Sensational Santas: Holiday Auction Highlights From 2025

There is something magical about iconic, finely produced Christmas items from the past. Their nostalgia, charm, and presentation continue to call to collectors and generate impressive results regardless of the season or temperature outside! In keeping with Auction Daily tradition, our editors combed countless sales events in 2025, searching for impressive Christmas category highlights. Here are a few that really caught their eye, in the most festive sort of way. 

Antique to vintage, large seasonal and Christmas showpieces were in demand year-round with enthusiasts in 2025. On May 17, 2025, Clars Auctions of Oakland, CA sold lot #6358, a Christmas sled automaton with Santa Claus and a reindeer, at their May Warehouse event. Estimated at $300-500, it traded hands at a whopping $5,240. This holiday centerpiece included a 19″ tall, sitting Santa wearing his traditional red and white suit, a 24″ long reindeer with oversized antlers wearing a festively trimmed blanket and reins, and a green wooden sled painted with gold and red accents. 

By definition, an automaton is a moving mechanical device made to mirror the actions or movements of a person. Given its size, theme, and presentation, it is likely that this impressive automaton was made as a midcentury-era holiday window display for a retail store. The first specifically Christmas window displays appeared in 1874 at Macy’s in New York City. By 1883, these signature windows included dynamic features.

Moving Christmas themed toys, especially those with their original packaging, also demanded top dollar in 2025. On May 3, 2025, Bayside Auctions of Rock Hall, MD sold lot #2, an antique Santa clockwork nodder toy at their Coins, Toys, Decorative Arts & Militaria sale. Estimated at $1,000-2,000, it delivered $1,736. This working condition, early 20th century wind-up mechanical novelty was in the form of litho cutout of the head of a smiling Santa Claus on top of a bricked chimney with a small, dimensional black mantle and fireplace below. The mantle was decorated with three holiday stockings, a candlestick, a clock, and fireplace screen. When activated, Santa’s head would move to the left and right, and his eyes shifted in opposite tandem. The nodder was sold with its all original wooden packing crate which measured 21-3/4 x 13-1/2 x 5-1/2″. 

Although moving novelties and inventions with windup style movements have been documented as early as 400 BCE, the popularity of clockwork toys hit its apex in the early to mid-20th century. These mass produced, efficiently manufactured playthings often featured popular cultural figures and characters, including Santa Claus. Clockwork toys were, for the most part, replaced in the 1960s with toys energized by small, inexpensive alkaline batteries. 

Collectors could not get enough of antique advertising featuring Santa as a spokesperson in 2025. On November 16, 2025, Matthew Bullock Auctioneers of Ottawa, IL sold lot #321, a 1928 American Railway Express Santa Claus Christmas advertising lithograph through their Live Premier Fall Advertising Auction. Estimated at $200-600, it realized $1,512. This poster was illustrated with a smiling Santa holding a feather pen and writing in a large white book. Five green express trucks lined the bottom edge. It was captioned, Express is Best for Christmas Packages in red lettering and American Railways Express in green lettering. 

This seasonally themed work was designed by Robert Edmund Lee (1899-1980), a painter and commercial artist who was born in California but resided in New York City. Lee designed several other eye-catching advertising posters for this American delivery service that was in business between 1918 and 1975. He also contributed illustrations to several print magazines, including Ladies’ Home Journal, through the early 1930s. 

Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a tip of the hat to evergreen trees in their many forms. On November 15, 2025, Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion GmbH of Ladenburg, Germany sold lot #1281, a 19-teens era Christmas feather tree as part of their Antique Toy Auction. Estimated at €90-€180, it sold for €2,728. This 34-1/2 cm tree was decorated with white painted pinecones and small glass ornaments attached to the branches with red string. It was in the form of a candy container, with a rounded, hollow base designed to hold sweet treats. 

Feather trees were invented in Germany in the late 1880s and were made from green dyed swan, goose, or turkey feathers that were attached to wire branches suspended from a wooden trunk, usually made from a tree branch. It is interesting to note that this feather tree was sold with its original cardboard shipping packaging. This novelty – which was a festive greeting, miniature holiday symbol, and vessel for seasonal candy all in one – was designed to be mailed to an active duty World War I soldier at the holidays to provide comfort and joy from their family. The fact that this ephemeral item and shipping box survived over a century in such fine form is a Christmas miracle in itself!

And finally, premier antique Christmas themed tableware and serving pieces really delivered in 2025. On November 18, 2025, Schwenke Auctioneers of Woodbury, CT, sold lot #113,  a Santa Claus Royal Bayreuth figural pitcher at their November Fine Estates Auction. Estimated at $300-400, it closed the loop at $516. Santa was standing and attired in a brown, fur trimmed coat and matching hat. He carried a grey toned toy sack on his back. This pitcher, with its handle on the rear of the Santa figure, measured 6-1/4″ x 6 -3/4″ x 3-3/4″. It was marked “Deponiert” (a German term that translates to “registered” or “deposited” on its white bottom. 

Interested how holiday items faired in years past? Check out Auction Daily’s 2024 highlights here! https://auctiondaily.com/news/2024-holiday-highlights-santa-claus-sale-results/

Captions, all images from LiveAuctioneers: 

• 6358: This Santa and reindeer automaton was estimated at $300-500 and sold for $5,240. 
• 2: This antique Santa nodder was estimated at $1,000-2,000 and sold for $1,736. 
• 321: This American Railways Express Santa Claus advertising poster was estimated at $200-600 and sold for $1,512.
• 1281: This antique feather tree candy container was estimated at €90-€180 and sold for €2,728.

113: This Santa Claus figural pitcher was estimated at $300-400 and sold for $516.