EXCLUSIVE FOR THE RANDOLPH STREET MARKET BY NENA IVON, nenasnotes

Where to start….so many traditions at this time of year…let’s explore some that can be celebrated by everyone. Of course it is the time of year for many religious and traditional celebrations . We begin in November with a day filled with reasons to be thankful, Thanksgiving, and finish with celebrating a new beginning…New Year’s Eve and the start of the new year of 2023 (someone needs to explain to me how we are looking at 23 years in a brand new Century!!!!!). Between those two dates we celebrate December 18-26…Hanukkah (Chanukah), December 25-26…Christmas, and December 26-January 1…Kwanzaa. My apologies if I’m missing other dates.

It seems to be Gingerbread Everything and Everywhere this year….whether you are into making your own gingerbread house or some gingerbread cookies, it’s always a joyous part of the Holiday Season…let alone the delicious scents that permeate the house!!!! So important that Harrods in London is featuring it in their holiday windows where they are also highlighting all things Dior….sound like a winning combination to me…time to think about finding some vintage Dior at Randolph Street Market….it is that magical time of year!

Here the exquisite Dior gowns in gingerbread…beyond fabulous!

Some gingerbread house suggestions….

Or perhaps a tree of gingerbread cookies…

Or perhaps a book on the subject….remember to check the book selections at RSM always something for a gift to check off on your list and don’t forget about adding a few titles to your own library! You can find a zillion gingerbread cookie recipes on line as well. FYI…Gingerbread men cookies come to us from England where Queen Elizabeth I was the first person to serve them. She presented visiting dignitaries with gingerbread cookies decorated to look just like them. How fun to do for your holiday guests! Look for gingerbread men and women vintage cookie cutters at RSM, a fun holiday collectible.

There is nothing more beautiful than Chicago all lit up for the holidays. Did you know that Saks Fifth Avenue when it was at is 669 North Michigan Avenue (moved to 700 North Michigan Avenue in 1990) put what are now know as “bee lights” on the trees in front of the store in 1959. Who knew (actually I did I was in the planning meeting)…what a worldwide phenomenon that would become.

Look for vintage decorative pieces for your home….many of the RSM vendors have great pieces to add to your collections or start a new one. I happen to collect Christmas Angels and have added at least one every year since I was a very little girl…needless to say I have quite a collection so much it fills “my room” in dear friends home….always a nostalgic time when I visit.

One Angel from my collection. Love her so much! My photo.

I know people think collecting is dated, I say there is nothing more traditional than collecting things that you can treasure through the years…that is really what vintage is all about and, to my minds eye, why we all love the Randolph Street Market!

Vintage ornaments…

Exquisite Menorahs….see what vintage pieces or a modern Menorah you will find at RSM, Adrienne Baskin’s booth might have a piece or two…the possibilities are endless.

From Oprah Daily….”Kwanzaa is drenched in rich traditions, and based on seven key principles, this seven-day celebration of individuals with African roots is an invitation to contemplate what has been, what is, and what can be in African American communities and those across the world with ties to Africa. From December 26 to January 1, a collection of customs will unite and uplift those that observe—even if Zoom has to be thrown into the mix. These are the most common Kwanzaa traditions that will be honored during that period—complete with accompanying terms in Kiswahili, the language used to name the elements of the holiday.”

You might check out Shymaine Wright of Vintage Raw booth for some inspiration.

To learn more, watch the Kwanzaa documentary, The Black Candle, narrated by the late poet Maya Angelou.

20 Kwanzaa Recipes For Your Holiday Celebration… Click here to view at delish.com

Need a bit of a winter wonderland may I suggest a snow globe! Not just for the holidays but year round. A great collectible from your travels, they come in all sizes. And what better place to travel to than our beloved RSM…you can be sure you will find one or two that you can again add to a collection or start a new one.

Here a few that caught my eye….

And, of course, Our Kind of Town….Chicago…

Another huge collectible are, again any time of the year, (some collectors have a room dedicated to their collection!) pieces from Department 56. Christmas In The City collection debuted in 1987 and my friends, who have my Angel collection, have a fabulous display in their dining room of their mid-century home…it is amazing…here are a couple of my favorite pieces that I took with my iPhone.

I know I’ve posted this before but it’s such a great idea why not do it again. The Holiday pin selections at RSM is extraordinary. Remember I mentioned in an earlier blog post a fashion trend is men wearing brooches….here is a fun way to start, perhaps a holiday pin party instead of ugly Christmas sweater event!

My photo.

And to round up the year….let’s think about glassware for our NewYear’s toast! I’m a huge fan of a classic coup, mine are Baccarat, I do know most people prefer flutes…I say to each his own. Collect what you love, research it, talk to experts to get more information on the things you love.

Cheers to the New Year!!!!! (My photo!)

All photos unless otherwise noted found on Pinterest photo credits not available.

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by Nena Ivon
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