Those memories all came flooding back to me as I stood on the sidewalk in front of Sunlan Lighting on Mississippi St, in Portland...
Then I got closer and read the sign...
Damn. Now I was standing on the sidewalk both smiling and almost on the verge of tears. Happy tears, remembering all the wonderful Christmas celebrations with my family. I was lucky to have one set of grandparents we were very close to.
If you page back up and look at the Santa in dead-center of the window display you'll see he's the same as this guy, who is currently lighting up the holiday scene at my brother's house in Phoenix. My parents have the same Santa, both are discovered relics from a building they used to own.
So deep in a nostalgic mood I walked a few blocks to where I'd figured out the Santa clones were this year. The man behind the Santas, Chris Willis, had given out a few clues as to their location on Instagram (below). It was a mystery fairly easily solved. Except one of the photos Chris included confused me, I thought they would be standing on the sidewalk, instead they are hanging out in a vacant store front.
This wasn't my first Santa clones encounter, nope, back in 2016 I found them in a nearby front yard (that blog post here). I'm not sure why I didn't think to hunt them down in 2017 or 18.
This year they're displayed vertically in a window...
As well as marching across the floor.
Here's more from the person who created this display, and the one at the top of this post.
Visitors are invited to share their thoughts...
#dontstealthepens
They're kind of mesmerizing. I couldn't stop taking pictures.
The big floating head at the back of the room...
...and the latecomers off to the side...
Couldn't steal the show.
#santaclones2019, thanks for giving me a holiday spark.
All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
That is really cool!
ReplyDeleteSo cool!
DeleteA fun and cheerful tradition. There is no saying what people will collect.
ReplyDeleteThis collection must create quite a storage situation...
DeleteLove this! What a fun holiday tradition. Have a wonderful Christmas Lori. Your posts are a daily gift through the year.
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you!
DeleteAh, what a fun post! For just a few moments, the Grinch inside felt a tug on her heart.
ReplyDeleteHappy to help with that!
DeleteGreat fun! I much prefer these to those blowup ones that everyone uses these days.
ReplyDeleteAs kids, we had a 2-foot illuminated Santa head that we hung in our front window. His nose rubbed the glass so the red paint was scratched, but we never minded that. I think my brother has it now.
Thanks for the nostalgic post!
That’s a fun memory!
DeleteWhat a fun project. I am glad you found them and shared all. What a blessing this fellow is that does this for peoples enjoyment.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, he made many people’s holiday a little brighter.
Delete'It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas' ... I adored this post! HoHoHo!!!
ReplyDeleteYay!
DeleteI'm so glad there are people like this in the world to light things up for the pure joy of it!
ReplyDeleteMe too.
Deletethank you! than you! thankyou!
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking about the yearly trips to Portland to see the elaborate windows of Meir & Frank and Lipman Wolfe. Those were the days! Thanks for sharing a remnant of that spirit.
ReplyDeleterickii
What a great post, Loree - thank you for that! And, Merry Christmas!
ReplyDelete