The repair

Mrs Claus arrived with the animation motor failed — the candle and costume were intact, but the motion drive needed replacement. We opened the back of the dress and the lower chassis to access the gearbox and motor assembly, deep cleaned the figure and costume, and fitted a new AC synchronous motor (24V-class display motor with cam drive for head and arm motion). Wiring was reconnected through the base, the costume was closed, and she was tested so the candle lights and the animation runs smoothly again.

About this item

This standing Mrs Claus with a lighted candle matches the look of Telco Creations “Motionettes of Christmas” and similar late-1980s–1990s animated holiday display figures. Typical examples stand about 18–24 inches tall on a plastic base, wear a red velvet-style dress with lace trim and apron, wire-rim glasses, and curly white hair under a matching bonnet. Construction is a molded plastic chassis and limbs under textile costume, with an AC plug-in mechanism that moves the head and arms while the hand-held candle illuminates. Many lines (including Telco Motionettes) used quiet heavy-duty motors for long display runs and sometimes an outlet on the base for linking other décor. Exact maker on this piece is identified from construction and style rather than a confirmed readable label in the photos.