It has been a downright busy time at the shop. It is safe to say, just about all the Christmas gifts and decorating items and accompaniments, we have are sold out, but luckily, we offer many other items for gift giving. Even our locally made wreaths and green garlands were sold out, all three orders. The compliments on the shop's windows have been heartwarming, and since the Dame and I are both nostalgic old souls, we thought they turned out pretty nice. The windows are a take of sorts of "Santa's Work Shop" The figures were purchased from a man out of New York City, from an old department store giving them a new life after he refurbished them. The figurines all move like they are working on the toy request of the world's children. And the incoming mail abounds! Between the Dame and I, we gave out envelopes to everyone we knew to address letters to Santa to add to the pile of letters, even those coming out of the chute, that was added from the ceiling of the window. It's definitely a different take on "just another" floral shop window. While many people and passers-by like Christmas windows, I think every person has commented they miss seeing this old type of Christmas windows. And I think we are the only ones in town to have Christmas windows. Period. The place seems to be quickly becoming the neighborhood hang out for our regulars. Maybe we'll get Lady Bunny to come do a Gay Pride sidewalk show this summer? And the eagle eye may notice that my name ended up on the naughty list in the one window. How did that happen?
I see no reason for you to be on Santa's Naughty List, but if you are, you yourself mentioned you could always use the coal for your furnace, LOL! And your whimsical window displays are refreshing to see and speak to happier times of innocence and much less commercialism.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tundra...that is what we aimed for, and the town seems to agree.
DeleteThat window is AMAZING. Makes me smile. Is it possible to post a video of the characters in action?
ReplyDeleteIll update the post Shirley. I do have video, but I don't know how well it is, with the annoying reflection. If it uploads good, Ill update the post...check back later and see.
DeleteWill Do. May take a couple of vids. And, btw, how did you like my frostitute cookies? They were poorly decorated, because I should have flattened them, and should have done an egg wash to avoid all the crackling (see December 15 post). I'll do better next year.
DeleteI'll have to check to see those. Meanwhile the video are up.
DeleteAdorable! Reminds me of when I was a kid. Mom would take us downtown and we'd stare at the animated toys in the Christmas decorated windows.
DeleteThose are adorable windows!!!! You guys did good. It's the essence of Christmas.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm confused why your shocked you're on the naughty list?????
I know, I should really be used to it.
DeleteI miss the elaborate moving window displays. This takes me back to my childhood. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jimmy! That was nice to year. Back when life was simple and little things were a joy. Thanks for popping into me today.
DeleteThose are amazing! You don't see windows like that in big stores anymore let alone a small shop. Love the mail chute!
ReplyDeleteLove the windows, and, well, we all know you're naughty, but in a way most of us wish to be bad!
ReplyDeletePS Santa didn't put me on the naughty list but on the mentally disturbed list!!
I'm on and off that list Bob.
DeleteVery nice. Doris will live forever.
ReplyDeleteI would shop in this sort of shop as often as possible. What a joy to see such still exists.
ReplyDeleteThis is so heartwarming to see. People see things like this and find it warm, and nice memories of yester year, but still, they don't embrace the holiday or decorate to keep traditions going. I love the feeling they gave me tonight. So glad you guys were able to do these fabulous windows. I bet the kids and adults alike enjoy them.
ReplyDeleteAnd what's not to like about the voice styling of Doris Day?
The elves create such a wonderful nostalgic tableau! And that avalanche of letters -- nice!
ReplyDeleteThis is so cute! I love seeing Christmas windows. I think small towns decorate better then the big cities you ask me.
ReplyDeleteThose are amazing! How do you people come up with such things? The letters really send it home. How long did that take alone? Bravo! I've not seen such cute windows like that here in DC.
ReplyDeleteEverybody and their mother literally got 6 envelopes to address....so not long!
DeleteThose Display Windows do remind me of Christmas Windows Past, I miss those kinds of Displays, which abounded when I was a Child and up thru about the 1980's. At one Dept. Store I worked at in my Teens I helped Create the Display Windows and it was some of the most memorable times of working on something I was very proud of and how it all turned out. We had a Stylist that had worked in New York and mentored all of us inexperienced Decorators. Superb Job Mads, glad everything Sold Out, that's a good problem to have.
ReplyDeleteIt's very rewarding knowing you bring people a certain feeling like that isn't it? When I was at Bloomies...the kids faces were also fun to watch as they had look and wonder of their face.
DeleteOh, nothing says Xmas like a bunch of mechanical elves. When I played Stubtoe the Elf for two seasons, I had a house with a bunch of mechanical elves. Kids were fascinated. The first year, I adored it. The second? I phoned it in. Ah, well. Maybe if they'd washed the costume once in awhile I would have felt different. Kizzes.
ReplyDeleteBrings back memories.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
It's funny, I love window shopping and the glitz of the big windows like you showed, but it's often the windows of the small town store and shops that bring that old feeling back of Christmas of yester year. They look great. I can see why people are drawn to them.
ReplyDeleteHow gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI thought I'd seen the best Christmas windows when I visited Brugge a few years ago but no, these are right up there! Well done. It must give people such a lift going past that gorgeous shop. Keep spreading the joy!
I think I would be there weekly if I lived there.
DeleteMe too!
DeleteWe'd gladly welcome the likes of you two!!!! It's nice when we're busy and the patrons all started conversing together.
DeleteThose wreaths do not stand comparison with the ones my friend Sue makes in aid of her church. Hers have hedgerow gleanings and are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThe year before he carried more ornate ones...and everybody wanted as plain as they could find so they could add there own trimming and accompaniments. So this year he ordered these and another variety that had several pines...pinecones...juniper berry, ceder, magnolia and Holly sprigs in them. They were gone in a two days. He also does really glorious ones for some folk who wanted ribbons and glass ornaments and other things as well. Most people want the plain as they can then have him add what they want.
DeleteOh, Magical Maddie! The shop is a joy! That’s a long Naughty list. Much more fun and less lonely than the Nice list. Besides, Santa would never put you on his Naughty list. I remember Goldlocks saying Nice is Different than Good.
ReplyDeleteSome people aspire to be on the naughty list. It’s called goals. 😜
ReplyDeleteI have up trying anyhow.
DeleteI love the Santa's Workshop display! And the envelopes!! Well done for getting on the naughty list, it means you've had some fun!
ReplyDeleteSx
The envelopes were done by mostly drunk people!!!! We were adamant to say keep the writing like a child wrote it. It's hard to write sloppy.
DeleteI love the display, and the moving elves bring back a lot of childhood memories of window displays past.
ReplyDeleteBut, when you're bad you are VERY good!!!
ReplyDelete