Seven Vintage Christmas Decorations I Love

I have a warm spot in my heart for vintage holiday decorations; especially in December.

These nostalgic decorations reminds me of the Christmases of my childhood and the good times we had getting the house ready for friends and relatives holiday visits. Bringing down the boxes of blown glass ornaments and Christmas decorations and ornaments was as exciting to me as the day itself.

When we opened the worn cardboard boxes we were visiting old friends. There were the printed holiday linens carefully wrapped in tissue paper, the manger pieces, the Bayberry candles that my mother loves, the candles for the windows (although we wouldn't light them until Christmas Eve), the shiny metallic elves, the Holt Howard Winking Santa Mug, the mouse in the clock house, the singing angel, and jingle bells for the front door.

We knew where each piece went and its history. The mouse in the clock house with the pine cone chimes hung in the kitchen alcove, the elves sat in their spot in the living room windows, the candles were placed in each window of the house (waiting for Christmas Eve) the lights were untangled and the ornaments were carefully unwrapped and placed on the tree.

The bayberry and the tall white pillar candles were lit, pine incense was burned, and the house started to feel like the holidays. Or as the popular song goes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.The now popular and collectible knee hugger elf dressed in the shiny red metallic suit is gazing out the window at the family farm in Connecticut.

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Remember when Christmas ornaments were made in America? Companies including Shiny Brite and Coby Glass Products mass produced glass Christmas ornaments throughout the 1940's and 1950's. If you are as nostalgic for the Christmases of your past as I am you will love these popular Christmas ornaments.

You might be familiar with Department 56 Christmas villages but before Department 56 there were simple made in Japan houses and Germany Putz houses. Some villages were handcrafted. Many families would add a house or accessory every night starting December 1st so that by Christmas Eve their beautiful winter village was complete.

Now there's the popular Elf on the Shelf but years before the publication of that book, there were knee hugger elves that sit in the window, and elf candle huggers, elves dressed in red and green, and elves with striped socks. Also, fun hand-made wooden tomte Swedish elves with their unique style.

Santa's helpers have a difficult job but they do it with a smile so that every child gets a present at Christmas!

Vintage Christmas postcards remind us of all the Christmas traditions we love. They highlight the best parts of the holidays including: trimming the tree, caroling, decorating the house, sleigh riding through the snow, opening gifts, seeing Santa, and more.

These pine cone figures usually made with spun cotton and felt were used as place holders and decorations throughout the 1950's and 60's. Often the pine cone elves had pipe cleaner arms and felt bases to keep them standing upright. These pine cone figures look charming posed with your other vintage Christmas decorations.

Putting candles in the windows is a tradition that goes back hundreds of years in the United States and maybe even longer in Europe. The candle a symbol for welcoming and honoring guests were often used at Christmas time.

In Ireland candles were placed in the window on Christmas Eve as a symbol to the Holy Family that they were welcome in the house.

Kitschy, vintage, and oh so much fun! Holt Howard and Lefton became a household name throughout the '50s and '60s by mass-producing different lines, including the trendy Christmas line. There are winking Santa's, anthropomorphic tree girls, hot chocolate and coffee pots decorated with holly and holly berries, and fun Christmas candle huggers decorated with snowmen, angels, and Santas.

Don't forget the many figurines with which many of our grandparents decorated their houses. Most likely, you've seen something from Holt Howard's or Lefton's Christmas line at a garage sale, flea market, or at online auctions.