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    How to Use Vintage Decor At Christmas

    Christmas Decor, Decorating, Holiday & Seasonal

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    You don’t have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at for the holidays.

    I love the nostalgia of Christmas, and that shows in all the vintage decor I use when I’m decking the halls.

    tinsel tree decorated with Shiny Brite ornaments

    Recently, my son told me he likes how I make things look “old fashioned” at Christmas.

    Join me for virtual tours of eight bloggers stunning porches decorated for the holidays. You'll find lots of Christmas front porch decorating ideas, -- farmhouse, vintage, rustic, French country and more.

    That’s one of the highest compliments he could have paid me.

    Tour Our Home Decorated for Christmas

    To see how we have decorated our home for Christmas through the years, visit these posts:

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    • 2020 Christmas Home Tour
    • 2019 Christmas Home Tour
    • 2018 Christmas Home Tour
    • 2017 Christmas Home Tour
    • 2016 Christmas Home Tour
    • 2015 Christmas Home Tour
    • 2014 Christmas Home Tour
    • 2013 Christmas Home Tour

    As much as I enjoy browsing stores, magazines, catalogs and even blogs looking at all the gorgeous, brand-new designer Christmas displays, I can’t resist old, previously loved, timeless vintage decor pieces.

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    How I Use Vintage Decor at Christmas

    Vintage-Inspired Christmas Porch Decorations

    I shop yard sales, barn sales, thrift stores, antique shops and my parents’ and inlaws’ house looking for vintage items I can use to decorate at Christmas and throughout the year. (I have even been known to grab things left as trash on the side of the road.)

    Tip: Think outside the box when you’re shopping for vintage items for Christmas. If you find a box of Shiny Brite ornaments or a vintage blow mold Santa, definitely buy them to use in your holiday displays. But don’t pass on non-holiday items. Many different types of vintage goods can be used in Christmas displays.

    Christmas swag hanging on a vintage wooden stove cover

    This wooden stove board, decorated with a homemade swag made from Dollar Tree items, was a freebie from a friend.

    A lot of these vintage finds show up on my Christmas porches.

    Vintage-Inspired Christmas Porch Decorations

    Sometimes, the things I find are definitely Christmasy or wintry, like this vintage sports gear.

    Vintage-Inspired Christmas Porch Decorations

    Or my collection of Shiny Brite ornaments.

    If you like vintage style and color, you'll love this vintage Christmas home tour at AttaGirlSays.com. Room after room of inspiration, featuring fabulous vintage finds mixed with modern details. You'll love all the gorgeous fabrics, and the way the homeowners use pattern and color. And if you're crushing on gold, you don't want to miss the living room in this house!
    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    I just love a tree all decorated in vintage glass ornaments.

    gray tabby cat sitting in the sunlight on a pink rug in front of an aqua blue buffet

    Especially if it’s a pink Christmas tree.

    vintage Shiny Brite ornaments on a pink Christmas tree

    But more often than not, the vintage decor pieces I use at Christmas are just everyday items, like a pile of old books, a plaid Scotch tape tin and a green seltzer bottle.

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    The colors, and the addition of things like greenery or bottlebrush trees, make them seasonally appropriate.

    I’m always on the lookout for things I can use in creative, unexpected ways at Christmas.

    chinoiserie Christmas tree with dried hydrangeas in a brass planter

    I used a vintage brass planter from my mother-in-law’s house for our chinoiserie Christmas tree with hydrangeas.

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    A milk glass bowl is perfect for setting a holiday scene.

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    I love old trucks and cars. Add some trees and snowballs, and you’re set. And the quilt? My mom bought it decades ago at a yard sale for 75 cents! The colors and design are perfect for a rustic, farmhouse Christmas.

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.
    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    I love filling old vases and bowls at Christmas with florals, ornaments and greenery.

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    A silver ice bucket makes a nice planter for a poinsettia.

    vintage blue and white pottery and mercury glass vase on a mirrored tray

    A stack of blue-and-white bowls — all thrifted — looks pretty sitting on our coffee table.

    blue and white bowl filled with dried orange and cinnamon Christmas potpourri

    This homemade Christmas potpourri smells amazing, and it looks pretty, too.

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    And this old tennis trophy bowl looks really festive filled with greenery, antlers and sleigh bells.

    empire style buffet decorated with blue and white choinoiserie pottery for Christmas

    Thrifted blue-and-white chinoiserie vases and pottery are so pretty when paired with evergreens and seasonal ribbons.

    empire style buffet decorated with blue and white choinoiserie pottery for Christmas
    It all started with some gorgeous, wide chalkboard ribbon. Throw in a some vintage Christmas decorations, greenery and ample pops of red, and the result is a gorgeous front porch decorated for Christmas. Who wouldn't want to spend time relaxing in this beautiful space? It's so welcoming and festive!

    Olive buckets are great for snowballs, pinecones or greenery.

    vintage red enamel bowl filled with Christmas greens, bells, red wooden beads and a woodland owl ornament

    Red enamelware vessels are great for holiday propping, for Christmas and the Fourth of July!

    vintage red enamelware and child's toys on a black buffet decorated for Christmas

    Vintage toys help set a festive scene.

    pair of vintage metal roller skates with a red plaid strap

    Roller skates and ice skates are pretty when adorned with holiday patterns and ribbon.

    vintage Christmas front porch decorations

    I go mad for anything plaid, whether it’s a rug, a vintage train case or a Thermos.

    vintage red fire alarm box used on a front porch as Christmas decor

    If you need a pop of red, think outside of box! This vintage fire alarm box is definitely seasonally appropriate.

    And let’s not forget about a little green…

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    This chippy crock sits on my kitchen island year round, but at Christmas, I’ll add a mini tree and ornaments to it.

    green allsorts bin decorated for Christmas

    A green Allsorts bin looks pretty styled with a tree inside.

    vintage green wooden toolbox used as a coffee table at Christmas

    An old wooden toolbox, painted a fabulous green, is the perfect Christmas coffee table.

    Christmas tree decorated with gold ribbon and pink and green ornaments in a formal living room

    A green demijohn filled with sparkling lights and a green glass decanter definitely give off Christmas vibes.

    I love all the vintage and rustic Christmas decor she used to decorate this gorgeous stone fireplace mantel for the holidays.

    This vintage dough bowl that was part of my Christmas mantel decor didn’t have to go back into the attic on Dec. 26.

    Sometimes, it’s all in how you style things.

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    This old silver tray isn’t Christmasy, but it sure looks that way with the addition of a boxwood wreath, jingle bell ribbon and other accessories.

    If you like vintage style and color, you'll love this vintage Christmas home tour at AttaGirlSays.com. Room after room of inspiration, featuring fabulous vintage finds mixed with modern details. You'll love all the gorgeous fabrics, and the way the homeowners use pattern and color. And if you're crushing on gold, you don't want to miss the living room in this house!

    Old books, especially green and red ones, make pretty Christmas displays.

    brass deer and candlesticks and brass shadowbox on a pink table

    A brass deer takes on a festive air in December.

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    Santa’s naughty and nice list is an old piano roll.

    Bring a little sparkle and shine (and lots of glitter!) to your Christmas decorating by making a jeweled Christmas wreath using vintage rhinestone jewelry.

    And did you see the Christmas wreath I made from vintage rhinestone jewelry?

    If you like vintage style and color, you'll love this vintage Christmas home tour at AttaGirlSays.com. Room after room of inspiration, featuring fabulous vintage finds mixed with modern details. You'll love all the gorgeous fabrics, and the way the homeowners use pattern and color. And if you're crushing on gold, you don't want to miss the living room in this house!

    These stockings are made from old burlap bags.

    2014 Christmas Home Decor and Tour at AttaGirlSays.com

    A message of joy turns a vintage child’s chalkboard into Christmas decor.

    2014 Christmas Home Decor and Tour at AttaGirlSays.com

    Vintage kitchen utensils and linens in a wire basket are a fun holiday touch on the kitchen table.

    vintage Christmas mugs filled with vintage ornaments

    Fill thrifted teacups and Christmas mugs with bottlebrush trees and old ornaments to create a pretty vignette.

    You don't have to buy all new decorations to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. Scour yard sales, barn sales and antique stores year round to find vintage decor to use at Christmas.

    I hope you’ve enjoyed these ideas for using vintage decor at Christmastime.

    How do you plan to use vintage items in your holiday decorating? Do you collect vintage Christmas ornaments or other antique holiday decorations?

    Pin This! How to Use Vintage Decor at Christmas

    bottlebrush Christmas trees and a paper house displayed in a milk glass compote for Christmas

    I origially shared this post as part of the Home for the Holidays 2016 Christmas tour. Visit these other bloggers for more Christmas decorating ideas.

    Holiday Mantels

     


    Holiday Recipes

     


    Holiday Crafts

     


    Holiday Decor

     


    Holiday Tablescapes

     


    Filed Under: Christmas Decor, Decorating, Holiday & Seasonal Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas decor, vintage christmas, vintage decor

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Angie ~ ambient wares

      December 09, 2016 at 7:58 pm

      Loooove the red enamel bowl and of course everything else! Thanks for sharing your beautiful home with us at Funtastic Friday!

      Reply
    2. Sharon@bluewillowhouse

      December 09, 2016 at 11:28 am

      Love all of your charming vintage Christmas decor. Thank you for sharing at the Snickerdoodle Create~Bake~Make link party! I am featuring your post this weekend at Snickerdoodle..

      Reply
    3. Victoria @DazzleWhileFrazzled

      December 08, 2016 at 9:51 pm

      Love your Shiny Brite ornaments. Makes me want to stop at some thrift stores! Visiting from Craft Frenzy Friday party.

      Reply
    4. Leanne

      December 08, 2016 at 12:17 am

      Your home is beautiful! I love all of your vintage and retro pieces. It looks like the perfect Christmas!

      Reply
    5. Angie @ Postcards from the Ridge

      December 06, 2016 at 6:56 pm

      Amy – I love, love, love all of your vintage goodies. I’m a vintage collector myself and have many of the same things. I love how you’ve used them all. Have a merry Christmas! ~ Angie

      Reply
    6. Kim~madeinaday

      December 05, 2016 at 8:46 pm

      I love many of you finds!! Love that scotch tape too! Beautiful decor. Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday! Pinned & Sharing on FB! Have a great week!
      Kim

      Reply
    7. Diane @ An Extraordinary Day

      December 04, 2016 at 10:54 pm

      Amy, you created so many charming vignettes with your vintage decor for Christmas I really can’t choose a favorite. Though I am smitten with the milk glass bowl because I inherited my grandmother’s and have always LOVED it. Your idea of filling it with trees is perfect!

      Reply
    8. Lydia

      December 03, 2016 at 11:25 am

      Your Christmas Decor is so beautiful and brings back such comforting and wonderful memories!

      Reply
    9. Leanne

      December 02, 2016 at 12:44 pm

      These are so pretty! I love how you’ve used and displaced all your special and vintage Christmas decor.

      Reply
    10. Vicki and Jennifer 2 Bees in a Pod

      December 02, 2016 at 8:39 am

      Love, love, love! Your “old-fashioned” Christmas decor is beautiful!

      Reply
    11. Suzy Handgraaf

      December 02, 2016 at 8:28 am

      What a wonderful collection you have! I love how you’ve displayed non-Christmas’y items in a Christmas’y way! Don’t be surprised if a few things just happen to go missing. Just sayin….

      Reply
    12. Maryann @ Domestically Speaking

      December 02, 2016 at 12:08 am

      I love your vintage Christmas collection!

      Reply
    13. Paula

      December 01, 2016 at 7:15 pm

      I am a fellow vintage lover and I so much enjoyed seeing how you incorporated your vintage things into this year’s Christmas decor. It all looks so nice and I know you will enjoy it all of December. I also peeped at your porch when I took a break at school the other day and loved what you did out there. I’ll bet that your neighbors enjoy walking in front of your house to see the decor on the porch as it changes with the season.

      Reply
    14. Sondra

      December 01, 2016 at 3:54 pm

      I LOVE everything about this!! Your shiny bright ornaments boxes sure take me back – these are some great vignettes! Thanks for being on the HFTH tour, Amy!!

      Reply
    15. Jessica

      December 01, 2016 at 3:49 pm

      Everything is just beautiful! I love the milk glass bowl with the village scene, so charming! I also think I need to make some burlap bags into stockings, I have a few laying around that I don’t know what to do with. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    16. Deborah

      December 01, 2016 at 11:51 am

      I couldn’t agree more. LOVE! Our goodwill’s are full of antique ornaments! I have to be careful not to hoard!

      Reply
    17. heather

      December 01, 2016 at 11:39 am

      Oh my goodness! Those Shiny Brites!!!! SO GREAT!

      Reply
    18. Jeanette Chaney

      December 01, 2016 at 11:07 am

      Amy, you have blown me away!!! I love everything! Can I come over for Christmas?:) You have shown us how to take everyday items and make them Christmas. Pinning and sharing.

      Reply
    19. Lynn

      December 01, 2016 at 10:22 am

      Hi Amy, I’m thinking we’re somehow related! Not only am I in NC (Wilmington), but I share a fondness for vintage ornaments and decorations, especially at Christmas! In fact, I just took a picture this morning of one of my ornaments that look so similar to the one you have towards the beginning of the post.

      All your decorations are just so lovely! Thanks for sharing.

      Hugs, Lynn

      Reply
      • Atta Girl Amy

        December 04, 2016 at 7:57 pm

        You never know, Lynn! And I have family in Wilmington, too! My aunt and uncle, Buddy and Belinda Joyner live there, along with their adult sons, Greg and Jarrad. It would be such a small world if you knew them!

        Reply
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    1. Snickerdoodle Create~Bake~Make Link Party #161 | The Blue Willow House says:
      December 10, 2016 at 4:59 PM

      […] How to Use Vintage Decor at Christmas […]

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