Susan's Christmas Shop Newsletter
Summer in Santa Fe 2025
July 18th, 2025
Dear Customers and Friends of Susan's Christmas Shop,
When the 4th of July Pancake Breakfast occurs on the plaza, you know Summer in Santa Fe is here.
My son, Andrew, and his Spanish wife, Maribel, live in Alicante, Spain but will live with me for nearly three months this summer. They arrived in Santa Fe on the 2nd of July, and we all went down to the plaza early on the 4th. The Santa Fe Community Band was playing on the bandstand; people were spread out on the grass beneath the trees to eat their pancakes and listen to the music, and two blocks of fancy cars showed off on Lincoln Avenue.
There is a famous painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The painting hangs in the United States Capital. This painting is beautifully reproduced on our $2 bill. A local customer told me that James Wilson, one of the men at the table, was her great, great, great, great grandfather. He was born in Scotland in 1745.
In anticipation of my son and daughter-in-law's extended visit, two new rooms have been added to my small house. One is a bathroom, and the other is a studio for Andrew, who has artistic talent. He now has an easel and a palette, and he has just painted an oil painting of a rose in a glass bowl.
The Santa Fe Opera season has begun. Andrew and Maribel were given two tickets to see La Boheme on a night too hot for those offering the tickets. Maribel chose a fan from my tin box of fans, so even though their seats were in a hot spot in the theater, she was more comfortable during the opera. They loved watching the sets change, a treat possible in Santa Fe because there is no curtain.
We have two Santa Fe Opera glass ornament. One is sunset and one is moonlight. They are made in Poland.
The International Folk Art Market was last weekend at the railyard. We all went. It was a first for Andrew and Maribel and they enjoyed it. The shop bought two framed paper pieces by a Mexican artist; both feature Our Lady of Guadalupe. The image is made of many pieces of colored paper.
One has little Mexican angels holding flags and the other has little Mexican angels holding musical instruments. Both are charming originals.
They are $500 each. Please call if you want one. 505-983-2127
We have an older special wooden Russian nativity for sale in the shop. All the pieces are pegged so they can be taken apart for storage. It has two trees; one is evergreen, the other has fruit. It has six candleholders for six tiny candles. It is about twelve inches tall, and the wooden base is almost twelve inches wide. It is lovely and distinctive and in beautiful condition. The price is $350. We have only one like this, so please call if you are interested.
We have a few felt nativities from Kyrgyzstan. They come in a felt house called a yurt. Mary's braids fall from her fur trimmed hat. Joseph also has a fur trimmed hat. The baby is in a felt bed. The Yurt is five and a quarter inch tall (13 cm.). The price is $30.
Here are more nativities from the estate of Van Deren Coke. All of them were purchased long ago, perhaps in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
The pottery nativity is from Tonala, Mexico, in the state of Jalisco. The artist is Juan Jorge Wilmot Mason. He is featured in the book, Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art. He studied in the Black Forest of Germany and at an Important trade school in Switzerland. His pottery was fired at a high temperature and was often fired twice. He is considered the apostle of the artistic work of Jalisco. He may no longer be living, but his reputation survives. Van Deren Coke purchased this nativity many years ago in Tonala, perhaps from the artist, himself. The nativity has three angels, one large, one medium and one small. In addition to Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus, it has three Wise Men bearing gifts. The main figures have polka dots. Four animals complete the set. The tallest figure is four inches (110.5 cm.). The price is $350.
The vintage Italian nativity was carved of wood long before the invention of technology to clone exact copies of carved figures. It includes an angel to hang over the scene. There are Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus and three wise men holding gifts. An ox and an ass and three sheep inn different poses complete the set. The tallest figure is six and a quarter inch tall (16 cm.). The trio of childlike Italian angels playing music comes with the nativity set. All were purchased in Italy long ago. The price is $300.
This pottery nativity is from Chinautla, Guatemala. It has a distinctive clay and a gentle style. What makes it special are the three mounted wise men; one of them is black, as tradition says one of the wise men was black. In this case, a “fire cloud” made the face of one of the wise men black. Baby Jesus comes out of his bed. Mary and Joseph and Jesus have pottery halos. An angel and three animals complete the set. The tallest figure is four inches tall (11 cm.). The price is $200.
Josefina Aguilar came from a talented family in Oaxaca, Mexico. It is painted pottery in her recognizable style. In addition to the Holy Family and three wise men, it has three peasants and three animals. It is signed by the artist, who is deceased. The price is $500.
July is the season of hollyhocks, sunflowers, and apricots. They are everywhere at this time of year.
If you come to Santa Fe this summer, enjoy them. If you like opera, there are five different ones to see. If you like traditional New Mexican art, Spanish Market will be July 26 and 27. Please stop by Susan ‘s Christmas Shop to see all the latest arrivals and perhaps accept a box of apricots from my bumper crop this year.
If you live too far away to do this, I send my fond greetings, no matter where you are in this wide world.
Your friend in Santa Fe,
Sussan Topp Weber
505-983-2127 shop
Don't Forget to Follow Us on Instagram