If you’ve decided you want to have a very retro Christmas this year, then check out these great ideas for bringing a touch of vintage back into the festive season.
Miniature artistic designs from the late 1800s often featured birds, winter landscapes and birds. See if you can pick up these quaint, decorative items to hang in your home, from your windowsill using some sprigs of evergreen, for example. Create your own garland or wreath using picture from vintage cards and decorate with ribbon bows for a traditional Christmas of old look.
Birds were a big feature of traditional Christmas decorating so look for anything bird related to add a vintage touch to your décor. Ornamental birds with wire or clips are perfect for clipping onto your tree or creating a colourful display around a fireplace.
While we don’t think you’ll want to return to the sparse ‘make do’ decorating of the 1930s and 1940s, there is something to be said for the homemade aspect making a resurgence. Popcorn would be strung with a needle and thread and used in place of a garland along with paper decorations and pine cones. Why not get your children to make a popcorn garland, some colourful paper designs and even painting pine cones in gold or silver? It’s a great way to tell them about the past too.
Tinsel became increasingly popular in the 1950s so if you’re going with a fifties theme, be sure to include heaps of the sparkly stuff. The 1960s saw the emergence of fake Christmas trees which became the choice for many young, stylish families. Many of these artificial trees were also covered chemically-created flame retardant fake snow. This was also the time when the mass production of cheap baubles took off, giving consumers much more choice over what to use for decorations.
Why not add some retro Christmas pillow or cushion covers to soften up your interior? Or a fun Christmassy tea towel to get you in mood for cooking that turkey! Whether you want to go with a traditional festive scene or something with a feel from a particular decade, you’ll find a huge range of Christmas Designer Fabrics at http://www.higgsandhiggs.com
What you choose to top your tree with can also add to a vintage feel. The style of a star or the appearance of your angel can easily reflect a bygone era of your choice. Other easy homemade ideas include a vintage style Christmas paper chain and framing and displaying vintage Christmas postcards whether on the wall or on the mantelpiece.
Retro items can be bought from stores but if you’re looking a unique find and a bargain then don’t forget to check out charity shops, jumble sales and even car boot sales as you never know what you might find!