La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
I was going to share photos of all the Christmas ornaments at one time, but that grew to more than 25 photos filled with ornaments. So, I’ll just share sets of photos on a theme. Today’s theme is pigs.
In 1983, while living in Georgetown in Washington, D.C., we went to an antique fair in Baltimore and found an antique metal pig that had hung in a butcher shop. We loved the gray silhouette, so bought it and hung it in our all-white kitchen. From that came the assumption from all our visitors that we had a thing for pigs and we began to receive (and buy for ourselves) every pig kitchen item we came across. Eventually, it expanded to pigs for every occasion.
Judyshannon started the most entertaining collection of pig salt & pepper shakers which were supposed to come with us to Spain but got switched with a Goodwill box before we moved. I was not pleased to discover a box of old T-shirts when our shipment arrived in Sevilla.
In 1989, a friend gave us a 60-pound concrete pig. It was hideous. It was so hideous, it couldn’t even pass for kitsch. Just downright ugly. It didn’t leave Connecticut with us.
One year, San Geraldo dressed as Olga Chickaboomskaya for Halloween (click here) which prompted a pig-in-tutu theme (and a pair of porcelain ballet slippers) from friends Cesar and Daisy (Daisy was SG’s make-up artist).
I’ve been exploring the city taking pictures of belenes (like American nativity scenes except that they’re the entire city of Bethlehem, which is what Belen translates to. Plus, I caught the light show on Calle Cruz Conde. So there’s video!
Iba a compartir fotos de todos los adornos navideños a la vez, pero crecí a más de 25 fotos llenas de adornos. Así que solo compartiré grupos de fotos sobre un tema. El tema de hoy son los cerdos.
En 1983, mientras vivíamos en Georgetown, Washington D. C., fuimos a una feria de antigüedades en Baltimore y encontramos un cerdo de metal antiguo que había estado colgado en una carnicería. Nos encantó su silueta gris, así que lo compramos y lo colgamos en nuestra cocina completamente blanca. De ahí surgió la idea de que todos nuestros visitantes nos gustaban los cerdos y empezamos a recibir (y comprar) cualquier artículo de cocina con forma de cerdo que encontrábamos. Con el tiempo, la idea se expandió a cerdos para cada ocasión.
Judyshannon empezó una colección divertidísima de saleros y pimenteros con forma de cerdo que se suponía que traerían con nosotros a España, pero nos los cambiaron por una caja de Goodwill antes de mudarnos. No me alegró encontrar una caja de camisetas viejas cuando nuestro envío llegó a Sevilla.
En 1989, un amigo nos regaló un cerdo de hormigón de 27 kilos. Fue horrible. Tan horrible que ni siquiera podía pasar por kitsch. Simplemente horrible. No salió de Connecticut con nosotros.
Un año, San Geraldo se disfrazó de Olga Chickaboomskaya para Halloween (haz clic aquí), lo que motivó a sus amigos César y Daisy (Daisy era la maquilladora de SG) a disfrazarse de cerdo con tutú (y a usar zapatillas de ballet de porcelana)
He estado explorando la ciudad tomando fotos de belenes. Además, capté el espectáculo de luces en la calle Cruz Conde. ¡Así que ahí hay video!
• La caja detrás de los cerdos de ballet contiene los primeros zapatos del padre de SG, 1929.
• Un cerdo pintado en un trineo. Un cono de helado bordado (hecho por mí). Un trineo bordado (hecho por mi madre). El resto de nuestros viajes, incluida una bota de vaquero de Durango, Colorado.
• Una mezcla de cerdos y otras cosas, como el sonajero de bebé de SG y el “arte de cordero” que hizo en la escuela dominical. Además, cerdos de Durango, Colorado, y Lennox China (la empresa, no el país).
• Los tres cerdos. Sin Ricitos de Oro. Suspendido de nuestra querida Olivia, un regalo de Judyshannon (haz clic aquí).
• Un último cerdito: Papá Noel sadomasoquista. Un regalo de una fiesta navideña que San Geraldo organizó en 1980, el año antes de conocernos. Está colgado de un gran alfiler clavado en su cabeza. Me resulta inquietante.
Such deep memories attached to each and every one.
David:
And so sweet to unpack the boxes.
Pigs as far as the eye can see!
Bob:
That’s us!
What a charming collection of pig ornaments! And I must say that Olga Chickaboomskaya and the Lord of Darkness make a very fetching couple.
Debra:
Olga was stunning. The party (and my attitude) sucked. The host served Jello. I’ve never known anyone to fail at Jello.
A formidable collection indeed!
wickedhamster:
I now miss our kitchen pigs.
correcting sign-in; ignore this comment
Pigs, schmigs! I think Olga should make a comeback!
Deedles:
Olga would have to buy an entirely new outfit. The gear was unpacked before we moved to Spain. The leotard had yellowed. And the feather boa had disintegrated. The tutu had dried out and that was the largest size the shop had. SG’s a bit bigger now!
I know a woman who loves dolphins. She amassed a huge collection of them, some okay, some downright tacky. Also, she has dolphin tattoos. Perhaps you and dear SG might want to look into matching pig tattoos.
I read your post about the costume party. Oh my god. Jerry will obviously go the extra mile when it comes to a costume. I share your abhorrence of even the idea. No thank you. I am who I am. Unless I’m in a play and then I will costume all day long. This will probably not ever happen in my life again.
Ms. Moon
Ms. Moon:
I used to collect giraffes. The collection got out of control when people, especially my mother, would add to it. Some downright ugly and unpleasant items. My sister collected owls in the early ’70s. And then again there was my mother. I went to visit a few years later and she showed me a closet filled with owls. She pled, “Make her stop.”
People do seize on what they think a person likes, as a great permanent gift idea. I don’t collect but found myself receiving a lot of cats and cat themed items which I had to deal with somehow.
If you like your collection, that’s a pig of a different color! Boud
Boud:
I had an aunt who collected turtles, so my mother told me. She couldn’t get enough of them, so my mother told me. She hosted some holiday party in the ’80s. Jerry and I attended and I brought a quite beautiful and expensive ceramic turtle. My aunt, as unfiltered as my mother, took one look and groaned, ”Oh, god. Another turtle?”
It’s great how everything has a story attached. SG’s Sunday school artwork and his dad’s shoe box look so fresh! SG must be MUCH younger than I previously believed. 🙂
The two-headed baby rattle is a little scary, though.
My dad started collecting pigs at one point and it became a curse. Everyone gave him pigs and he was soon drowning in them. He eventually gave nearly all of them away.
Steve:
Mentioning you have a fondness for something in particular can curse you for life. I USED TO love giraffes. And, yes, I find that two-head rattle a bit scary, too. Also, SG is MUCH younger than anyone believes.
Thanks for linking to that old post. What a hoot!! The last photo was my favorite!
I would have really been disappointed opening the box meant for Good Will and realizing what happened.
Kelly:
I was crushed when I opened that box. Judy had built a truly wonderful collection for us. All from the same shop in Ballard, Washington.
Of all the ornaments I adore those two little elves with the red suits in the bowl. They are adorable. And the Santa in the last picture we had on our tree when I was little. That brought back memories. I think it got lost in the 72 flood.
Mistress Maddie:
Those red figures were a gift from cousins in Bergen, Norway. So simple and so classy. You had an S&M Santa on your tree when you were little?!? NOW I understand.
‘Everywhere there’s lots piggies living piggies lives…..’ came to mind immediately!
Great collection and stories.
Jim:
Mine, too! We have similar song-connected brains.
such heirloom decorations are precious, they represent a life and so many memories of people and events. So much better than generic decorations you can find anywhere. This is just wonderful.
larrymuffin:
We have always enjoyed collecting this way.
I must admit, the double suicide/porcinicide by hanging gives me giggles.
Walt the Fourth:
Oh god. I wondered what you were talking about, so I perused the photos. The shadows in that image sure do look creepy!
Look at those eyelashes on that Santa!
Kirk:
I could never tell if the gift-giver added those eyelashes or if the original came that way.
Themed collections?
Sign me up!
Love all the little piggies! It reminds me of a scene in Torch Song Trilogy but those were bunnies.
Loved the Blast from the psst, you devil!
XOXO
Sixpence Nonethewiser:
Yes! I loved those bunnies in Torch Song Trilogy. Oh how I loved that play (and movie). But we saw the play early on and it was a revelation.
I had a small collection of carefully curated eggs and then once people realized it I started getting lots for my collection, ones I would never have added myself. Finally had to tell people no more eggs and eventually got rid of some, others are in a box in a closet, displaying only the best ones. Too bad about the salt and pepper collection though. There’s a shop here that has hundreds of salt and pepper sets.
ellen abbott:
I can only imagine how bad some of those egg gifts were.