Vintage Christmas Decor Favorites That Never Go Out of Style
The most realistic Christmas garland, trees, wreaths, and stems and vintage Christmas decor favorites for a timeless, old fashioned holiday home.
This week, Robert and I have been pulling ALL of our vintage Christmas decor down from the attic, cranking up the Bing Crosby, and getting to work!
Bloggers are weirdly earlier than normal for holiday decorating, so if you’re still firmly in the Team Fall club, don’t be alarmed. (Although, early Christmas decorating seems to become more popular with everyone lately.)
With early decorating becoming more “acceptable” lately, Christmas items start selling out early, and restocks likely won’t happen until well into December. I’ve had messages from some of you asking for resources, so I’m putting them all in one place to help you find them easily.
Plus, it is kind of nice to have all of the planning and preparations out of the way by December 1st so that you can simply enjoy the season with those you love.
Before diving in though, I have to say… Christmas has started to feel extra commercialized in recent years, but I’m here to remind you that all of the “stuff” doesn’t deserve the spotlight. Quality time with loved ones, moments of peace, and time for reflection are all we really need.
Take heart knowing whatever you do, however you decorate, whoever you shop for if anyone at all, it is enough and you are enough. No amount of material possessions could ever replace what Christmas really means.
This old fashioned Christmas decor can help us feel that warmth and light, but it is just one small part of the greater whole.
Why Vintage Christmas Decor Pays Off
I say “vintage” but really I just mean vintage inspired home decor.
It’s easy to get caught up in the trendy stuff, but I like sticking to mostly the same “capsule” of Christmas decor every year and just swapping out gift wrap and ribbon to make it look like a new color scheme without reinventing the wheel.
Best Vintage Style Christmas Decor
I pulled together a bunch of the best realistic looking Christmas garland, Christmas trees, wreaths, stems, and all of the best vintage style Christmas decor staples to simplify the “holiday decor capsule”.
All of these pieces are my favorites for making home feel nostalgic and timeless this time of year. I hope it helps!
Just click the images in the galleries below to shop them online.
(Affiliate links are provided below. Full disclosure.)
Realistic Christmas Garland
TIP: One of my favorite tricks for making cheaper, fake looking Christmas garland look more realistic is by cutting and preserving leaves from the yard and drying fruit to mix in with the fake stuff.
It ends up having the sweetest, colonial Williamsburg-esque sort of charm.
The Best Realistic Artificial Christmas Trees
You can get a more detailed look at our favorite realistic Christmas trees here with advice on how to make cheaper trees look more upscale.
I love the look of a scruffy rustic tree in our living room where the space is more casual, but I prefer a more traditional, full tree in our formal dining room.
TIP: If you prefer real Christmas trees, you can see all of the tips to care for and decorate a real tree here.
Classic Christmas Door Wreaths
TIP: If you want to hang wreaths on your windows too, you can see this method for extra help. I love adding a different color ribbon each Christmas to give my wreaths a whole new look without having to spend much.
Just be aware that dried/preserved wreaths will last longer indoors.
It’s usually best to wait to order a fresh wreath for your front door until December 1st. Spray fresh greenery with Wilt Stop to make it last a week or two longer.
These are some of my favorite vintage style artificial, dried, and fresh Christmas wreaths.
Christmas Tree Skirts & Collars
TIP: If you already have a large basket or big planter hanging around, you can make a DIY tree collar instead.
Realistic Christmas Stems
TIP: I love incorporating stems that can stretch on into other seasons such as magnolia branches and eucalyptus.
Vintage Style Christmas Stockings
TIP: If you want to personalize your stockings, you can snag these free printable Christmas stocking name labels here.
Classic Christmas Tree Decorations
TIP: You can see how to put ribbon on a Christmas tree here.
You can never go wrong with neutral vintage ornaments and a pop of colored ribbon. I like using mercury glass ornaments because they add so much sparkle when reflecting the Christmas tree lights and they work with any color palette. We go colorful with homemade crafts and bright retro Christmas balls on our playroom tree for the kids.
Nativity Sets
TIP: One of my favorite places for finding unique, interesting nativity sets is at antique stores. But in case you don’t have any luck there, I really love these…
Vintage Style Gift Wrap and Ribbon
TIP: If you need gift ideas to put inside the pretty gift wrap, you can see all of my gift guides here.
Are you already starting to decorate for Christmas around your house for some early holiday cheer? Have you started your gift shopping?
I need to get on the ball with the present thing, I guess. But all in all, no matter what the decor looks like or what gifts end up under the tree, I’m just looking forward to time cozied up with family. That’s what counts most of all.
Thanks for all your hard work on this post. Wow! So many beautiful things!!
It’s far too early for me to decorate. First Halloween! Around mid November I get the urge to bring out my decorations, put on some Christmas music, and make everything festive. I do like to change up my theme but always keep the same garland, wreaths & candles. One year I may use deer, another snowman, or snowflakes…It makes it more exciting (for me) to change things up. But, I never spend a crazy amount of money.
I love that you put on Bing. He’s an oldie but a goodie. Always our Christmas morning tune.
Where did you find the brass doorbell chimes inside your front door?
They’re original to the house, I believe. This house was built in 1960.
Wow! Thanks for doing all that shopping for us! I will refer back to this..??
I’m so glad it helped!
Thank you so much for speaking out on this subject. I sometimes feel bad I don’t have a new scheme every year like we’re lead to believe we should. I switch or rotate decor in and out but if I leave something packed away I often get a “where is your cute little Santa, I miss him” lol. Looking at the shear cost of a new “theme “ every year, the waste and the lack of tradition, the use of vintage…is smart! But if we do need to replace an item, good to know they have already past your keen eye!
I know exactly what you mean, Marci! And I think now that social media is around with bloggers and designers sharing new decor everywhere you look, it’s easy to get that FOMO feeling now more than years’ past. We’re our own toughest critics sometimes. The best part about Christmas isn’t material at all. <3
I adore classic vintage looking Christmas decor! In appreciate you sharing as you never know who may need to update/replace things. I often get the impression from social media that many feel the need to get new Christmas decor every year to stay “current”. I can’t imagine doing that, as many of my Christmas ornaments and other decor are special and sentimental. If I do buy new, I try to stay with classic things like you have shared here that will last for years. The older I get, the more I need to keep it simple! I did find some great things on sale last year at end of season that I’m looking forward to pulling out this year. My goal is to not buy anything new in the way of Christmas decor this year. Thanks for the emphasizing what’s truly important about celebrating Christmas!
Yes, Vicki! How fun to have those items you held on to for “new” to this year. I am excited for you. ?