Ideas for using vintage items in your Christmas decor
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Hello, friends. Do you love using vintage items for your Christmas decorating
as much as I do? There are so many unique ways to use them and today I'm
sharing some of my favorites. Take a stroll through the past few holiday
seasons at our house and hopefully you'll get some great ideas.
1. Vintage Christmas Ornaments
It goes without saying that
vintage ornaments
are perfect on your tree. They're so colorful and festive.
But you can also just place them around the house to add a pop of festive
color.
The vibrant hues make any area ready for the holidays.
They're also great in a
wooden bowl
with a strand of garland thrown over them.
Find vintage ornaments here: Vintage Mercury Glass Christmas Ornaments
2. Vintage Silver
Another great vintage item to use at Christmas is
vintage silverware. Place a few pieces in a little ironstone creamer with some sprigs of
boxwood for a simple and quick vignette.
Or tie an strand of elegant velvet ribbon around a few pieces.
A few years ago I tied some
childrens' silverware
and sugar spoons to a little tree in the kitchen.
Find vintage silver here:
Vintage Silverware Pieces
3. Vintage Glassware
Green vintage glassware
adds a nice punch of color to a holiday table. These were favorites of my late
mother-in-law and they're perfect with this
tablescape.
Dress up a rolling cart with some
red glasses
and candy canes.
4. Vintage Milk Glass
Milk glass
goes with any season and is a fun way to display vintage ornaments.
Find vintage glass here:
Vintage Milk Glass
5. Vintage Glass Cake Pedestal
Add some sparkle to your table by using a
vintage glass cake pedestal
as a centerpiece.
6. Vintage Glass Candle Holders
Old glass candle holders
are another great vintage item to use at Christmas. Little tart tins are
perfect votive holders too.
7. Vintage Dishes
Christmas is the perfect time to dress up a hutch or shelf with some holiday
dishes.
shop this look
These
red and white dishes
and
red trimmed glasses
look so festive.
And the
winter scene on these dishes
have a more subtle effect but still have a holiday vibe.
8. Vintage Ironstone
Ironstone goes with any color and looks especially pretty with reds and greens
at Christmas. I simply added some candy canes to a
little ironstone creamer
above.
Vintage ironstone mugs
are the perfect way to offer hot chocolate mix-ins.
Shop for vintage mugs here: Vintage Stoneware Mugs
And
large ironstone bowls
are good for so many things like holding small packages.
9. Vintage Olive Basket
Vintage metal olive baskets
are nice for small trees and branches. They're also great for storing logs,
blankets, and toilet paper!
10. Vintage Tobacco Basket
A
vintage tobacco basket
fills up a large wall space with character and charm. Layer a wreath for a
more festive look.
11. Vintage Throw Blankets
Plaid throw blankets
are so cozy at the holidays. Hang them from ladders or simply fold them up and
set them out for Christmas charm.
shop this look
12. Vintage Sled & Skates
Whether or not you get a white Christmas, it's still fun to decorate with
vintage wooden sleds
and
ice skates.
My friend Laurie at Vin Yet Etc made her old hocky skates look pretty with a sprig of holly. She
always has the most amazing ideas for vintage items.
13. Vintage Stoneware Crocks
Old stoneware crocks
are so versatile are make wonderful places for branch clippings and small
trees.
14. Vintage Red Wagon
My dad's
old red wagon
is my all-time favorite thing to decorate our porch with. It's especially nice
at Christmas.
shop this look
15. Vintage Sheet Music
Small gifts look so pretty wrapped in
vintage sheet music.
Red velvet ribbon
finishes it off so nicely.
16. Vintage Quilt Used as Tree Skirt
Got a pretty vintage quilt? Wrap it around the base of your tree for a cozy
tree skirt.
17. Vintage Linens
Vintage linens add such warmth and character at Christmas and any time.
Red grain sack linens
are especially pretty for the holidays.
Place them on a flat surface, hang them on a towel bar, or tuck them into
bowls and pitchers for a soft touch.
shop this look18. Jadeite
Jadeite dishes and bowls look perfect with this collection of vintage santa
mugs belonging to Kimberly at Serendipity Refined. Isn't it adorable?
19. Picnic Baskets
Pam at House of Hawthornes always has the best vintage goodies. And her vintage plaid metal
picnic basket makes a great addition to her Christmas decor.
20. Vintage Thermoses
Vintage thermoses are another fun thing to use at Christmas. I added my collection to a little wood crate and they look perfect on our living room coffee table. See more of them here: Vintage Thermos Christmas Vignette
Find vintage thermoses here: Vintage Red Thermoses
21. Holiday Punch Bowl Set
My friend Paula at Sweet Pea has so many wonderful vintage items, including several holiday punch
bowl sets. Aren't they festive?
22. Santa Mugs
For some whimsical fun, use some Santa mugs. Mine aren't vintage but are
close reproductions.
Shop for Santa Mugs here: Vintage Santa Mugs
What are some ways you use vintage items in your Christmas decor? Leave me a
comment below and let me know!
P.S. Here are my favorite sources for vintage finds
- Thrift stores (when I'm lucky)
- Estate sales - go here for tips - How to shop estate sales like a pro
- Etsy
See all of my Christmas projects and decorating ideas here: Christmas Archives.
Want more ideas for using vintage finds in your home? Here are more than 20
ways to use them to oraganize.
See all of my vintage decorating ideas here: Vintage Decor Ideas.
I’ve died and gone to holiday heaven. I don’t come visit here enough!
ReplyDeleteAll of your images are off the charts - your styling, your photography, your design! All so good.
Thanks for the inspiration. The flatware used with the red velvet ribbon and in another place setting is the same pattern As some hand-me-downs from my grandmother. I’m totally going to polish it up to use in holiday decorating! Brilliant ideas!
Awww, thank you so much Jeri! I'm glad you like it and please visit here more often! You're so lucky to have nice hand-me-down flatware. I've had to buy all of mine and although it's nice, it doesn't have the same sentimental value as a family item. Have a great day and happy holiday decorating! ~ Angie
DeleteHi Angie Oh my! I love it. you had me at the sterling silverware and ribbon. Love it all! Have a great Thanksgiving! laura
ReplyDeleteHi Laura! Thanks so much! That silverware and ribbon is one of my favorite little holiday touches. You have a great Thanksgiving too! ~ Angie
DeleteThese are such wonderful ideas! Very creative...Christmas at your house must be wonderful! Thanks very much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mimi! Christmas is my favorite time of year so I love to decorate the house for it. Thanks for dropping by. ~ Angie
DeleteI love love the vintage ideas!! I have some of the items like the Tom and Jerry punch bowls. I loved the silverware ideas too. Thank you so much for the ideas. Rhonda Godwin
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rhonda! Those punch bowls are so fun and festive. Thanks for dropping by! ~ Angie
DeleteI pinned it so when i get through with Thanksgiving i can look again. Thanks and have a great Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteYou have a great Thanksgiving too, Marlene! Thanks for dropping by! ~ Angie
DeleteWhat lovely ideas & they are something that I already have! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen! It's always nice when you can use what you have and not have to worry about buying something new. Thanks for dropping by. ~ Angie
DeleteLove the ideas! Now I know what to do with all of my old silver pieces, totally inspired, thank you! :D
ReplyDeleteLori Jo - 50 With Flair
Your vintage post warms my heart. So many great ideas and I love your ironstone collection decorated for the holidays! Perfect holiday decor. Pinning!
ReplyDeleteYou know that I LOVE me some vintage style. Angie, your ideas and creativity are always inspiring me. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAll of these ideas are wonderful, but you had me at ironstone.🎄🎄🎄
ReplyDeleteI love every single thing you show. I do use most things you show and love it! I use wood soda crates that are vintage and red and white, fabric vintage ornaments as well as the shiny brite types, a wooden apple crate to hold pillows (it has an old label on it and is antique and in great shape), and two brass deer that are gorgeous that I found this year. Everything vintage or antique I find is from thrift stores. I have not bought anything online because I love the treasure hunt. I use vintage Christmas aprons for display and love them and my vintage potholders. I have a cute vintage Santa ornament, just his face and a red hat. :). I have a Christmas bell and brass bell collection. I use vintage teacups and a teapot in a display in the bedroom and just add ornaments to them. I also have old Christmas records, and like the album covers as decor and to play.
ReplyDeleteI use some of my grandmother's jewelry on the tree every year, just to remember her by. There are a few small pieces, and I am careful with them. The tree is only done once her jewelry is on it as a finishing touch.
I have some glasses she gave me that have the letter T and are very pretty. No one in the family has a T in their first or last name, except me, and she felt led to buy them a good 25 to 30 years before I was born. She was a deeply Christian lady and felt led by the Lord to buy them. 25 to 30 years later I was born to her oldest daughter, who was a baby when Memaw bought them. My mom made sure to give them to me when I was an adult. The glasses were expensive, and God led her at a time that was hard financially, but Memaw listened to His voice and got them. It made zero sense to buy glasses with a letter on them that no one in the family had, but I love that about the story and her faith and God guiding her to do it. At a time of poverty, doing it was a sacrifice in faith. Mom did not know about the vintage fancy glasses existing until she and my dad had told my Memaw my name, which is Tracie.