Gothic Turkey bones craft

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

At Easter brunch last week, my friend’s mom confessed that she had (in the 1970’s, when things were weird) saved the Thanksgiving turkey carcass, boiled the meat from it, dried the skeleton carefully for a week or so, painted it gold, and, threading maroon velvet ribbons through the ribcage, pronounced it a “Santa Sleigh”. She then filled it with tiny wrapped packages and used it as a centerpiece at Christmas dinner. She said she saw the project in Sunset magazine.

I was sure I was bein’ “whooshed”, but the whole family swore to it! I could hardly wait to get home and scan the Internet for any information of this bizarre craft.

So far, about all I’ve found is a bunch of Martha Stewart jokes, though there was a crafting website that had a dead link claiming to have directions on how to “Make a Santa Sleigh from a turkey breast bone, by TeeCee Richardson”. An LDS Relief Society chatroom/bulletin board mentioned it and many of the women there recalled their mothers doing this craft.

Can anyone here recall recycled gold turkeys on their Christmas table? Have you heard of this? I must see a picture.

2

is it just me or do the words “Gothic Turkey bones craft” look like a spam subject line? :smiley:

3

I’ve seen the turkey skelton Santa sleigh, at least in a picture. Even I thought it was too wierd for words. Another total Christmas wierdness is Tampon angels as decorations for your tree. No, thanks.

4

I’ve never seen it, but I believe it. In the 70’s, you could cover anything in gold spray paint and glitter and turn it into a 'priceless family treasure." We made angels and Santas out of the Reader’s Digest and ornaments made from circles cut from last year’s Christmas cards. I tell ya, gold paint and glitter–add paper plates and you were set for craft crap heaven!