Annalee Dolls

Mary Ann

When I was a young girl, my job at Christmas was to decorate the top of our piano.  We first put down some fake snow that was quilt batting.   Then, we would add Santa’s sleigh and various Christmas characters to the snowy scene.  The featured stars of the display were four elves that were Annalee Dolls.

Annalee Dolls started in 1934 by Annalee Thorndike in Meredith, NH.  It was a cottage industry growing out of the Depression. During the 1950s and 1960s, the felt dolls with the charming hand-painted faces began to take off around the country.  With each decade the company grew bigger and bigger adding little characters for all the holidays in a variety of sizes. They ran limited editions and collecting fever hit the nation. Each year new characters are introduced, and suddenly, you just must have the Mardi Gras elf!

My mother began collecting the Annalee Dolls in the early 1960s. She would get them from a lovely gift shop in our hometown called The Studio Shop.  She slowly grew her collection and decorated for each holiday with them. The catalogs would come, and she would place lots of orders 

 When I had my own family, I began to collect as well, but not nearly as many as my mother had.  I love the elves and have several of them for all the holidays.  However, I have a large collection of Christmas elves that are scattered all over the house.  They peek around every corner and will surprise guests at every turn.  I always seem to miss one or two when I put them away.  They surprise me!

When my mother passed, we had to find new homes for hundreds of Annalee Dolls.  I added several of hers to my collection. I gave relatives specific ones that I knew would have personal meaning to them.  In the end there were still about 200 plus dolls.  Then the hard part began – what do you do with them??  I tried to sell them to collectors who were also trying to find homes for their own collections. This went on for several months.  In the end we gave them to a Women’s Thrift shop that helped abused women.  They sold them at their auction and in the store.  I know this would have made my mother happy helping other women.  

Any of you that have collections from your own mothers such as Byers’ Carolers or Hummels or Jim Shore figures or Christmas Villages know what I mean about downsizing family collections.  No one in the family wants them anymore.  Once I am gone, I am not sure anyone in my family will want the precious Annalee Dolls.  I hope someone will want the original four elves from the top of the piano. 

 When I unwrap my dolls to display for a holiday, it makes me happy to visit with them again.  I know that my mother would be happy that they bring me joy.  Most importantly, “playing” with the Annalee Dolls is like I am visiting with my mother.  It brings a smile to my lips and a tear to my eye remembering her.