Oh, how clever our dear readers can be, with their eBay searches. Nathan made a wonderful score with a whole bunch of New Old Stock paper patterns from Douglas Fir Plywood meant to be transformed into holiday lawn art. Which he (or a friend?) did! In our uploader of readers’ holiday decorating over the weekend he wrote:
Vintage paper patterns from Douglas Fir Plywood promotion. Patterns bought off ebay, created and assembled new. Fresh snow last night in Minnesota 🙂 Nathan Anderson
Nathan also uploaded one of the 4’x 6′ “posters” before it was cut. Even just framing one of these and using it as wall art would be wonderful.
Of course, this reminds me of Mike’s U-Bild Santa set — patterns for which are still available today. But NOS from the (what?) 1960s? That’s upping the degree of difficulty quite a bit. In fact, I heard from another reader, Jake, who said he found a stash of similar posters made by the Fir Plywood Association. Stuff’s coming out of attics and folks are seeing the value rather than tossing — good to hear!
Above: Two mystery readers also uploaded photos of their wooden lawn ornaments. One was made using U-Bild patterns, the other, I’m not sure.
Thanks for sharing, Nathan — and the snow: picture perfect! I’m very envious of your find — New Old Stock! — I would have bid hard against you for them!
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My grandfather made smaller versions of these to go under the tree for the Christmas Villiage our family put up. They were each 7-8 inches high. My brother has them now. The artwork looked very similar to these large lawn versions I wonder if the same company made them.
I wonder where my dad got the patterns for the Nativity built in our tiny dining into the living room back in the early 1960’s (I’d have been pretty young). And what happened to it once they moved to a different house… All I really remember is Mary, Joseph, Jesus under a roof with a star and The Three Wise Men and their camels with a can light shining up onto the scene. It was painted (I remember being so impressed with gold paint.)
Pam,
Neat idea to frame the patterns as posters. Yes, it’s great to see people recognizing that many of us find treasures among their cast off old stuff! I miss the hands-on DIY spirit that was so prevalent when I was growing up in the late 60s & early 70s.
I am curious. Are these one sided only? I would love to have them but the place I would put them, and the only suitable place in our yard, would be visible from both sides. They are really wonderful!
I have several of these patterns still in their envelopes. Mine are from Douglas Fir Plywood Assoc. and dated 1957. I sold a Santa’s sleigh and the Noel singers on Ebay just a week or so ago.
They are only one sided. Designed for a 4×8 piece of exterior plywood. You glue the large picture/poster print down to the wood. Cut it around the perimeter with a jig saw, and then seal the bajeebies out of it.
I had no idea how awesome they looked completed! I’ll have to go down and take another look at the instructions if you want anything any more specific.
Cool! Where did you find them?
I volunteer at a thrift store. My main “job” is in our Christmas store. I bought them there a few years ago. They have been sitting in my basement all this time. As I said I did sell one on ebay. I know I have the sleigh but nothing as cool as the reindeer or the Disney stuff or the Santa. What surprises me is that these huge posters were folded flat in envelopes and so they have creases. Why not rolled in tubes?
These never cease to amaze me. I loved seeing them when I was a kid. They come from a time when “do-it-yourself” woodworking was something almost every man–and some women–did. The birdhouses and rec room coffee tables and lawn decorations (including whirlygigs) that came out of that era were fabulous.
I like finding the completed in the wild, especially when they look old. I saw one last year in a neighboring town. If I find one or two before the Christmas uploader is completed, I’ll post them.
I want to correct myself. Not every man made these lawn decorations in his basement. Some just THOUGHT they WANTED to make them, but never got around to it. That’s why you can still find them on eBay. 🙂 It’s sort of like my quilting fabric stash. I will use everything up one day, I think.
buahahahahahaahahahahahah I’m laughing at MYSELF of course!
So that’s how those were made! I always like the old school decorations & lights (colorful flood lights on snow..nostalgic!) “Christmas tree lane” over the new giant inflatables.
tammyCA – oh, you have that so right – nothing so sad as seeing heavy, wet snow collapsing Frosty & Co. But, then again, my Santa & Mrs. chin deep AND behind the plow stuff isn’t very effective either!
I have the Santa, sleigh and reindeer that my grandfather made for my mom. I also have a photo from 1960 of them displayed in from of my grandparents home. ❤️🎅🏼💚
I have one large plywood santa made from one of the old patterns that I display outside each year. I also have two unused patterns (in the original envelopes) for two different styles of Santas. I also have one for snowman. They are on my “someday” project list.
Love these! My dad made that same Santa from the first picture. We had a sleigh too. But the real cute ones were three choir boys singing and the music scroll next to them. My dad spent many hours down in the basement working on these. Oh to top it off, he taped Christmas music on his big tape recorder and somehow rigged a speaker out on our front steps. It was a beautiful display that lots of creativity went into.
Anybody have the santa pattern? I’d love to buy one!!!!
Hi Janine, as mentioned in the story, you can still buy patterns, still made today, from the company profiled here: https://retrorenovation.com/2014/12/05/santa-reindeer-lawn-display-set/
For other Santas, watch ebay for NOS. Sounds like they come up.
I still have the Santa pictured with the U-Bild elves, and the pattern is still available. My Dad made THREE of them, and modified them so the arm waved, with a small motor. This was some time in the lat 1960s. His is the only one still working, and all have been repainted (by the Art Dept. at our local HS!) several times. Dad came across the original paper pattern still available (he’s retired with lots of time for crazy computer searches!), and re-did his with the original paper. It looks gorgeous! Mine is still painted-over, but I may have to re-do it also. . .plus get the arm “waving” again! These bring back so many memories–thanks for sharing!
Oh my word!