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Tampa Bay woman known as 'The Queen of Christmas' set to part with one million ornaments

There are ornaments from world-renown designers like Vera Bradley and Versace. She has Waterford Crystals and Fabrege ornaments. Many in her collection are valued at over $500 per ornament.
Clara Scroggins and Laura Bruce.

Christmas comes every day of the year for Clara Scroggins.

“A lot of people really didn’t understand what Christmas was about,” she said. “I love Christmas. I believe in Christ and God. I came from a religious family.”

Scroggins, who has earned the nickname “The Queen of Christmas” has the largest collection of Christmas ornaments in the world, according to Laura Bruce, who is helping Scroggins divest her collection. At its peak, Scroggins’ collection was over one million pieces.

Many of them are eye-catching.

“We found one signed by Julie Andrews,” said Bruce. “We found another one signed by Roy Disney.”

There are ornaments from world-renown designers like Vera Bradley and Versace. She has Waterford Crystals and Fabrege ornaments. Many in her collection are valued at over $500 per ornament.

It’s a collection that started out of tragedy.

“That’s from the year my husband died,” she said, holding up a silver ball with holly on all sides.

Scroggins’ husband passed away suddenly just before Christmas one year. She was given a set of ornaments that year that were second-edition. That made her want to find the first edition.

The rest is history.

“It’s just crazy,” said Bruce.

As Clara’s collection grew and grew, she began touring the country with Hallmark to show off her pieces and speak with collectors, even writing multiple books for collectors to learn more about ornaments’ history and meaning, and prompting younger generations to get involved with ornaments.

In 2014, the University of Tampa was gifted with her Wedgewood collection for their annual Henry B. Plant Museum's Christmas Stroll.

Medical bills and health problems have forced Scroggins to liquidate her collection. Bruce is helping organize the ornament sale, which will be held on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale site is 16002 Grantham Place, Tampa, FL 33647.

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