Many of the things I collect came originally in great boxes or packages. I’m always glad to get things for my collection in those vintage original boxes. Sometimes I’ll buy something just to get the box.

And sometimes I’ll buy just an empty box—some box that’s appealing even though it doesn’t really fit into any of my collectible categories. So now of course in my mind such boxes now become a collectible category. I make up the rules as I go along!

While it isn’t always easy to find an appropriate place to display some of these boxes and packages, the Christmas items have a guaranteed run of prominence each December.

Two holiday favorites are the necktie gift boxes you see above from Bullock’s and The May Company department stores (Los Angeles, c.1950).    

Sometimes, the package IS the collectible. Can you imagine collecting a loose stack of old Kleenexes? Probably not! But in one of the two boxes you see below? —yes!

Also shown: Traymore candy box “Assorted hand decorated chocolates” (Paul F. Beich Co., USA, c.1940), Desirée Hearts Desire Lingerie (Cape Underwear Manufacturers Pty. Ltd., South Africa, c.1958), The May Company Christmas shirt box (Los Angeles, c.1955), Ciné-Kodak Kodachrome Safety Color Film movie film (Eastman Kodak Co., USA, 1936), Nestle’s Crunch chocolate bar (manufactured by Peter Cailler Kohler Swiss Chocolates Co., Inc., N.Y., USA, c. 1940), Testors PLA Decorative Enamels model paints (USA, c.1955), Majestic radio tube (Grigsby-Grunow Co., Chicago, USA, c.1940), and the Deceptograph Transistor Lie Detector TK-611 “psycho galvanic reflex tester" (Takeikiki Co., Ltd., Japan, c.1960). Does she or doesn’t she what?, pray tell...

The blue & white box of Kleenex Tissues bears a copyright date of 1938 (International Cellucotton Products Co., Chicagao, USA), while the Kleenex Tissues in “Flare Red” (wow!) are dated 1960 (Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Wisconsin, USA). The shoe box is from Buffums department store (Los Angeles, c.1962), and Super Nu-Kote is carbon paper for typewriters (Burroughs Corporation, USA, c.1970s).