Christmas conjures up nostalgic memories, and as a child of the 70s, Christmas Blow Mold characters hold a special place in my heart. These molded plastic-lighted Christmas figures appear in many of my childhood Christmas photos, standing in the background as photo-op props. Lighted candlesticks stood guard at my front door, a glowing Santa waving on our porch to people passing by.
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The Role of Christmas Blow Mold Characters
Around town, glowing plastic nativity scenes adorned the lawns of churches.
My dad was the 1970s version of Clark Griswald; he loved Christmas with a fevered passion that spurred a frenzied decorating spree the first week of December in preparation for our neighborhood’s annual Christmas decoration contest. Christmas Blow Mold Characters were a mainstay in his holiday vignettes.
A recent antique shopping trip brought back happy memories tied to these iconic Christmas decorations that are no longer in production. Their simplicity and innocence are treasured today in a world of digital and mechanized Christmas decorations.
The Golden Era of Holiday Blow Molds
Holiday blow molds were a common lawn decoration, experiencing the height of popularity from the 1950s to the 70s. You could see all types of blow molds throughout your community.
The End of an Era: General Foam Plastics Shutdown
In 2017, the most recognized and largest U.S. maker of blow molds, General Foam Plastics, headquartered in Virginia Beach, shut down after 60 years of producing these beloved decorations. The company maintained the rights to produce its own copyrighted designs.
The Resurgence of Christmas Blow Mold Characters
Today, these vintage holiday décorations are collectibles prized for the nostalgic memories they conjure up. If you want to shop for an authentic Christmas blow mold character, check the bottom of the figure for an embossed date, a mark of older pieces. If you are in the market for some Christmas nostalgia, check out these authentic Christmas decoration blow mold finds on Amazon.
The post Unveiling the Charm of Christmas Blow Mold Characters appeared first on The Design Tourist.
