Archives for December 2015

Today, I’m sharing tips on decorating a vintage sled.  My vintage sled brings back so many childhood memories.  First, I found this beauty in an antique shop in Lancaster, PA.  There were several sleds in the shop, but I was looking for a special sled.  It had to be a Lightning Guider sled, and I wasn’t going to settle for less.  The owner overheard my conversation with a few of the girls that I was traveling with.  She came out and said I have a Lightning Guider in the back if you would like to see it.  It was exactly what I was looking for, and the owner sold it to me for far less than its value.

So, when I was growing up we had plenty of snow in the winter.  Not only did we have plenty of snow, we had plenty of snow days out of school.  My father always brought several Lightning Guider sleds for Christmas.  As a result, we jumped for joy when school was canceled.  We knew  we would be sled riding all day and eating King’s Syrup sandwiches.  King Syrup was so thick and delicious.  We loved fixing them ourselves and loved the fact that we didn’t have to bother mom to fix our sandwiches.  I think she was so grateful to have a few minutes to herself that she didn’t care how much bread we grabbed, or how much syrup we put on the bread.  We fixed and ate all that we wanted.

After we ate our syrup sandwiches, we would bundle up and head across the street for hours of fun sled riding down the hill.  We would stay out until we just about froze.  Painfully, I remember my father pulling off our boots and sitting us beside the wood stove so we could  thaw out.  Furthermore, I also remember him using sandpaper to sharpen the blades so the sleds would go faster while we were warming up.  Oh the good ole days. Unfortunately, they stopped manufacturing the Lightning Guider in the 1990’s.  What a shame, because it was the fastest and the best quality sled on the market.  It is now a classic, and I will hold on to it forever.

Decorating a Vintage Sled:

• I needed fresh greenery for a few center pieces for my tables.  So, I decided to add it to my vintage sled as well.   Luckily, I have plenty of pines, spruce and other greenery surrounding my property.  If you’re not as lucky, check out your local Christmas tree lot.  Most are more than willing to give you a few bundles for free. Also, the greenery will stay fresh in the cold air through the holiday season.
• I used pine and spruce cutting on my vintage sled.  However, use whatever you have on hand.  I used smaller pieces on top of longer pieces to give it depth, and tied it together with my garden twist ties. You can use twine to tie it together as well.
• Use additional twist ties or twine to tie the greenery to the sled.
• I pulled this bow out of my Christmas decoration boxes.  I simply fluffed the bow out and readjusted it.  It was on the sled from the previous year. I reuse as many items as I can.
• The purchased the sliver bells beneath the wreath from my local Goodwill.  I love that store.  Find some unused items that will pull the look together in your stash.  If you can’t find anything head to the Dollar Store or Goodwill.
• A friend found the ice skates at a local Goodwill in Harris, PA and shipped them to me, lol.  She knew that I would use them for Christmas.  I have a second pair that a lady was selling when her daughter decided she didn’t want ice skating lessons anymore.  Check around for used skates if you want to add them to your sled.

I hope hop my decorating a vintage sled post has motivated you to go in search of a sled.   I received so many compliments, and it was definitely a conversation piece. Did you have a Lightning Guider when you were growing up? If not, share a memory from your days of sledding.