Thresholds

BY LORI BYRNE

The happy glow of a blow mould never gets old

As a child, I remember driving at night, admiring the glow of the Christmas lights during the holiday season. All the colours, some people going all out, while others only added a string of lights here and there. But I especially remember the tall, bright candles that would sit at the edge of stair railings, beckoning guests into a warm, inviting home. Or maybe a wooden barn set up with Mary and Joseph glowing from within as they gazed loving at their wee baby in the manger. If the homeowners went all out, the shepherds and the wise men gathered around, as well. Maybe the display was Santa being pulled in his sleigh by a team of glowing reindeer, Rudolph looking exceptionally sharp with his shiny red nose. Perhaps it was Frosty, standing smartly in his top hat or a nutcracker on guard in the front yard. What do all these typical Christmas characters have in common? Their plastic bodies and inner lights, of course. Vintage blow mould Christmas decorations are all the rage once again as we seek out the nostalgic things of our former years. Blow moulds became popular way back in the 1950s and 60s when Union Products and the Empire Plastic Corporation and others began to manufacture various blow mould characters, including the classic pink flamingo, Halloween and Christmas decorations, along with some of our most loved cartoon characters like Snoopy and Winnie the Pooh. Blow mould sales are always good leading up to Christmas, but a lot of dealers of vintage goodies find that blow moulds sell well throughout the year. They can be spotted at yard sales and antique shops, I know I’ve seen my fair share over the years wandering the aisles of our various treasure troves. Whether you set up some vintage blow moulds in your own front yard this season, or give a nostalgic nod to those who do, you can’t deny the charm, and memories they invoke over the holidays.