My Newest Obsession

The fact that I love Christmas is nothing new to my family, or to my friends who have known me a while. However, I believe this fact is becoming known to some of my new West Virginia friends. Honestly, did I ever think that I could try to hide it, because that's just crazy! My newest obsession has thrown it out in the open.

Does this not just scream cuteness!!!

One of my new favorite stores (there are many) is the local GoodWill. Oh my goodness do they have some cool Christmas stuff! I've taken a trip there twice in the last few weeks, and I've found some pretty neat stuff. It's not your typical, everyday, modern Christmas decorations and knick knacks. It's the older stuff, the stuff that screams Christmas!

While all Christmas decorations are wonderful, I love the older decorations. They are less about trying to "Wow" you with their newly installed gadgets that make them talk, sing or move. They just seem to hold the simplicity of Christmas without being too flashy. Now don't get me wrong, I love the new stuff too. I have a lot of it. I'm just also extremely fond of the old stuff that people would rather throw away because of its age.

That little snowman could possibly be my favorite find.

Not everything I bought was "old style". However, I just loved the fact that I could go to the GoodWill and find so many cute Christmas items! Each has a unique story behind it. Each has seen Christmases old, and Christmases new. If they could talk, what kinds of Christmas traditions and events have they seen that they would tell me? Why are they at the store? Were they given away to make room for new decorations or were their previous owners sorting out their Christmas decorations for various reasons?

The world may never know (okay, really we will never know), but it's fun to think about. Not everything I bought was a Christmas decoration, but it was so fun to see what cute stuff was there. One of the items was a glass sled candy dish. When I saw it, I about squealed with joy! Why??? My mom has one just like it, and I've always loved it! Almost every Christmas that I can remember, it has been filled with M&Ms on Christmas morning. Yes, I do intake too much chocolate and have chocolate way too much on the brain if I remember what candy one specific dish holds on Christmas, but seriously that's beyond the point right now. I was just happy to have found a dish like my mom's dish! At GoodWill of all places!

I was so happy with my finds the night that I bought them, that I had to Skype with my family to show them what I had gotten. My sister, Melanie, loves gingerbread houses and people...well just anything gingerbread. So as I was pulling out, one by one, all of my gingerbread houses, she was dying on the other end of the computer. I was laughing! Each one is different. The one on the left holds a tea light candle inside. The middle one used to have an actual light that went inside (there is a place underneath for the light's cord to fit so the house sits flat), and the one on the right holds candy canes (it has holes in the roof where they sit).  I can't wait to buy some candy canes for it! I think I'll just buy fake so I can use them every year. The gingerbread house with the little snowman is either a salt or pepper shaker.

They say "May All Your Christmases Be White"

 

These are only some of my new treasures. I'll keep you informed on my new Christmas adventures and finds as I try not to go broke looking for them! Until then, it shall be an adventure wondering what it is that I will find next!

Merry Christmas!!!