This is the start of my newest collection. I was officially charmed by vintage Santa mugs after seeing this collection in HulaSeventy's holiday home tour at CafeMom and this collection in Soulemama's flickr feed. I usually avoid holiday dishware at all costs but these bearded men have found their way into my vintage loving heart.So, I'd never really seen any of these mugs in all of my thrifting adventures. Or maybe I just wasn't paying attention? This past week as we were visiting Brett's family in Thayer, Mo, I got a hankering to hit up the two local places just across the Arkansas border to see what they had for me. I took a mental checklist of things I needed to keep an eye out for and hoped upon hope that I might come across a vintage Santa face mug in all the post-Christmas vendor mark downs. I hadn't been in one of the shops for more than three minutes when I came across not one but six Santa face mugs. And a matching pitcher! But it was too easy. It would've taken all the fun out of collecting them one by one. The $25 price tag wasn't helping much either. I was looking for a deal and with the aftertaste of the holidays still fresh on my tongue so to speak, it was easy to walk away.
I went next door and spotted a Santa face mug in a booth full of tacky dollar store items and couldn't quite tell if it was vintage or replicating vintage very badly. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind so I continued on. I was almost done with the last booth when I spotted it. That soft, cheery, ceramic mug hiding behind a sea of red and green Shiny Brites. And only $1.49. It was a little thrill.
I brought my bounty to the house and shared my story with my MIL, a fellow flea market junkie, who patiently waited for me to finish before informing me that the one place in town that I had never visited had 'tons of those things'. Who knew that the Santa face mug jackpot was in a sleepy stretch of Southern Missouri.
How many of your grandmas pull these out every Christmas?
xoxo,
Rachel
28 comments:
randomly came across your profile. awesome to see someone from missouri, its rare! i love your blog as well.
http://megduerksen.typepad.com/whatever/2009/12/christmas-recap-part-3.html
meg on the blog, 'whatever', has the best collection of those santas!
Awh, my mom just gave me a set of six santa mugs and a big cookie jar that matches. They were made by my great grandma and they are so adorable. I hope you find more :)
My mom has them and I was just thinking over Christmas that I would like to have some too!
we totally had those mugs growing up. after seeing soulemama's post with those mugs i had asked my mom if she still had them and she looked at me like i was crazy. so bummed she got rid of them. guess there's always hope thrifting. good score!
Oh I collect those! I only have 6-8 not completely sure. But you are so right I love the thrill of the hunt, and finding one tucked in a thrift store shelf looking all lonely. : ) Have fun search for them!
I have a set of five and a pitcher that was handed down to me. the paint is chipped and one of the mugs of course is missing from the set but it always brings me such childhood delight to pull it out every year and now my two boys love to use them too! there is just something so kitchy and perfect about them..good luck on your hunt!
we had those too! I'm guessing one of my sisters has them now. I was just wishing for them this Christmas time for hot chocolate with the kids. I love that you passed up the easy find in search of just the right one. I hope you have fun adventures and stories for completing your collection!
definitely 11 months early :)
so funny, i was inspired by all the photos of them this year and added them to my thrifting list. my 4yo is super excited about the search.
Rachel!
We totally had these growing up! The EXACT ones. I wonder if mom still has them.
I was on a eager hunt for them as well! I had a friend make soy candles in vintage/reproduction Santa mugs for my shop! I ended up finding about 6-7 ranging from .25 cents to $1.00! I LoOve them! I think my favorite is a handmade one I found with it signed and dated! :)
I have one someone gave me. it's so small we have been know to use it as a shot glass. ;) If I knew where it was I would send it to you. It's just the kind of tacky I don't want to collect - too many other tackys.
my mom has a set of 4 of these that she picked up years ago at a yard sale in Ohio. There are nice to see once a year I must say!
My mom has my grandmother's santa mug collection and she used to get them out every year at Christmas. We would drive around and look at Christmas lights or go outside and play, and these santa mugs were always filled with hot chocolate waiting to warm us up. I love vintage collections that have little memories behind them.
I'm so glad I'm not alone with the vintage Christmas stuff after Christmas. haha! No mugs for me, as cute as they are. I have suddenly become obsessed with the vintage flocked Santas. I've seen some very cute mugs and planters with bottle brush trees "planted" in them. Definitely makes it tempting to collect those cute mugs!
Aww, my family has a number of those mugs ... I absolutely love 'em! I'm guessing they came from my grandma, who has a massive (I really mean that) collection of Santa stuff, vintage and otherwise. We're big fans of Christmas. :)
ohh i have those same guys! i found mine in utah for 50 cents and bought 4! love them!
my mom has 4 of them, and i have always loved them! unfortunatly one got put in the dishwasher and washed all the paint away, so it is completly white. but still lovely!:) i hope i inherit them! :)
There's a great store in Memphis called Flashback that always has them, along with those glittery snow-covered cardboard-type houses and churches, all done in soft pinks and turquoises, as well as a few white or silver trees and lots of vintage ornaments. That entire place is FULL of treasure...you should make a trip down there at some point, for sure.
I remember my Granny had some of those. How fun!
I'm not sure which of my family members has santa mugs but I know I've seen them before!
What an awesome find! I am also totally obsessed with these after seeing them on soulemama. I will be keeping an eye out in TN. Here's hoping I am as lucky as you.
We had some of those mugs when I was a kid. I'll have to ask my mom if she still has them!
I LOVE these mugs...I collect all things vintage Christmas and can find these often for 25 cents at yard sales and thrift stores. I have mine filled with filled with other vintage christmas things...the older ones are better for displaying things than drinking out of!
My mom has one but she hasn't pulled it out in years. Guess I'll have to ask her about it.
Oh my goodness! So my mom has a set of those she had a pitcher that went with and little place mats that match. She had gotten rid of the place mats when I was younger but recently I found a set of them for 10 cents each. The pitcher broke but I know she still has the mugs. How fun :)
my collection started with one from my grandma and grew from there. I used to fill them with candy canes but now I can't imagine them anyplace else but the bathroom window. they're so happy there. :) happy collecting!
p.s. thanks again for the shout out, lady.
haha just found your blog. love the sewing tutorials..
i know christmas is over.. but its funny you postted this because my mom has the whole set of that exact santa mug.. we are major thrifters! and she has 2 other kinds.. small world
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