These are a few of my favorite things

I am home today, I have two vacation days this week. I originally had the entire week off, but my finances prohibited me from actually going anywhere, so I am only taking two days. I often lament about not having time to get anything done, you would think this was the perfect opportunity. I could be doing something terribly productive and sensible, like painting my hallway. I am not, I am wasting time. I have done some useful things this morning, like laundry and brushing the dogs. But for the last hour, I have been shopping online (make that window shopping online-I have no money, remember?).

Sometimes, I have this urge to look at all the things that I would buy if I had, oh...about a billion dollars. This is really a time waster, considering that my checking account is currently $68.32. For a poor working girl, I have some quite expensive tastes. Though over the years, I have been able to indulge myself (a lot more than I care to admit).

I love to collect things, pretty things, things that have no useful or practical purpose whatsoever. Some collections have grown from heirlooms I have been given. I love Bavarian China, I have many pieces, mostly from my grandmother. I collect iron doorstops, the first one was acquired from my aunt. I try to get antique ones, but I will succumb to a good reproduction as well (considering the price difference is about $90). I went through a phase of collecting music boxes, most of these were gifts, but I did buy a cylinder music box that I love (and paid way too much for).

Toys, I love toys. I have a whole menagerie of Steiff stuffed animals. I have wind-up tin toys. I have puppets, I love puppets. Toys are just fun. Anyone who has ever been a child, just has to love toys.

I collect Christmas ornaments, Christopher Radko and Old World. I try not to buy them anymore, because more ornaments would require another tree, which I do not have room for. This is my biggest indulgence and my most expensive one as well. I have hundreds of them (not all collectibles) and when they are all displayed, they cover six trees. Christmas is my favorite holiday and my collecting downfall, I have more Christmas decorations than anyone (except maybe a department store) should have. I have nativities, lots of them, Christmas music boxes (see how two of my passions came together?) I have train sets and figurines, linens, even Christmas finials for my lamps. Did I mention that Christmas was my favorite holiday? But it is not just Christmas, it is the season. I love snowmen, I love snowbabies, I love snow globes (even the cheap plastic ones), I have dreidels for Hanukkah. I have been looking for a menorah for a long time, but have not found one that I love (at least not in my price range). Not all of my preferences are expensive, I sometimes am drawn towards cheap, tacky items (I prefer to call them kitschy). There is just some appeal to American tackiness (especially from the 50's).

My greatest source of excess is one I have not been able to satisfy very much. I lust after Limoges boxes. I have a few "Limoges style" boxes, but no originals. Like the rest of my decadent yearnings, these serve absolutely no useful purpose on the face of the earth, other than to make my heart sing. They are beautiful, handcrafted, diminutive, porcelain boxes that always have a little surprise inside. Sometimes it is a relevant phrase (in French), but the best is a separate porcelain piece or a small painted picture.

Lest you think I am a material girl, I am not. My many collections have been acquired over a period of 50 years. Most of them are the result of gifts (okay, not the ornaments). I am capable of buying on lay-away, saving up, or just saying no, depending on the state of my finances (okay, not the ornaments). I am constantly telling my children, "don't throw anything away when I die, some of that junk is worth money." There are many things that catch my eye, that I do not get started on. I have been known to give gifts out of my collections (no this is NOT cheap, this is a personal sacrifice from me). I do not elevate my collections over living things, I have shed a tear when ornaments have been broken by dogs, cats, children, but I have not screamed or yelled. I only collect things that I LOVE, things that make me smile, things that make my heart skip a beat. Most of my collections hold (at least began with) great sentimental value for me. I am not nearly as bad about collecting (hoarding) as I used to be.