Rochard Santa in Sleigh Hand-Painted Limoges Box

Santa settles into his sleigh, ready for the long night ahead, in this Christmas Limoges box from Rochard. The jolly figure and his sleigh are modeled together in porcelain and painted by hand in Limoges, France.

Ready for the Rooftops

The sleigh ride is the moment every Christmas story builds toward, and this piece captures Santa at the start of it. Because each box is decorated by hand, the colors and the small painted details shift a little from one finished piece to the next, which is part of the appeal for anyone who collects Santa figures.

Gathering Around the Sleigh

• A Rochard design, painted by hand in Limoges, France
• Leads a group of Santa, reindeer and North Pole pieces
• Works as the anchor of a winter holiday shelf

December on the Mantel

Bring it out the weekend after Thanksgiving and let it sit among evergreen sprigs, candles and holiday cards until New Year's Day. It suits a family member who sets up the tree with great care, a neighbor who hosts the annual cookie swap, or a coworker who decorates the office every year. Some collectors add one new Santa piece each season, and a sleigh is a natural place to begin that habit.