Vintage Red and Green Buttons and Christmas Aprons Instill the Holiday Spirit

With just five more days until Christmas, my "Spring Room" dress forms have been blessed with a few Christmas Aprons for the holiday.  Red and green vintage buttons are displayed with these lovely aprons, complementing one another in both their art and history.  For your (and my) enjoyment, here is a start at displaying some of my Christmas aprons and colorful vintage buttons.

 Does this vintage Christmas apron ring a bell with you?  With red felt bells and real metal ringers at the bottom, this organdy apron is typically 1950's.

 This is an 18th century enamel, paste, and silver button.  Red, bold, and beautiful! 

Lovely linen mid-century apron embellished with cross stitched holly berries and a lacy lower border.  This apron complements my 1930's feed sack dress, still somewhat unfinished, but stunningly beautiful.

Fascinating piece of history, this amazing antique red and green enameled button represents Napoleon Bonaparte, 8/15/1769 - May 5, 1821 - a French military and political leader during the latter part of the French Revolution. 

These red and white or green and white gingham apron may have been worn during the Christmas season in the 1930's to 1950's.  They are embellished with white Teneriffe Lace, which is needlewoven lace made from a spokes-of-wheel shape.  In the 30's and 40's this lace was also known as Polka spiderweb Lace.This lace appears to originate in the Canary Islands (Spain), specifically on the island of Teneriffe. Pins are inserted in a block of wood and the spokes of the wheel are wound around. Then a needle is woven in between the spokes forming the wheel or "sun."

And here is a stunning "Gay 90's" button, or "Victorian Jewel," which were jeweled coat or cloak buttons.  Ornate borders and the prominent central "stones," which are glass, are characteristic of this type, because they evoke the extravagance and excess associated with fin-de-siecle society (a specific time period, in this case the late 1800's, in Europe and France, marked with anticipation of the closing of a century or specific period of time in cultural change).  Most of these buttons were made in France, although a number have been found with German makers' marks.  (Ref: Buttons by Epstein and Safro, and Wikipedia)

Last, but not least, for today, is this lovely little girl's vintage apron, made with white organdy and trimmed with red organdy ruffles, waistband, and white embroidered pocket embellishment.  Notice the whimsical nature of many apron textiles?  Again, this apron may have been worn by one of us grandmas when we were little girls, for special occasions, such as the celebration of the original Birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas.  Blessings to you and your family.