1950s Santa: Did the Mesh Hold Candy?

 

Closeup shot of a little piece of a 1950s Christmas. This Santa is about 8-inches long and I think came chock full of gold foil-covered chocolate "coins."  He's a bit worse-for-the-wear, but has a certain charm in his face. I leave him hanging around the house all year long.

The background is one of my late mother's scarves. I'm pretty sure it dates to about 1965 and I've always loved the colors and patterns.

U P D A T E :

My friend, Bob A., on Facebook, mentioned that this Santa looks like the European Kris Kringle in ways. Now I'm thinking that it's indeed German. My family lived in Germany from '55-'60 so this could be from their time there. I love the collective knowledge of everyone!

B O N U S   P H O T O :

I used the same silk scarf a few years ago in this photo entitled, "Hurtling Parked" of my 1:18 scale model 1971 Buick Riviera.

Forget the Sleigh!

Vintage Santa Clauses Ride on Skis, Tricycles

These vintage Santa Clauses date to the 1950s. The plastic Santa on skis is a container, most likely for pens or pencils. It's about five-inches high, with a deep space in his "bag" but the opening is pretty narrow, too narrow for candy or any sort of holiday treats. The Santas on tricycles are tin-toys, and operate with a key-wind. They ride around on flat surfaces quite well. The pinwheel-like ornament on the back of the tricycle is a bell that rings as Santa rides around; the spiral painted bell turns around and around for a crazy, op-art type of display. Although also made of tin, the "balloon" is mounted on a very thin wire, and flails around as the trike is propelled. They're really quite charming, and they've managed to stay with their original boxes.

Santa Works Two Days a Year at Pink Gardens

This Santa was created by my Dad in 1961. It was a kit he sent away for, a transferable pattern, including an outline to cut the Masonite board, and the "paint by numbers" for the body itself. Almost fifty years old, he is in almost perfect condition. Originally, his lantern had a box behind it and held a lightbulb that shone through some sort of frosted glass, but that's gone missing through the years. Still, he's in fine fettle, looking much the same as he always has. I put him outside of the house two days a year, the day before Christmas and Christmas day. My friend John usually stops by with his young daughter, Makayla, for her present, which is always a purple Matchbox car. She starts reminding me about it in the summer when I see her, lol. I'll take a photo of them in front of Santa, something I've done a few years now.