10 Elegant Ways to Decorate with Dolls for the Hollidays

Want to bring a distinctive but classic touch to your Christmas decorating – and show off the gems of your doll collection in a fresh way? Incorporating dolls into your décor can give your home a festive look and be a lot of fun to use!
Here are some scenes you can pose your dolls in, to add some holiday spice to your Christmas decorating!

1. “Can I Open It Yet?”

Set up a doll as if she's poised to open one of the real presents under the tree, perhaps with one of her hands hooked under a ribbon like she just can't wait to remove it. 
When the recipient of that gift sees that tantalizing sight, they'll be even more excited to open it. (Wouldn't you?)

 

2. “Gathered 'Round The Tree”

Array your dolls in a circle around the tree, “ooh’ing and ahh’ing” at the lights and tinsel. It's a doll variation on the old toy-train-around-the-tree-look.

3. “Trimming the Tree”

A doll-size tree and some strings of plastic beads are all you need to let your dolls have a tree-trimming party of their own! Use your imagination for other decorations: gumdrops, marbles, and mini candy canes all make great doll-scale decorations.

4. “Snow Angels”

A white tree skirt is a lovely stand-in for a snowy hill. Or you can set up a snow scene on a side table. Just add some dolls bundled up in winter clothes, maybe a sled or snowman, and you've got an instant winter playtime party.
And this snow won't melt!

5. “Figure Eights”

Another winter activity, ice skating, can also make an irresistible Christmastime tableau. A sheet of glass over white or pale blue paper can look just like the surface of a frozen lake.

6. “Look What Santa Brought Me”

Dolls in pajamas playing with doll-sized toys make for a timeless scene that recalls Christmas mornings gone by. And get you in the mood for the Christmas morning soon to come.

7. “Stocking Stuffers”

Who's that peeking out of that stocking? There's nothing more adorable than a sweet doll nestled in a Christmas stocking. But beware: it might be so cute, Santa won't want to remove it to make room for the presents!
Of course, best of all is if the doll is the present.

8. “Later On By The Fire”

A sweater, a blanket, a mug of hot chocolate, a comfy chair: seeing your dolls get cozy will make you and your visitors feel a little warmer, too.

9. “Away In A Manger”

Wrap a baby doll in swaddling clothes and surround it with stuffed animals for a lovely Nativity scene.

 

10. Use your imagination!

Look around and see what other possibilities your collection and your home may offer. Can your Victorian dolls recreate A Christmas Carol? What about dressing some of your dolls like Santa's elves?

 

 
Make the most of your unique advantages for Christmas décor that's as memorable and festive as the holiday itself!

-Madame Alexander Doll Company Website

6 Lessons From Beatrice Alexander - For Girls Who Want to Be Entrepreneurs

Starting a business is a fun, exciting way for kids to learn about money, and about themselves.
But, it also comes with a lot of questions.
A lot of the answers can be found in the remarkable career of Beatrice Alexander, the child of immigrants who created an iconic doll business from nothing more than her wits, her hard work, and her attention to detail.
Here's what girls can learn about starting a business from the founder of Madame Alexander.

1. Start with what you love

Beatrice Alexander grew up surrounded by dolls in her father's doll shop and hospital. So she started a business that satisfied her creativity and love of dolls.
Think about what you like to do, and then think about how that could be a business.
Love sewing? Make doll clothes or baby clothes.
Enjoy baking? Sell your creations at bake sales.
Like animals? Walk the neighborhood dogs.
Whatever you love, you can probably find a way to turn that into a business.


2. Work hard
Young Beatrice knew that her dreams could only come true through hard work. She put in long hours creating dolls for her parent's shop, then even longer hours creating her own dolls. "You have no idea how I labored over noses and mouths so that they would look real and individual," she said.
For the rest of her life, she put in long days managing the business and inspecting dolls to make sure they were the best they could be.

3. Always look for new ideas

Madame Alexander was always thinking a step ahead about what kinds of dolls people would want next. She made the first movie tie-in dolls in the 1930s, with Alice in Wonderland, Little Women, and Gone With The Wind dolls.
She quickly recognized the appeal of the famous Dionne quintuplets, producing dolls based on them in 1934. She was one of the very first dollmakers to use unbreakable plastic instead of fragile porcelain.
Always be on the lookout for new products or services your business can offer.

4. Turn problems into opportunities

In 1917, Beatrice's parents' doll shop was in trouble because World War I cut off the supply of handcrafted dolls from Europe...
...Beatrice had the idea to make cloth dolls of their own, modeled on Red Cross nurses in the war. And customers loved them.
Years later, when the Madame Alexander doll warehouse flooded, Beatrice and her mother dried all the dolls and sold them at reduced prices in a "water sale".
Your business will have setbacks of its own. Don't give up!
Follow the example of Beatrice Alexander and turn those disasters into victories.

5. Believe in yourself

In the early 20th century, most people wouldn't expect the daughter of working-class immigrants to become a world-famous business leader. But Beatrice Alexander never let that stop her. She believed that she could do anything she wanted - and then she worked hard to turn that belief into reality.
"Believe in people's dreams, especially women's," she said.

6. Put love in the details

Beatrice Alexander believed that every child deserved a doll that was as perfect as she could make it.
She spent hours researching costume details to make sure every doll was authentically dressed. "If she saw lace on a hem that seemed to be frayed or uneven, she would demand that it be fixed immediately," one long-time employee said.
She knew the only way to succeed was to give her customers the very best.
Remember to put love into everything that you do.
 
Resources:
http://jwa.org/womenofvalor/alexander

*NEWS* GOTY 2019 Blaire Book Cover

This is from the Scholastic catalog. Sorry the image can not be enlarged.

*On Location* Madame Alexander Dolls - Building Blocks Toys

I visited Building Blocks toy store to have a look at the Madame Alexander dolls they had in stock. Beautiful 8" dolls. Prices range $59.99 - $109.99

International Princess Collection

These Wendy dolls are fully articulated and can be positioned in multiple poses. The wigs are full and lush.

Dolls from Oz the Great and Powerful collection.

21" Cissy 95th Anniversary doll $1500!
Only 125 pieces made.
GORGEOUS!

 ***************

Here are some reasons to consider spending more for one well-made doll.

Durability

A much-loved toy is a much-used toy.

Kids treat their favorite dolls as companions, toting them along everywhere. They dress and undress their dolls, dance with them, and share every adventure in life with them. Those hours and hours of play will take a toll on any doll.
Sturdy construction and solid materials are essential to make a doll that can stand up to years of affection.

Safety

Almost all dolls on the market, at any price, meet minimum safety standards for their recommended ages.

The big question is: what happens if a younger child should get hold of a doll intended for an older child?

The higher a doll's quality, the less likely that the baby will be able to bite a piece off, presenting a choking hazard, or that coatings will flake off and get swallowed.

Play Value

When a doll maker takes more care to design a doll and its accessories, the result is a doll that is simply more fun to play with. Charm, artistry, realism: achieving these qualities in a doll takes time, highly skilled craft labor, and (again) high-quality materials.

A child may not be able to tell which dolls cost more or less, but she will certainly know which ones truly engage her imagination.

Specialness

A high-quality doll can help teach a child respect for her possessions.

A kid who gets an avalanche of lower-priced presents may be excited at first. But the excitement will be short-lived. As she plays through a pile of toys that break, or disappoint her, or fail to interest her, she'll learn to treat her belongings as disposable. She'll learn it's more fun to get toys than to play with toys.

Swapping all that junk for a single high-quality doll will restore a sense of occasion to gift giving, and a sense of respect for her things.

The more you give a child toys she wants to take care of, the more she will want to take care of her toys.

Holding their value

Some toys just don't catch on with some kids. Others catch on so well, they become family heirlooms.

Whether you're selling a doll on eBay, regifting it to another child, or passing it down to another generation, you'll be glad you spent more right at the beginning. High-quality dolls hold their value through the years much better than lower-grade ones. These are dolls that someone will always treasure.

When buying a doll, you've got a lot of options to choose from, at all price levels. Consider your doll purchase as something that will have an impact on a child's life for years to come.

Buy the best doll you can comfortably afford. It will come back to you ten times over in memories.

-Madame Alexander Doll Company

*REVIEW* Madame Alexander Dolls: An American Legend Book

Published 1999

240-pages of beautiful Madame Alexander dolls. This book is full of history.

Part 1

The Madame: Her Life and Her Company

Covers the early years and establishing her vision. A pioneer at a time when women didn't own businesses, Madame Beatrice Alexander established herself as strong visionary. Her motto "Love is in the details" became synonymous with the impeccable quality of her dolls.

Part Two:

The Dolls

Showcasing collections from literature, fashion and film. Dolls ranging in size from 8" Wendy, 10" Cisette, 13" licensed dolls, baby dolls and 21" Cissy dolls. Beautiful handmade fashions.

Scarlett O'Hara - Gone With the Wind

Cinderella 

Alice in Wonderland Collection 

Cissy fashion doll

Part Three:

How the Dolls are Made

A look inside the NYC factory where dolls were created start to finish. (The factory has since closed).

 This book is a MUST FOR DOLL COLLECTORS!

Not only does it tell the wonderful story of Madame Alexander, but it is a great reference for dolls produced from the company. I highly recommend this hardcover book. You can find it online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and eBay, and at local used bookstores.