You might be surprised to know that Marcia Meara is a Christmas fanatic… especially when it comes to trees and her collection of Santas.. some of which are 70 years old.. But, seeing is believing and here is just a handful of photos in evidence.
More Christmas at the House of 1,000 Santas by Marcia Meara
Okay, for those of you interested in such things…few though you may be…here’s another peek at what a 50-year collection of Santas looks like. Because I didn’t get everything put out this year, thanks to an unrelenting editing deadline, these pictures were taken 3 Christmases (and a dozen or so Santas) ago. Things are pretty much the same, except for a bit less this year, because…as I mentioned…deadline! Hope this puts you in the holiday spirit…or makes you want to avert your eyes. Whichever makes you happier.
A full-length photo of my six-foot tall Santa, with no lights out on the tree this time.
My library tree, with St. Nicholas on top.
The Pass through from the library to the kitchen and the Holly Jolly Santa shelf.
On the kitchen side, my collection of miniature Santas, one of which is over 70 years old.
And last, a blurry overview of the family room. If you prefer warm, traditional, and cozy, this is the spot. (Over 50 Santas on that mantel, btw.) If you like frosty snowmen and icicles, the living room’s where you’d want to hang out. Me, I love both, and have room for both now, so, what the heck. I’m not a less is more kinda person. In fact, I’m pretty sure more is more, especially at Christmas!
And speaking of Christmas, my sincere and happiest wishes to all of you. May you have the best one, EVER!
©Marcia Meara 2014
You can see more of Marcia’s amazing collection: https://marciamearawrites.com/2014/12/23/more-christmas-at-the-house-of-1000-santas/
Marcia has selected this piece of festive music to share with you. George Winston with Carol of the Bells
About Marcia Meara
Marcia Meara is a native Floridian, and lives in Sanford, just north of Orlando, with her husband of 30+ years, four large cats, and two small dachshunds. When not working on her books and blogs, she spends her time gardening, and enjoying the surprising amount of wildlife that manages to make a home in her suburban yard.
At the age of five, Marcia declared she wanted to be an author, and is ecstatic that a mere 64 years later, she finally wrote “Wake-Robin Ridge,” her first novel. Making up for lost time, she has published five more novels and a spinoff novella over the last four years.
Now for an update on the recent release by Marcia Meara, The Emissary – A Riverbend Spinoff Novella which follows the story of a previous character in the series.
Was Gabe Angelino, the mysterious truck driver in Finding Hunter: Riverbend Book 2, really an angel, as Willow Green believes? Or was he simply a good man, determined to help a stranger in need? Find out, as author Marcia Meara reveals the truth in the first Riverbend spinoff novella, The Emissary.
An angel’s work is never done—that’s part of the gig. But angels hadn’t been created to deal with such a vastly over-populated planet, rife with misery, suffering, and general chaos. Helping souls in peril has become a nearly impossible job, and even angelic tempers are frayed.
The archangel Azrael has had enough. He believes he’s found a way to ease their burden while saving jeopardized humans, too—hired help.
When Jake Daughtry lost his life rescuing a total stranger from certain death, he was on the fast track to Heaven. But that was before Azrael pulled him right out of line at the Pearly Gates. Now, as an Emissary to the Angels, Jake is taking to the highway in a quest to help souls in trouble. But the innate stubbornness of human beings bent on self-destruction is a challenge unlike any he’s ever faced.
It’s up to Jake and Azrael to bridge the gap between humans and angels. Will they ever convince the Council of Angels this endeavor is worthwhile? Can Jake figure out how to play by Azrael’s complicated rules? Will Azrael ever master the use of contractions in general conversation?
To find out the answers, hop on board Jake’s big red-and-white semi and travel the roads from the Florida Keys to north Georgia on an adventure that will make you laugh hard and cry even harder.
A recent review for the book.
As a spinoff, I wouldn’t recommend reading this before the Riverbend books, unless you don’t mind plot spoilers. If you read Finding Hunter, and wondered what was up with the mysterious Gabe Angelino, this book will answer all your questions.
This is a perfect read for this time of year–cozy, magical, and even set in winter. Jake Daughtry, AKA Gabe Angelino, died–and then the angel Azrael put him to work helping lost souls. There’s liable to be some issues along the way–angels aren’t the cuddliest of people, and Jake has a bit of a sense of humor–but there’s also going to be wonder, and hope, and examples of humanity’s best and worst.
At 105 pages, this story packs a lot into a short amount of time, making it a great read for a busy season, without the story being rushed. It wraps up satisfactorily at the end, but leaves more room for the next adventure. And in between–is a sweet story, full of faith without hitting too heavily on dogma, willing to have a little fun with the idea of angels, and the emissaries they might need to get their jobs done.
The relationships between the characters grow pretty quickly like any novella, but are engaging for all that. There’s not as much space for lovely descriptions of the landscape, but there are song titles and funny place settings at the chapter headings, such as “close to here but not far from there.” It’s a story of journeys, physical and spiritual, and always in motion. No matter the tragedies that form obstacles along the way, you know that there will be a happy ending coming, because this is that kind of book–the sort that wraps you like a warm blanket. A great read for fans of Marcia’s work, and fans of cozy mysteries with a bit of the supernatural.
Read the reviews and buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Emissary-Riverbend-Spinoff-Novella-ebook/dp/B075Y2T3CL
And Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emissary-Riverbend-Spinoff-Novella-ebook/dp/B075Y2T3C
A selection of other books by Marcia Meara
Read all the reviews and buy the books: https://www.amazon.com/Marcia-Meara/e/B00EUCXRU4
And Amazon UK : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marcia-Meara/e/B00EUCXRU4
Follow Marcia Meara on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7242441.Marcia_Meara
Connect to Marcia via her website: http://marciamearawrites.com/
My thanks to Marcia to sharing this post in Christmas week and I am sure that you join me in wishing her and her family a Merry Christmas too.. thanks Sally
Lovely! My late mother was a collector of Santas. In fact, at her memorial, we placed a Santa at everyone’s place for luncheon, so everyone could have a little something to remember her. There were 120 guests and we STILL had Santas left over. The album, December, by George Winston is one of my faves. I shall be spinning it later. xoxox
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What a lovely story Annette.. enjoy the music.. hugsxx
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I’m sure I would have loved your mom, Annette! Anyone who loves Santa that much as to be a good soul! 🙂 And that’s one of my very favorite Christmas albums, too. 🙂 ❤ Merry Christmas!
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These are son great, Marcia.And love the music. I might even be beginning to get into the Christmas spirit after all. Thank you both.xx
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Good, Judith! Christmas is the perfect spirit to be in! I wish it could last all year long, but I guess it wouldn’t be as special then. I’m glad the pics and music worked for you! 🙂 ❤
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Thank you Judith.. hugs xx
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Fabulous!
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Thanks, Mary. I’m truly nuts about Christmas, though this year, we had to pare way back, because most of the stuff is buried in the big storage pod in our driveway. But I do have one big tree up, and the hallway/village stuff, so I feel in the mood. And since it’s just the two of us this year, it’s enough. Low key, but still pretty. But WATCH OUT next year! 😀 ❤
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Thanks Mary.. hugs
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Sally, thank you so much for letting me take part in your Christmas Archive Fest! I know I’m Christmas’s version of a Crazy Cat Lady, but that’s okay with me. There are far worse things to be fanatic about. Lovely to be here today, and I’ll be reblogging this shortly. Merry Christmas! ❤ 🙂
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Thank you Marcia.. and nothing crazy about it at all… Santas are lovely friendly folk.. I have seen a lot less appealing collections of objects before… trust me.. hugs ♥
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Um, no, I’m not surprised Marcia is a Santa fanatic LOL. What a beautiful collection! Thanks for sharing Marsh, and wishing you a Merry Christmas. 🙂 xxx
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Thanks Debby..hugsx
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🙂 xxx
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Thanks, Deb! I hope you enjoyed them (and had a minute to check out the link to the blue & white tree and snowy Santas in the living room, too.) You can see how in touch with reality I am, with my two favorite men in the world being Santa Claus and the Wizard of Oz. 😀 (Okay, in recent years, Thor snuck in there, too, but for very, very different reasons. 😀 😀 😀 )
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I went back and had a second helping Marsh. Love the blue tree! And yes, I already knew your obsession with the Wizard of Oz and Thor, lol. 🙂 Hugs xx
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Reblogged this on The Write Stuff and commented:
I was pleased to be a featured Christmas Archive poster on Sally Cronin’s wonderful Smorgasbord blog today. Check out “Christmas at the House of 1,000 Santas,” both what Sally has shared, and via the link at the bottom to the rest of the archived post. That is, check it out if you really want to get in the mood for a Santa Claus filled holiday! And feel free to share far and wide. This series of archived posts has been really nice, especially the Christmas themed ones. Thanks, Sally!
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Delighted that you shared Marcia… and the whole series has been wonderful and do pleased to share such wonderful posts.. A new series starts in the New Year… Merry Christmas.. hugs ♥
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Definitely looking forward to that, Sally! And Merry Christmas to you, as well! 🙂 ❤
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Omg Marcia, your house is a wonderland for kids – of all ages! I’m sure I’d have to spend a day in each room to take it all in. How deliciously magnificent! And I love George Winston’s Carol of the Bells. Many thanks to you and Sally for sharing this titillating treat 🙂 💕
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Thanks Tina.. I agree a winter wonderland for any age.. hugs ♥
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💕
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Ooooh, alliteration! 😀 I love it! And I love that you enjoyed seeing some of my decorations. Every year Mark threatens to sell tickets, hahaha. Truthfully, I just love Christmas, every single sparkle, ornament, tree, crèche, church bell, and Christmas carol. But I adore Santas, and have since I was a very small child. Like children everywhere, I guess, except that I never grew out of it. 😀 And George Winston is a great favorite of mine. I’m so glad you enjoyed the music, too. 🙂
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I’ll have to add chocolate santas to the food I bring when I visit lol 🙂
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Stunning display, Marcia. I am exhausted just thinking of putting it all up and then, hopefully at the epiphany, recovered enough to take it all down. Thanks for sharing this with us.
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Thanks Micki.. hugs xx
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It isn’t tiring at all when it’s a labor of love, you know. 😀 I am so happy to greet every ornament I unpack, thinking about how long I’ve had it or who gave it to me, and how beautiful it is. It takes me about ten days to do the whole house. (Mark does the outside). But it only takes me a weekend to pack it all away again, sometime in early January. It goes up over Thanksgiving weekend, so we can enjoy it for a long time. And I DO! It makes me happy the entire time, and my grandkids love it. 😀 Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed seeing it. 🙂
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Wow…I collect Christmas crockery…Now that is a surprise isn’t it…haha and tablecloths..But that collection is fabulous and amazing…Love it!
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I bet your Christmas Dinner table is festive… I have a couple of ceramic santas but I am lagging behind here…hugs xx
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Very Sally…I have collected the plates and everything over the years and they have come with me around the world…I can’t
leave my Christmas crockery behind now can I ? xxx
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Absolutely not.. some things should never be in the declutter bin… hugs xxx
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Oh, don’t give me any ideas, Carol!! 😯 If there’s one thing I don’t need to do at this stage of my life, it’s start a new collection! 😀 I love Christmas dishes, though, and I do have a Christmas Eve set of Santa plates. (Yep.) But on Christmas Day, we use our blue and white china we inherited from Mark’s mother. It’s love, and looks good with all the silver trimming in the dining room, so I’m okay that it isn’t specifically Christmas. At least, I WAS. Until I heard about YOUR collection! 😀 😀 😀
Glad you enjoyed seeing my Santas and things. 🙂
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How wonderful that you are so excited about Christmas, Marcia. I also love this time of year but I certainly don’t have this many Santa’s. Wow!
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I suspect most reasonably sane people don’t have this many Santas, either, Robbie. 😀 But I’m okay with my obsession. All year long, I look forward to getting things out and setting them up, though I admit, I’ve started giving my kids and grandkids their choice of a Santa each year lately, with an eye toward the day when it will just be too big a job for me to tackle. (I think I have pared my 300 Santas down to about 290 this way. Hahahahaha.)
Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed “visiting” my House of 1,000 Santas. (Slight exaggeration on that, of course.) 😀
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Wow! Impressive. Thanks for sharing Martia’s incredible Christmas place. Thanks, Sally!
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Glad you enjoyed your trip through Santaland, Olga. 😀 I do enjoy getting it all out, and setting it up. We only did bare bones this year, due to everything being packed in the storage pod, while the garage is being rebuilt, but it’s still pretty, I think.
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Thanks for sharing your collection. Impressive! Merry Christmas
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Thank you for dropping in Chuck.. x
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Thanks, Chuck. Gee, I hardly ever earn an “impressive” rating. 😀 Thanks so much for that very nice accolade. And Merry Christmas to you, too! 🙂
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