A Toast to Santa...

{HISTORY}

In the 1950s, a Santa mug could always be counted on for kicking off the holiday season with festive joy and merriment.

Part of a bevy of different Christmas promotions, Santa mugs were the rosy red-cheeked star of the gift giving season and came bundled up in all sorts of unique ways. They were packaging containers for nylon stockings. They were gift basket holders for kids candy.  They were vases for holiday floral bouquets. And they were beverage sets made for serving eggnog, punch, and hot chocolate. 

This Santa with his red hat handle, twinkly blue eyes, and snow-white beard was part of the eggnog and punch crowd. Originally paired with a larger Santa acting as the punch bowl, these red and white Santas were sold both in sets and individual pieces for all your collecting, gifting, or party serving needs.

A lovely keepsake from Christmas past, this one once belonged to a collector named Rosemary and is both signed and dated 1959 on the bottom. We like to imagine that when Rosemary received this mug it was a true surprise from Santa that awaited her, not under the Christmas tree, but at the breakfast table surrounded by a rambunctious gaggle of brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents and cousins. To make sure that everyone received their own special Santa, names were added on the bottom so that each and every one could be accounted for year after year marking both a date and a memory.

Perhaps you might want to add more to Rosemary's story. This was just the start, but really tales of a gal and her Santa could go anywhere. That's the extra fun in a gift of vintage and the power of decades old personalization. It's a daydream and drinkware all in one. Santa style. 

Vintage Santa mug advertisement courtesy of The Times, San Mateo, CA, December 11, 1952

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• Signed and dated 1959
• Santa hat handle
• Colors include cardinal red, blueberry, light pink, pale peach, and bright white

{CONDITION}

In beautiful vintage condition, this mug contains no chips, cracks, spots or staining. Lovely very light crazing in the white area of Santa's hat adds aged character. The glaze is shiny and bright 

{SIZE}

Measures 2.75" inches (height) x 4.25" inches (length - rim to handle) x 3" inches (width)  and weighs 8 oz.