22 Vintage Christmas Decorations That Are Making a Big Comeback
- 1/23
22 Vintage Christmas Decorations That Are Making a Big Comeback
It's beginning to look a lot like the Christmases of your childhood! From aluminum Christmas trees and color wheels to Shiny Brite ornaments and Bubble Lites, your favorite retro decor is back and better than ever.
Getty Images - 2/23
Tons of Tinsel
$5
A tinsel-covered Christmas tree, like the one in this '60s scene, is the easiest way to impart vintage style.
Getty Images - 4/23
Aluminum Christmas Trees
From $17
Silvery faux Christmas trees are one of our favorite '50s and '60s staples to make a major comeback in recent years.
Flickr Creative Commons/Ryan & Sarah Miller - 5/23
Christmas Tree Color Wheel
$35
This retro, rotating gadget probably projected four shades of light onto the aluminum tree in your family's living room throughout the '50s and '60s—and it's still going strong today. For a modern update, you can always skip the color wheel and try a pre-lit tinsel tree that changes colors on its own.
Courtesy of Vermont Country Store - 6/23
Kissing Balls
$18
Tradition calls for a kiss when two people get caught under these lush balls of greenery, often made of mistletoe. This Etsy maker creates vintage-y versions.
Courtesy of Etsy - 7/23
Handmade Decor and Gifts
Free
Back in the day, it was common to craft your own decor, like this cozy knit stocking, rather than buy everything at the store. You can download free patterns (including the one pictured), watch how-to videos, and purchase kits that come with everything you need for presents and more on WeAreKnitters.com.
RELATED: 60 DIY Christmas Gifts
Courtesy of We Are Knitters - 8/23
Vintage Santa Claus Decor
From $10
Why not start a collection of classic figurines, such as the old-school Santas in this farmhouse decked out with vintage decor?
David Tsay - 9/23
Vintage-Inspired Advent Calendar
$25
This is one tradition that will never go out of style; after all, there's no better way to count down the days until Christmas than with a piece of chocolate. But we're especially excited about this vintage-inspired illustration.
Courtesy of World Market - 10/23
Retro Wrapping Paper
From $5
Gift wrap may not be quite as cheap as it was it the good old days, but you can still find affordable offerings in pretty patterns that recall earlier eras. Paper Source carries cute archival paper printed with old-school Santas, vintage village scenes, and retro stripes and plaids.
Jean Allsopp - 11/23
Ceramic Trees
$50
At the flick of a switch, the multicolored LED lights on these ceramic trees call to mind Yuletides of yesteryear.
Courtesy of QVC - 12/23
Jingle Bells
$17
Just the sound of jingle bells brings back holly jolly memories. We love this galvanized wreath.
Courtesy of Home Depot - 13/23
Popcorn Garland
$20
Not only is this tradition fun for little ones, but the end result also looks wonderfully warm when strung on the tree.
Getty Images - 14/23
Pixie Elves
$30
Before there was The Elf on the Shelf, there were whimsical figurines like these from Etsy.
Courtesy of Etsy - 15/23
Bottle Brush Trees
$10
The teeny-tiny faux trees are experiencing such a resurgence, you can get them almost anywhere, from Etsy to World Market to Amazon.
Courtesy of Etsy - 16/23
Vintage-Inspired Holiday Cards
From $65 for 25
You may not have time for handmade cards, but you can customize your own vintage-style design (we're geeking out over this one by GeekInk Design) on Minted.com. Because no matter how many things change, some things, such as sending season's greetings, should stay the same.
Courtesy of Minted - 18/23
Nostalgic Decorative Plates
$30 for set of 4
This special set of seasonal plates stars Santa in vintage-inspired art and is sure to become an instant heirloom.
Courtesy of World Market - 19/23
Vintage Toys
$10
It's official: Throwbacks like this train in a tin have taken over the toy aisle. There's also a retro table tennis set, a balloon modeling kit, magic tricks kit, and more—all in era-appropriate packaging.
Courtesy of World Market - 20/23
Snow Globes
$17
There's a certain sense of wonderment that accompanies each turn of a musical snow globe. This rocking horse has a classic look we love.
Courtesy of Home Depot - 21/23
Matching PJs
From $7
Remember running down the stairs in printed pajamas to see what Santa brought? The whole family can get in on the tradition—even the dog—with matching PJ sets.
Getty Images - 22/23
Family Game Night
$20
Miss playing board games together as a family? Hasbro's retro series is here to take you back to that time. This Monopoly is a replica of the classic 1935 edition.
Courtesy of Target - 23/23
Photo Albums
From $149
Modern technology means captured memories almost never make their way into albums or frames these days. But flipping through photo albums was once a treasured part of the holiday season. Bring back the tradition by preserving your pictures in a beautiful bound book.
Courtesy of Artifact Uprising
From aluminum Christmas trees and color wheels to Shiny-Brite ornaments and Bubble Lites, your favorite vintage and retro Christmas decor is back and better than ever.
