Crate Label, Merry Christmas Brand, Washington Apples, Santa Claus Sleigh, NOS, Vintage 1950s

A packing company chose Santa Claus and apples for their crates, and the pairing worked so well it's stayed charming decades after the last crate shipped.

• Brand: Merry Christmas Brand / Stadelman Fruit Inc.
• Origin: Washington State, USA
• Materials: Paper, lithograph
• Era: Vintage, circa 1950s
• Condition: New Old Stock (NOS) — unused, pristine condition, age-appropriate yellowing on the reverse only. Please review photos closely before purchasing, as all sales are final.

Santa Claus in his sleigh, reindeer in full flight, a star lit sky behind him — rendered in full color lithography on a Washington State apple crate label. The juxtaposition is wonderful: one of America's most beloved holiday images, printed to sell apples.

Frame it as Christmas decor or display it in a holiday vignette or seasonal collection.

It worked beautifully as both advertising and art, and as vintage holiday ephemera it's even more charming today than it was on the crate.

A wonderful gift for a Christmas collector, a vintage holiday decor enthusiast, or anyone whose holiday decor includes things with genuine history behind them.