sugar Bear ornament that came in a box of Sugar Crisp cereal.

I love the 1970's and 80's Hallmark ornaments before they specialized in pop culture. 

This is a brand new one.  I just got it after Christmas.