CheriGENERAL

A trip down Memory Lane with DIY Guy . . .


Wind up Santa’ was one of those things at Nana & Papa’s house that always came out at Christmas… 

From my earliest recollections … wind-up Santa was always there.  
Whenever I’d go across town to Nana & Papa’s house at Christmas time — Nana would wind it up a couple times and I’d stare in total fascination as Santa would ring his bell, turn his head from side to side and move his sign back and forth.   (obviously, there were no video games, ipods, or even cable TV back then)  


Santa always sat in Nana’s dining room 
or on the room divider between the dining room & living room.



Shortly after Cheri and I were married, we visited Nana over the holidays.  While we were visiting Nana gave Santa to me.  She knew how much I loved watching this wind up toy as a child.  As she gave me Santa, she she shared memories of winding it up for me as a child.


Santa still rings his bell, turns his head and moves his Merry Christmas sign when he is wound up.


Our kids have grown-up with this Santa just like I did – their memories will be different — so many more “things” in their lives — and well, it wasn’t at Nana & Papa’s.  It was at home.


Wind-up Santa is one of the only keepsakes I have from Nana & Papa.
Somethings are worth keeping.
























DIY  Guy

Wind-up Santa was made by a company called Nomura, also known as TN.  It was one of the biggest and most prolific of all post-war Japanese toy makers, specializing in mostly mechanical and wind-up toys featuring creative designs.