If there’s one thing you need to know about me, it’s that I am smack dab in the middle of the red and green and Ho Ho Ho camp at Christmastime.
And vintage.
To me, Christmas just isn’t Christmas without a healthy dose of vintage Christmas thrown in.
I think it comes from growing up where I can’t remember my mom ever buying a single new Christmas decoration. Except for the very, very fake looking Christmas tree they bought in 1970.
Picture green toilet bowl brushes stuck into a wooden pole and you’re just beginning to get close to how bad it really looked.
But the point is that we took the boxes out of the attic each year and decorated with what we had.
Who cared that something was a new trend in Christmas decor that year? It wasn’t coming to my house! Except that damn tree!
Well, my dining room has a lot of the same type of things that my mom decorated with way back then. Some are actually her decorations (mostly on the tree) and the rest are from thrift stores and estate sales.
I’ll keep the chit chat to a minimum due to the heavy picture load here. (Let’s see how long THAT lasts).
OK, I can’t keep my mouth shut any longer.
I know tinsel isn’t for everyone, but it really sets off the Shiny Brites.
If you are a Shiny Brite fan, give tinsel a whirl this year.
I decided to do something just a little different with the tree in this room, by putting it in my old toy box.
I’m sure the toy box would not be kid-safe by today’s standards. As a matter of fact, my brother stuffed me in here, put the lid on and then sat on top of it when I was a kid.
I lived through it though.
OK, I gotta go now. I have a sick kid and a hungry husband, so there’s snot to clean up and pizza to order. And maybe some hand washing in between.
Cozy Little House
It’s beautiful, Pam! I especially like the tree in the toy box! I was trying to figure out what that was. Your vintage-inspired home really should be in a magazine. Is it pepperoni?
Brenda
Pam Kessler
1/2 plain and 1/2 pepperoni. Gotta have some pepperoni!
Sam I Am......
You are so funny! LOL! But your decorating is seriously awesome! I love vintage and yours is lovely. Icicles really bring back the memories. TFS!
Sandy aka Doris the Great
That toy box is gorgeous. Nice job there, girl!
Vickie @ Ranger 911
Your old toy box is a wonderful treasure that you’ve held onto, Pam! And your green typewriter fits in with your Christmas decor and any holiday, for that matter. One can never have too many Shiny Brites, and you better hang onto those, too, because they’re getting harder to find these days! Your home looks warm and inviting. I hope your son feels better and your pizza isn’t cold. Take care.
[email protected]gsmygardenandmary
Love the tree in the old toy box. All of my ornaments are kinda old – haven’t purchase any for a long time. Everything is beautiful Pam – hope your child is well soon.
Mary
TARYTERRE
LOVE the tree and tinsel. It looks perfect in the toy box. Also crazy about the Santa and reindeers on your table.
Joanne Noragon
I have to say, you’re a master at accumulating vintage ornaments. My father would be so irritated it we handled ours carelessly and chipped paint, or, inevitably dropped and broke one.
I didn’t see bubble lights. I think my dad had those the first year they came out. That would complete my childhood memories.
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
Love that old toy box…it is amazing the things kids survived back then… Your home is so pretty, Pam…love the tinsel!
Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME
Love your vintage tree in your old toybox! Cute, cute!!
mzzbev
Love, love, love it all! Merry Christmas! -Bev
awal.ny
Pam I love the vintage ornaments. They are my favorite, and that old toy box is just perfect. I love all the color your dinning room. I try to find vintage ornaments for our big living room tree, they have the best colors and I love when they are faded. Have a wonderful weekend. Alaina
Debby
You are too funny. I like the tree in the toy box. I am all about smaller trees and yours is prefect. Love the tinsel. The tinsel I don’t like is the ones that are all wrinkled and badly stored away that is thrown on the tree. Hope Max feel better soon.
Kim @ Savvy Southern Style
That toy box is the cutest thing ever. How lucky to still have that.
Musings from Kim K.
The toy box is perfect. Love tinsel too. If our cats didn’t eat it, it would be draped on everything. Gorgeous decorations. The older the better. Stay healthy. I think I need to type a Christmas letter to Santa on our vintage typewriter.
Rhonda S
LOVE that toy box! In the early 50’s I had a square one that had two chalkboards doors on the side that slid open and closed. Oh, how I wish my mom had kept it! You reminded me of a decorating staple in our house growing up- Santa mugs on the windowsill, filled with candy canes too! Your house is a wonderful trip down memory lane. Thanks for sharing!
ThrifterSisters
Glad to see you stepped away from your husbands garage and got around to decorating the inside of your house! That vintage Christmas monster must have been rearing his tinsel covered head 🙂 I keep seeing tinsel on a lot of the vintage decorated trees. I am almost ready to try it now that my kids are old enough to not try and eat it (I hope).
Happy Holidays, Pam!
~Erica
Kerin
Love your tree, and I think that the tinsel and old toy box round out the vintage vibe, perfectly.
My grandparents always had an artificial tree, and we always had a real tree. I thought at the time, that they must be rich, to be able to afford an artificial tree… seems kinda funny now 🙂
Thanks for taking time to share with us.
Gayle
Pam, You keep a smile on my face. Being stuffed in the toy box explains a lot of things ; )
We had the same model of tree after my brother developed allergies to pine. Up until then my mother let him sleep by the tree because he always seemed sick at Christmas—oops.
Oh and seriously, you have a knack for displaying your treasures.
Gayle
Patty Antle
You have fabulous vintage things. I’ve never seen a toy box like that – it’s wonderful. Love everything!
Melinda
Your dining room is looking quite festive and fun. Love all the
vintage ornaments. I what you did with the tree. Sorry you got stuck
in there as a child though.
M 🙂
Ivy and Elephants
Love the tree in the toy box!!!! So adorable! You sure do know how to mix in your vintage pieces beautifully. Love it!
Hugs,
Patti
Leslie Harris
I love the toy box and the green typewriter!! And I agree, Christmas isn’t Christmas without a whole lot of vintage. I love your style Pam, your dining room looks so warm and cozy!
Robin Johnson
Oh Pam your dinning room is vintage Christmas lovers delight. I adore your tree and the tinsel. I really need to do that next year. Hubby loves tinsel, I banned it from the house when we first got married but now I’m rethinking my decision. Love all the vintage ornaments, the santa’s, bottle brush trees but wait takes the candy cane for me is your wonderful centerpiece! How amazing is that! I love, love, love it.
Vanessa
Great vintage Christmas decor!
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