The holidays are a great time to pick up ephemera for your collection. Package tags in the flat packages they some in are one choice, especially is you go ahead and buy many packages. The one place this is a problem is the HUGE packages the “hand-made” ones sometimes come on these days. Saving the entire package, in some cases, is impossible unless you have a closet to devote to this collection. But the normal size packages are usually flay enough to pack nicely, and you are not wasting a great many tags by saving the package intact. Check the dollar stores and in the seasonal aisle at the grocery store.
Antler headbands are also available at the dollar store and elsewhere, and can, over time, make another holiday collection: funny head gear for the holidays. The head band with the mistletoe on a spring, of with elvish ears would also make this collection, and if you want to go whole hog, a series of Santa hats and elf hats can also be collected.
Tree shaped ornaments with bells seem to be big this year, and one can always add to the holiday decoration collection in your abode. Maybe the garlands are especially cute this year, or the colors of the small, unbreakable ornaments are unusual. There is always room for more snowflake ornaments, made from any material, and candy canes and other sweets made from plastic or glass.
Add a few more Christmas cards to your ephemera collection, both by saving one or two from the ones you send out as well as the best of the ones you get in return. There are even collections of Christmas cards where each is different, and the whole set can be saved. Or very special, musical cards can be purchased strictly for the collection.
Don’t forget to save swatches of Christmas and other holiday wrapping paper. The whole role need not be saved, or buy paper in the folded form to save space. Don’t forget to save some of the paper your gifts come wrapped in as well. Especially colorful paper can also be the material for making special holiday beads for next year.
Sample paper plates and napkins are good holiday ephemera collectibles. Look for these at parties you attend as well as the ones you buy for your get-togethers. This also applies to invitations and thank you notes as well. Save an example from each package.
The end of the year holidays provide many opportunities to add to the paper and ephemera collections you may have underway, or inspire you to start new collections. And each year you can add to them with little money spent and not much effort. Just keep your eyes open and search the retail stores you normally shop, as they all carry something for this festive time of year.
Go to the Table of Contents to see all the topics covered so far.
Click American collectibles to go to the latest entry on this site.
