I did not realize that it was literally thousands of ornaments from which you were choosing!! Were there many others there going through the boxes, too? I would have found it so nerve racking to think that I might be looking through a "dud" box and all the good stuff was in a box someone else was going through!! But you certainly picked some good ones to look through as you brought home some enviable ones.

Sue
Pasadena, Maryland

This isn't a thrift store find but it's pretty amazing!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221409146028?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

It wasn't a thrift store, but this topic seemed the best match. At a yard sale, I found a 1976 merry miniature santa holding a cat with the number 4 on the bottom. I already have one with the number 3. Does this mean anything? Should I keep both, or try trading for the many merry miniatures I don't have? Thank you.

I'm by no means a Merry Miniatures expert, but your question reminded me of something a friend of mine talked about once. She had two Santas that were very similar, but one was holding a cat and the other a present. The Santa was the same pose but what he held was different. And I'm thinking there were some presents by Santa's feet. Are these the Merry Miniatures you're talking about? I don't think she saw different markings on hers.

There are supposed to be minor paint differences between the 1976 Santa Merry Miniatures #1-4. According to a May 2009 Hooked on Hallmark blog post: "There are a couple of different colored versions of this merry miniature, as the color of the base and the color of the packages on the back of the figurine vary." I have #4, and comparing it to photos of #s 1&2 for sale on eBay, it is hard to see any difference in color. Does your #3 look identical to #4 as well?

Thank you both for the education. Y'all knew which Santa Merry Miniature I was asking about, but I'm gonna have to look again to see any differences. I'm pretty sure both are holding a cat and both have presents at his feet. I'm amazed Hallmark made 4 different versions. Is this common for Merry Miniatures?

Duncan has a city wide garage/yard sale this time of year, so not exactly a thrift store find, but close. At one sale, I found a 1986 Thimble Partridge in it's slightly used box for 50 cents. Also for 50 cents, I got an Avon ornament that is a candy cane see-saw on a gum drop base. It has Santa on one end and three elves on the other. The gumdrop is a little bigger than the recent gumdrop ornaments, but I think it will look fine with them.

At another sale, I found a set of three little mice. This house was not very well lit so I couldn't tell if they were Hallmark, but I liked them. Also 50 cents. When I got home, I looked and they have a sticker on the bottom 1995 Hallmark Cards, so I was able to find them on Yulelog software. It is the 1996 The Sewing Club Merry Miniatures. No box, but the mice seem to be in great shape.

Having to work all day sure puts a kink in going to all these garage sales! I've got a couple of more marked to go to tomorrow when we get home from seeing baby hummingbirds.

Linda