Reader Mike is wowing his neighborhood — he had a carpenter build and install this U-Bild Santa and reindeer lawn display on his front lawn. Mike used vintage plans he found on ebay, but guess what: We can still get these mid-century plans (and more like them) made new today by the same company — in business since 1948 — 66 years!
Update: Since this story was first published in 2014, U-Bild’s inventory has shifted. Check their website for the latest.
Mike writes:
Background: We purchased our 1950 house from its original owner in the winter of 2010, and within a month of signing the contracts I bought a vintage U-Bild kit (Santa, sleigh, eight reindeer) on eBay for around $50. I don’t really remember how I stumbled upon it or what what prompted the search; I just knew when I saw it that it was the kind of thing that very well may have stood on our front lawn at Christmas 60 years earlier.
U-Bild is still in business today, with many of their most popular vintage plans still available for purchase.
Where to buy plans for DIY holiday displays and more:
Mike’s story:
The kit consisted of high quality paper posters (reindeer done in 5 pieces). Each piece had to be cut out, glued to plywood, cut out with a scroll saw, assembled and varnished.
We had the Santa on our front porch when I was a kid, so it’s very nostalgic to now have the whole set on the front lawn of my own home.
Fast-forward 4 1/2 years, and I determined to find someone to finally assemble this for us. I lucked out when young carpenter Kyle Reckman answered the ad I had placed on kijiji.com (similar to Craigslist). He was establishing his own business and was looking for jobs, and he was willing to guarantee completion within two weeks.
Kyle was very enthusiastic about this unusual project, and he offered to complete every step of it himself: picking up the plans from me, purchasing the necessary construction materials, gluing the patterns onto the plywood, cutting all the pieces out carefully with a scroll saw, assembling everything with screws and wood glue, sealing the finished products with a protective coat of urethane, and delivering them and installing them on our front lawn. The project ended up costing about twice what I had budgeted, but given its scope and Kyle’s terrific execution it was well worth it.
We set it up on the lawn with two strings of old-school C7 lights serving as reins, and two flood lights positioned on the lawn to illuminate it sufficiently at night.
Our neighbours are already raving about it! I plan to purchase one more reindeer kit so that we can add a Rudolph (complete with red lightbulb nose) to next year’s display!
Jingle Bellzapalooza, this is amazing! We’re gonna guess: Not only are the neighbors all along your street jealous — everyone in Retro Renovation World is, too, today. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us, Mike — including another great new/old resource: U-Bild. We are already in touch with the company about doing a detailed profile.
mark huddleston says
I found Santa and it has holes for lights like the pic with the sleigh and reindeer. I also have frosty and a snow woman. Who is she? Is there any value in these items?
Heart says
Lucky find! Great MCM item, would look great in front of an Eichler Home.
According to the 1976 “Frosty’s Winter Wonderland” TV special, Frosty’s wife is named “Crystal”. (sequel of sorts to the original 1969)
Regarding Value: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. You could check ebay’s ‘completed listings’ October-November-December.
mike says
Dear friends and readers!
I am looking for the book to order the patterns to make this display!I made this in 1986. Set it up and it was vandelized. Made the front page of the local newspaper due to the fact so many local christmas displays were vandelized. If a reader to this know of a way I could get the original order book “u can do it ” or information to obtain the display I would be most greatfull!
pam kueber says
Mike, this story includes a link to the company that makes the build-it-yourself plans. Look for the link toward the top of the story — it’s in bold blue.
Ami says
I have a wood cut-out Santa, paper over board, that is either old or vintage. It stands about 4 feet tall and looks very similar to the one in this design. It HAD a real sack that was held in Santa’s hand…until, while I was on my lunch break Thursday, our custodian spotted it and decided to drill holes in it and mount it to our roof IN THE RAIN. I got it down before it was completely destroyed, but now nobody can find the sack, and I am trying to find a picture to show what it looks like! Is there anyone who might be able to identify it if I send them a photo, and tell me a) where/when it might have come from, and b) whether the sack was fabric or vinyl or some other material (I didn’t put it out this year, and now I can’t remember, which is part of the problem – and, that’s even assuming it was the original sack)? My work e-mail is ajones at ci dot alamogordo dot nm dot us – please put “Santa” in the subject line, so it doesn’t go to spam. Thank-you!
J Presley says
Love these!
Here’s ours….
https://www.flickr.com/photos/48240869@N03/5316982857/in/set-72157627380183526
The Presleys
Nashville, TN
pam kueber says
Fabulous!
Pamela Byrd Berard says
OMG! This is right up my alley. Congrats – wonderful; terrific!!! Your carpenter should be commended; skills = 2nd to none! Thank you for sharing!
Diane in CO says
JUST FABULOUS!!!!! Wish I lived across the street!
Marilyn says
Yes, this company is great. About 12 years ago, I purchased a manger scene pattern from them and built it myself. Unfortunately, I had it stored in one of our buildings that we lost in a fire a couple of years ago. It is simple to do, if you have the tools. The most expensive part is purchasing weather proof boards. The being patient as well as careful with gluing the full color pattern to the boards…can be a little tricky….but turned out beautiful….Wish I still had it.
Kelly says
Love love love! That Santa is so jolly and gorgeous. We bought our mid-mod house 3 years ago and I’ve been decorating to the era with the old multi-color large bulb lights found at a garage sale and the tinsel tree from eBay, etc. his dedication to the cause is very admirable! Merry Christmas everyone!
Linda Hansen says
That is GORGEOUS!!!!
Betsy says
I have been having a great time with all the light up molded plastic (made in USA, yet!) made in old molds holiday decorations that are coming back around on the market. I asked for a ghost for my fall birthday as compensation for the Halloween lawn inflatable my son earned for good behavior (let me be clear, for the record, that this is the ONLY inflatable that we will ever own!). I figured that if I was going to have tacky, I wanted retro tacky. I just bought a pair of NOEL candles for my front lawn, partly to keep said son from complaining that we don’t have Christmas inflatables. Way cool.
pam kueber says
No need to apologize for your inflatable. We all have ours, literally or figuratively… 🙂
Mary Elizabeth says
Oh, yes, we all have something others find horrifying. 🙂 But I think Betsy’s son will be super good this coming year, and you might have a lawn full of inflatables by the time he graduates magna cum laude! Then, in 2030 or so, he will be back picking through your garage looking for those old inflatable decorations, which will be retro by then.
carolynapplebee says
hey, we had those plastic NOEL candles, I had forgotten all about those. my brother would put the flame part on his hands and pretend to be the Human Torch!!