From last Christmas Season...(with updates)
the
Dougsploitation household is almost entirely decorated for the holiday season. This year, due to budget constraints that we're all facing, I've decided to spruce up my ornament and knickknack collection with some finds at thrift stores, 99 Cents Stores and by raiding my mother's garage on my last visit back home.
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Since my theme is vintage & retro, what better place to start with an old family heirloom? This simple hand-painted glass ball is the last remaining of a set that belonged to my beloved grandmother. It was always a tradition to have grandma hang the first ornament on the family tree, and it was always this very decoration. I've continued this tradition this year in my home by placing this first on my brand new (cheaply purchased on
hayneedle.com) white tree.
Speaking of cheap trees, this one came courtesy of
JoAnn Fabrics clearance sale in 2008 for TWO DOLLARS. It was purchased as set dressing for a film I worked on in 2008 called PORNOGRAPHY: A THRILLER (now on on dvd). It now is a part of my annual holiday decor.
This silly Santa ball is an exact replica of one I purchased as a child at
Rickel's Hardware in Staten Island, NY. The original was lost or possibly dismantled years ago, but I was happy as an elf to find this one (in mint condition!) last November in a thrift store outside of Phoenix, AZ for $3. The two elves beside him are new acquisitions from my friend Laura K's garage. I think they belonged to her late mother-in-law. I think they are just precious. (And not based on the novel PUSH by Sapphire) Thanks Laura!
Here's a batch of silly snowman purchased for a buck each at a Korean supermarket in Glendale.
They look like they were sitting in the store since 1975, which makes them all the better. These guess fit in great with my blue & silver Hanukkah display in my kitchen. Right next to my Jonathan Adler "dolls" canister.
Here's a Santa I rescued from my mom's garage. Purchased in the late 1970s, I'm so glad this guy has made it intact to Burbank.
Here's a duo that came from the aforementioned Korean supermarket. At a buck each, they don't look like much in their cellophane bags...but once hung on the tree...
Viola! How adorably festive is he now?
Courtesy of the Glendale Good Will, I came across this box of awesome UNBREAKABLE ornaments from the 1970s. The price? 99 Cents. The catch? One was shattered to bits!!! Unbreakable, my ass.
But check out this groovy box design.
And they came from Grant's Department Store in New York!!! The same place I got my first bicycle on Christmas morning almost 40 years ago! How cool yule is that?
I acquired this freakish ornament from a small hardware store in San Fransisco about ten years ago when I lived up there. SF is one of the best places in the world to spend the holidays.
This little guy I've had for over 30 years. He was my first rocking horse ornament in a collection that grew to over 100. I donated many of them to charity a few years back, but I could not bring myself to let go of this sweetie pie.
This retro Santa I bought last weekend at Macy's for $1.50! There's two others in the series. What a deal. It's a like a Miracle on Magnolia Ave.
Here's another After Christmas sale clearance item - I believe he was $3 at K-Mart. His retro look is a perfect fit for my kitchen window display, which includes...
these amazing candles designed by my talented friend,
the fabulous Madeline Long, also known Shelley Winters from Dennis Hensley's MISMATCH GAME and can now be seen as Ribina Champagne's Bible-thumping friend Bernadette starting on episode 2.5 of
PRETTY. So there you have it - a quick look at how I've decked my hall cheaply and with a
Dougsploitation twist!
I could also comment on the religious aspect of the show - since it's one of the rare instances of Christian propaganda that seems to be accepted and tolerated by even the most ardent believers in separation of church and entertainment. But I won't go there either, even though I just did. ;)
There's been so much written about this award-winning classic already (both online and in the "real" world), that there's not much of anything I can say that hasn't already been said. I could go on about the characters, the sad little tree, the commercialism of Christmas or the wonderful Vince Guaraldi soundtrack. But I won't.
I could also comment on the religious aspect of the show - since it's one of the rare instances of Christian propaganda that seems to be accepted and tolerated by even the most ardent believers in separation of church and entertainment. But I won't go there either, even though I just did. ;)
