My husband reminded me the other day that Christmas is next weekend and I almost had a heart attack. I don’t know why but I definitely kept thinking there was one additional week from now till then but unfortunately he was right!! So consequently this week has been filled with shopping and very little of anything else!!
I wanted to share these adorable reindeer my Husband’s grandfather had once made. Unfortunately, he can’t remember when he made them (he’s now 89) but since he doesn’t put them out anymore we brought them back to our house to put out front. They’re much too cute to be sitting in the shed year round!!
Since I obviously don’t have step by step photos I took a few close-up shots to show the way I think they were assembled…
I believe he took one large tree branch (I think this is birch..?) and cut a longer piece for the bodies and a smaller piece for the heads. He then used a more narrow branch for the necks. As for their heads, he attached wooden half-circles for the eyes (I’m not really sure what these would be called…), chipped off a piece of the branch for a nose (this one is Rudolph!) and attached smaller branches for the antlers.
A close up of the side of this guy shows the ears were cut from a piece of plywood and attached with nails to the back of the head.
The legs appear to be the remains of a broomstick with metal feel on the bottom which help to keep them firmly in the ground. I wouldn’t have even thought of this but during last night’s crazy amounts of wind these guys didn’t move an inch!
And last but not least our guys also have tails… though I certainly would not add these kinds of tails if I were making them myself (…our tails are real, ugh! But Pop-Pop was an avid hunter, what can you do!?) I think a big cotton-y poof would work just as well.
You can see this guy needed a little love (and a new antler) after years and years in the shed!
I love how these reindeer are different than any I’ve ever seen before and appear fairly easy (and fun!) to assemble. However, I love them most of all because they were handmade by a special member of our family many years ago!
I linked this post up to Positively Splendid! Be sure to visit the party for other great ideas!
The Former Miss 
love them! very cute and original! :-)
Thank you so much! :)
ah these are soo sweet!
Thank you!!! :)
I think your reindeer are darling cute. The look so much better than the light up kind on everyone’s front yard. I love them
Thanks Laurel! Yes I love that they are different than everyone else’s in the neighborhood! I almost want to keep them up all winter :)