Christmas Cards in April

OK, so when we went to the Antiquarian Book Fair in L.A. back in February, I made a purchase. Surrounded as I was by things priced at $1,000, $5,025, or $10,675.92, imagine how thrilled I was to find these darling cards--complete with little hand-painted wooden angels on them--sitting on a counter. A hand-written sign said: "Tyrolian cards. $7.50 all." Wow--sign me right up.

I bought them, thinking I'd scored a prize, and I told everyone I encountered about getting the bargain of the show. My friend Dawn, who loves the same stuff I do and is in fact a favorite estate sale/flea market companion, of course loved them too. And lo and behold, when she went by the little Dutch man's booth, there they were. Again. Same six little cards, same little sign. Clever fellow--he was pulling them out one set at a time so that each purchaser thought they were really getting a little treasure. Which in fact, we were--but we were all getting the SAME little treasure! I do love them ...