The term “vintage Christmas decor” may mean different things to different people, depending on their upbringing and what was popular for Christmas decorating in their childhood. Nonetheless, there are some staples that transcend time and are pretty much universally accepted as producing a bit of a retro air when it’s time to decorate.
For those of you who want to create a throwback atmosphere, here are some highlights from our collection that will help you do just that.
C9 Christmas Lights
Sometimes also simply referred to as “vintage Christmas lights” or “retro Christmas lights,” C9 Christmas lights have a large, lozenge-shaped bulb and are commonly used to decorate Christmas trees and other greenery as well as architectural features. Vintage Kismet lights are another great choice as well.
While they can still be used to create a lovely vintage effect (especially with some of the other decor mentioned here) our modern LED C9 Christmas lights offer some advantages over the incandescent lights of yore: they’re longer lasting, more energy efficient, and less fragile, among many other benefits.
Christmas Ornaments from Our Retro Brites Collection
Not sure where to start? Just immerse yourself in our Retro Brites collection which is full of Christmas ornaments and other decor that’s been specifically curated because it produces a vintage aesthetic.
In addition to vintage Christmas ornaments, this collection also contains vintage-inspired ribbon and other small decorative accents like music boxes, sprays, merry-go-rounds, and other decor you can use to create an air reminiscent of the Christmases of yesteryear.
Looking for another definitive icon of vintage Christmas decorating? Get a ceramic Christmas tree! You’ll find them in the Retro Brites collection, but you can also check them out in our dedicated collection via the previous link.
Finial Ornaments and Baubles
You don’t need to stick with what’s in our Retro Brites collection to find vintage ornaments. Two features to look for are finials and basic baubles.
A finial is any ornament that has an elongated taper, and typically has a bulbous top and middle section with a pointed bottom. These features were common on some vintage ornaments and definitely produce that effect.
As for baubles, if you’re not familiar, that’s just a generic term for a round glass Christmas ornament, also a staple of vintage decorating!
Both of these styles are present in many of our Christmas collections. Shop them all to get some inspiration!
Umbrella Lights
Umbrella lights are basically a special type of LED lights that are designed to spread out, sort of like an umbrella or a pendant. They can be used on their own as Christmas lights, or even used as Christmas tree toppers. In every case, they produce a pleasant, vintage air and yield soft, ambient light that will improve the setting.
Mr. Christmas Decorations
Mr. Christmas decorations are some of the most eye-catching and detailed vintage Christmas decor we carry in our entire catalog. The best part about most Mr. Christmas decorations is that they don’t just add color and appeal, they can add light, sound, and even movement, since some of them are animatronic.
Some great picks from our Mr. Christmas collection include the 90th Anniversary World’s Fair Big Top Circus, complete with 72 LED lights, and Santa’s Marching Band, which actually plays 35 Christmas carols!
Other great picks from the Mr. Christmas collection include Santa’s Crane and the Tabletop Climbing Santa, both of which deliver lively animatronic movements to bring the magic of Christmas to life!
Karen Didion Santas
Karen Didion Santas, made with unique textiles and materials, and meticulously handcrafted, exhibit an extraordinary attention to detail that you’ll find almost nowhere else. Most importantly, her collection encapsulates a wide-range of “themed” Santas, from golfers to cowboys to woodland Santas, and even specifically vintage-inspired Santas that are perfect for creating a retro atmosphere.
Mark Roberts Santas
Like Karen Didion Santas, Mark Roberts Santas showcase an unbelievable level of attention to detail and are also made with high-quality and exquisite materials. Whimsically detailed and made with luxurious fabrics and materials, these Santa figurines are also painstakingly detailed and handcrafted, and are available in a wide range of designs and themes, including dedicated retro and vintage Santas.
The Marks Roberts collection also contains more than just Santa figurines. Explore the full collection to discover angels, elves, fairies, nutcrackers, and even ornaments and more.
Explore These and Other Vintage Christmas Decor Here
The collections highlighted here only represent a small cross section of the vintage Christmas decor and accents we carry here. For the full experience, take a closer look at the collections mentioned here and the others in our full Christmas decor collection. You never know what’s waiting for you to discover it till you stumble on it!
Explore our collections, pick out a few classic vintage Christmas decorations, bring your vision to life, take some pictures and share with us on your socials by tagging us with #dwchristmas for a chance to be featured!