New Year Greetings

Antique Postcard from my Personal Collection
Raphael Tuck & Sons "New Year Post Cards" Series No. 745
Printed in Saxony

A Happy New Year 

by Margaret Sangster

Coming, coming, coming!

Listen! perhaps you'll hear

Over the snow the bugles blow

To welcome the glad new year.

In the steeple tongues are swinging,

There are merry sleigh bells ringing,

And the people for joy are singing,

It's coming, coming near.

Flying, sighing, dying,

Going away tonight,

Weary and old, its story told,

The year that was full and bright.

Oh, we are half sorry it's leaving

Good-by has a sound of grieving;

But its work is done and its weaving;

God speed its parting flight!

Tripping, slipping, skipping,

Like a child in its wooing grace,

With never a tear and never a fear,

And a light in its laughing face;

With hands held out to greet us,

With gay little steps to meet us,

With sweet eyes that entreat us,

The new year comes to its place.

Coming, coming, coming!

Promising lovely things - 

The gold and the gray of the summer day,

The winter with fleecy-wings;

Promising swift birds glancing,

And the patter of raindrops dancing,

And the sunbeam's arrowy lancing,

Dear gifts the new year brings.

Coming, coming, coming!

The world is a vision of white;

From the powdered eaves to the sere-brown leaves

That are hidden out of sight.

In the steeple tongues are swinging,

The bells are merrily ringing,

And "Happy New Year" we're singing,

For the old year goes tonight.

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

1975 was the year of our first Christmas as a married couple.  Wanting to begin our own family traditions, I made a Christmas tree skirt that depicted images from the holiday song, The Twelve Days of Christmas.  I recently read a religious explanation for this holiday song, and I would like to pair these descriptions with closeup photos of the tree skirt that is now gracing our tree for its 37th Christmas.

The "Twelve Days," of course, stand for the Christmas season, between December 25 and January 6, and the "True Love" in the carol is God Himself, who gives Christians special gifts on each of the 12 days.

The first gift, "a partridge in a pear tree" symbolizes Christ as a bird,

gathering His young under His wings,

and the tree recalls the tree of Paradise which Adam lost by sin

and Christ promised to restore.

The first gift, therefore is God's own Son, Jesus.  

"Two turtle doves"

represent the Jewish family's sacrifice in the temple when a son was born.

Our sacrifice today is the Divine Liturgy.

"Three French hens"

symbolizes the gifts of the Magi to the Baby Jesus,

or also the gifts of faith, hope and charity

realized in the Savior's birth.

"Four calling birds"

are the four evangelists, whose words tell the story of Jesus' coming.

"Five golden rings"

suggest the first five books of the Old Testament, the Law,

which Christ came to fulfill.

"Six geese-a-laying"

suggest the six days of the week when people work

to bring forth the fruit of the land.

"Seven swans a-swimming"

suggest the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit

or even the seven works of mercy.

"Eight maids a-milking"

represent the eight Beatitudes,

which are a Christian's nourishment.

"Nine ladies dancing"

are the nine ranks of angels or

the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit listed by St. Paul in Galatians 5:22.

"Ten lords a-leaping" 

obviously the Ten Commandments.

"Eleven pipers piping"

are the Apostles, now without Judas,

who went out to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.

"Twelve drummers drumming"

represent the 12 articles of faith in the Nicene Creed.

And a happy "Twelve Days" to you all.

Text attributed to the bulletin of Saint Brigid of Kildare Roman Catholic Church in Midland, Michigan who credits the Church of St. Denis in Lexington, Michigan.


Here is a photo of the entire Christmas tree skirt.

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

Sharing Holiday Spirit at:
Bunny Jean's Bunny Hop Party
2805 Potpourri Friday

Childhood Wonder

These three young children are enchanted

by the image of Santa

piloting his plane as he delivers treasures.

May your heart also be filled

with wonder and delight

this Holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

Antique Postcard from my Personal Collection
Published and Copyrighted by John Winsch
Postmarked Grand Rapids, Michigan December 25, 1912

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

Tannenbaum

The showcase of our holiday decorating is our Christmas tree.   Each year we add a few more ornaments to our collection.  We always wonder how we could possibly find room on the tree for more treasures but it is tradition to add something new each year.

Here is a daytime photo of the tree since the ornaments show up better in this lighting.

This is one of our oldest ornaments.  As you can see, blue decorations have always been a favorite.

Many of our ornaments are handmade -- some I made, some are gifts from friends.

We also hunt for special ornaments throughout the year.  Whenever we travel, we typically bring home an ornament that represents that vacation spot.

We love brass ornaments and especially look for dated white ball ornaments with images of Norman Rockwell, Beatrice Potter, Hummel or some other artist's images.

Reproductions of Christmas stamps are among my personal favorites.

Once evening arrives, the miniature lights create a magical effect.

Merry Christmas!  I appreciate your friendship and wish each of you a blessed Holiday Season.

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

Joining the holiday festivities at 2805 Potpourri Friday

Santa Cycle

I am always delighted to find non-traditional images of Santa.  This image shows so much motion.  His purple cloak is flying in the wind.  There is a definite breeze flowing through his white whiskers.  And, you can almost see the wheels of his cycle spinning.

Antique Postcard from my Personal Collection
Printed in Germany, Marked 2100, Postally Unused

I hope this vintage postcard brings a smile to your face.  Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!


This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

Sharing the fun at Sundays with Santa!

Christmas Toys

You can't think of Christmas without thinking of toys.  No, not all of the electronic, high tech goodies available today.  I'm thinking of the old fashioned kind -- things that children (and adults) have enjoyed throughout history.

If you have ever watched a production of the Nutcracker Ballet, you know that Clara is given a nutcracker as a gift and dreams that the soldier nutcracker becomes real.   Many nutcrackers are depicted as soldiers.   However, the nutcrackers who stand guard at the base of our stairway are not in this traditional image.

Here is a close up photo

of the two stairway sentries who greet visitors to our home.

The nutcracker on the right is an image of the composer Tchaikovski.  Dressed in a blue velvet cape, maroon vest and fur hat, he holds his baton high to summon the start of the music for the ballet.  He is accompanied by a pink-eared mouse and two other characters from the story.

The nutcracker on the left depicts Ebenezer Scrooge.  He is all business with his spectacles, briefcase and account ledger.   But in recognition of the softer side that Scrooge will display after visits from the Christmas ghosts, his dapper bow tie is made from fabric with a colorful parrot motif.

The chair near the fireplace in our family room is the perfect resting spot for a soft fuzzy ball of white fur.  This teddy bear is appropriately named Fluff.

Fluff introduces a snowman theme into this room.  He holds a small pillow.  Although you cannot read the writing at the bottom of the pillow in this picture, it is captioned, The Coolest Guys Around.

Another area of the room displays a sleigh with three bears as passengers.

















You have seen my "seasonal" doll before.  She always dresses for the occasion.  Her Christmas dress is made of sheer fabric with delicate snowmen.  Of course, she carries a glittery snowman to continue the theme.

There is one more doll on display that is the guardian angel of our Christmas tree.  She was received as a gift from family friends a number of years ago.  She is a Zapf Creation, a European manufacturer of dolls.  It would not be Christmas at our home without this angel standing near the tree.

Thank you for visiting.  Wishing each of you a Happy Holiday!

Joining the fun at Bunny Jean's Bunny Hop party!

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

Santa's Round the World Ride

In this antique postcard, Santa is not making his toy deliveries in a sleigh pulled by tiny reindeer.  Here he makes his round the world ride in a dirigible.

Antique Postcard from my Personal Collection
Made in Germany, Postally Unused

This card is also unique because silk clothing is worn by both Santa and the doll to be delivered to some lucky child.  Actual silk fabric is applied to portions of the postcard.

Our local historical society will be displaying some of my Christmas postcards as part of their holiday display.  The cards that I selected for this year center around the theme of Santa's transportation.  This is one of the cards included in that exhibit.

This forum reveals random thoughts and reflections on topics of interest and events impacting the life of the founder of Doll in the Looking Glass.  Our boutique specializes in custom designed dolls that look like your child. We also design toddler and baby dolls that look real using vinyl doll components manufactured in Midland, Michigan USA by Apple Valley Doll Works.  The goal of Doll in the Looking Glass is to delight our customers with our creations.

Joining the fun at Sundays with Santa