284. SANTA CLAUS GLASS CANDY CONTAINER

We've had this Santa glass container for the longest time, stored in an old book cabinet in our home since the 50s. It is a figural glass figure of Santa Claus, with a bag of toys on his back. I couldn't quite figure out what it was, as it had rims on the bottom, so I presumed it's a container of some sorts, but why should the lid be on the  bottom? When I moved house, I took Santa with me to my new home and has been with me ever since. Years back, I finally saw a similar example at a Makati Cinema Square second-hand shop, but with Santa's features painted on. It turned out that my Santa a candy container, for doling out sweets to kids during the holidays. And I thought I was a collectible expert. Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas everyone!

234. WE THREE KINGS: Nativity Figures

Christmas is still a long way off, but I just have to show this trio of plastic royalties that dates back to the psychedelic 60s. I found these in the weekend Avondale Market in Auckland, NZ--which is basically a farmer's market with a sprinkling of open stalls selling vintage stuff. Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar may have been part of a Nativity set, typical of examples cheaply sold in the 50s and 60s. I couldn't find a manufacturer's mark, maybe these were made in Hong Kong. Holiday collectibles such as these have their own crazy collectors--and I guess I am one of them. Right now, this  merry plastic trio are gathered 'round my little plastic Christmas tree that is displayed year-round in my little house, ready to welcome visitors with their plastic gifts of myrrh, gold and frankincense.

153. SANTA CLAUS COKE ADS

The first image we have of Santa Claus or St. Nicholas, shows the saint dressed in a bishop's miter and robe, with a kindly, bearded face. The Dutch portrayed their Sinterklaas, the giver of gifts, as a tall and reedy person in a red coat. It took the illustrator Thomas Nast to give St. Nick a rounder frame and a cheerier expression. He made St. Nick even more believable by giving him a workshop and the task of keeping an eye on children's behavior. He also gave him a permanent address: the North Pole!

America further built on this image in the 19th century by picturing him as a jolly gentleman, with white hair, a moustache and a long beard.He acquired a chubbier face and a ruddier complexion. The final milepost in the development of his image came from The Coca Cola Bottling Company when they used Santa for their ad campaign. Their artist, Haddon Sundblom, created an adult who ehshrined Nast's Santa's face and costume. The 1950s campaign continued for more than 40 years and this archetypal Santa image has been perpetuated and recognized as the universally accepted image of Santa Claus.

These two full-color Christmas Coca-Cola ads are from the back pages of National Geographic Magazine from the 1950s, found locally.

89. LIGHTING UP XMAS

A pair of Santa Claus Christmas figural lightbulbs, from the 1930s-40s, made of glass with hand-painted features. These were part of a string of figural holiday lights that also included a snowman and assorted fruits, made in Japan. Now, non-working, I let them hang on my Xmas tree anyway. Nobody makes Christmas lights like these anyway. A belated Merry Christmas!