My wife and I, probably like most of you, spent the last week decorating for the holiday season. While cruising the aisles of the hardware and home goods stores with her and Polly (our pup!), I noticed blow mold Christmas decorations have made a major comeback. For a few decades there, blow up lawn decorations were the popular choice – but not so much anymore! Wonder why?

Just like with the collectability and popularity of toys rising and falling with generational interest, so too do blow molds. The average middle-aged person decorating their homes today likely remembers blow mold lawn decorations in every yard and holiday display of their childhood. Why wouldn’t they? They’re brightly colored, warm, fun, and life size for a kid. They brought their favorite characters like Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, and of course, Santa, to life… and that translates to big time nostalgia for the average consumer. Admit it, deep down, we all want to recreate a bit of the holiday magic we experienced as kids for ourselves!

If, of course, you want to recreate the true Christmas experience of yesteryear for yourselves, you are not going to want any of these modern day blow molds. You probably want authentic vintage blow molds, just like the ones you grew up with. If you’re serious about collecting them, there are a few things to watch for while shopping around and hitting the flea markets.

  1. Check for Markings: The underside of the blow molds will have markings. The older ones are embossed, and some even include the year. Pro tip: You don’t want any made in China!
  2. Check for Repairs: Because they were prone to fading and cracking, some people painted over their blow molds or patched them up. This can affect their appearance. Pro tip: Use a flashlight to spot shoddy restorations!
  3. Check the Electrics: Older electrical plugs have a different appearance than modern plugs and are a tip off its vintage. Pro tip: Wiring may be upgraded, so do more research and double check those markings!
  4. Check for Barcodes: After 1974 barcodes were included on blow molds, so if a blow mold is sans barcode, it might be an original. Pro tip: Barcodes can be removed, so do more research and double check the markings!

At this point, you might be wondering how long holiday blow molds have been around, to which the answer is the 1950s. They were created at a time when plastics manufacturing came into full swing, by blowing molten plastic into a mold where it cools and hardens. Some major companies that were famous for festive blow molds were Union Products, Empire Plastic Corp., and General Foam Plastic.

If you happen to have any authentic vintage holiday blow molds, take care of them! Keep them away from heat sources where they can melt and get them out of the sun as soon as the holidays are over. Also, if you want to clean them, don’t use harsh chemicals on that old paint – a baby wipe will do! Finally, before making any major repairs to them, remember value often relies on condition – collectors expect well loved vintage blow molds to have some wear and tear! If you’ve got a collection of vintage blow molds you’re ready to part with in 2024, give us a call! We’ll be happy to rehome them to collectors who will appreciate them for the art pieces they are!