This year, reproduction vintage Christmas decor is HOT at the stores. All of a sudden the stuff we love is going mainstream.
Sure, we'd all love to have original and authentic vintage Christmas decor, but what if Grandma didn't leave you all her Christmas decor when she died? What are you gonna do about it?
- You can whine and moan about your cousin getting all the good stuff.
- You can hang out in thrift stores and at estate sales and try to recreate Grandma's Christmas stash (this one really does appeal to me).
- Or you can buy some reproductions and enjoy the look the easy way!
So for those that don't have the time or energy to hunt down the originals or for those who just want the retro Christmas look FAST, I've compiled a list of where you can find the top 5 iconic vintage Christmas decor items you pretty much need to get for your holiday decorating.
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. You can read my full disclosure policy here.)
Updated For The 2023 Holiday Season
This post was originally published in December 2018. It's been recently improved to include updated shopping links for 2023 and additional information on my vintage holiday obessions The year may have changed, my love of vintage has not.
Top 5 Iconic Vintage Christmas Decor Items
Santa Mugs
There ain't no party like a Santa mug party!
They're cute, they remind you of cookies and milk at your granny's house (even if Cousin Susie is drinking out of your favorite Santa mug as we speak), and some of the reproductions out there are spot on.
Where To Buy Reproductions:
Pottery Barn has a wonderful traditional set of 4 Santa mugs that look just like the vintage ones. Seriously, it's hard to tell them apart from the original version.
They also have little mini Santa mugs. Shot glasses, if you ask me. But hey, I'm not judging what you drink out of Santa's head.
And they even have a matching Santa pitcher you could fill with Tom & Jerry drinks. The holiday drink, not the cat and mouse. (I have a recipe showing you how to make traditional Tom & Jerry drinks HERE).
Not into traditional red and white in your holiday decor? They do have plain white glazed Santa mugs if your aesthetic is more subdued Christmas colors.
Shiny Brite Ornaments
Nothing says nostalgic Christmas more than a Christmas tree filled to the brim with Shiny Brite ornaments. Most of the ones on this white tree were from my mom's house, but I have found quite a few at estate sales and thrift stores also.
This tree also has some handmade pipe cleaner ornaments I created to look like the 1940s originals. I have instructions and downloadable faces to make this super easy craft in my post titled Chenille Pipe Cleaner Christmas Craft.
Where To Buy Reproductions:
Amazon is my go-to place for all things Shiny Brite if I can't find them out in the wild.
And I've also found some nice Shiny Brite ornaments at West Elm this year. They come in all the traditional shapes (balls, bells, indents).
West Elm also has some fun Shiny Brite Tinsel Garland that would look great on a vintage-style Christmas tree. And even a whole small Shiny Brite Tabletop Tree (a little tree with ornaments) if you want to just buy it all together and throw it on the coffee table.
I have also seen boxes of Shiny Brites and Shiny Brite tree toppers sold at HomeGoods, but that's sort of a crap shoot since each store has different items in stock at different times.
(Can you say crap and Santa in the same article?)
Vintage Ornament Wreath
I've been wanting to make my own for a few years now, but I just haven't gotten up the nerve to glue a bunch of my Shiny Brites onto a wreath yet.
But if you aren't squeamish like me, having a vintage ornament wreath is a great way to show off your love of vintage Christmas decor all in one space. It definitely makes a statement!
Where To Buy Reproductions:
Wayfair carries this retro-styled ornament wreath this year. The ornaments are shatterproof, which is a good thing in my house, so you get the look of vintage without the fragility of vintage.
Grandin Road has an interesting take on this type of wreath by using mixed greens, lots of colorful ornaments and battery-powered lights. It all combines for a fun look!
Of course, Etsy is a GREAT place to find these types of wreaths using ORIGINAL vintage ornaments. One of my favorite sellers is Kitschmas Wonderland whose wreaths are jam-packed with both new and vintage ornaments and a whole lot of whimsy.
Blow Molds
Blow molds are one of those retro Christmas items that I didn't think would ever make a comeback, but come back they did! In all their glorious plastic luminosity!
Like the candles I have on my front porch or the Santa I put out every year.
Where To Buy Reproductions:
I purchased this cute snowman at Michael's a few years ago (I just checked, he's not available for 2023!), but I did find some similar snowman for you. Ace Hardware has a 40" very vintage-looking Union Products snowman version. It's based on an original blow mold mold from the original Union Products company so they tend to have that same very old-style look. Ace Hardware also carries a fun 3 ½ foot Santa for the porch also made from the original Union Products molds.
Menard's always carries a surprising variety of blow molds. I always enjoy walking through their forest of fake trees and outdoor decor every year. Or you can find all sorts of Santas, candles, toy soldiers and such on Amazon.
Traditional blow mold Christmas porch candles are always a fun way to decorate the porch for the holidays! Or you can't go wrong with a Toy Soldier beside your fireplace.
And Walmart has this amazingly cute 24" vintage-style reindeer blow mold! Doesn't she look like Clarice in the Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Movie?
I just bought this one for myself last week. Not really based on a vintage blow mold, but very retro-looking!
WARNING - they also had these last year and she sold out VERY quickly.
Ceramic Christmas Trees
I think other than the blow molds becoming popular again this year, the one that really surprised me was ceramic Christmas trees! They are all over the place!
Where To Buy Reproductions:
Where CAN'T you buy them should be the question!
Of course, Etsy and eBay are great if you want authentically vintage ones.
I've seen the new battery-operated LED ones that have the same look without the cord at Target and Amazon sells corded versions. All mine are corded, but I can see where the battery-operated ones would be convenient for a mantel or dining table.
Psst - You there. The ceramic Christmas tree lover. Yeah, you! - You have to check out Ariel at PMQ For Two's lineup of ceramic trees on her sideboard! Stunning!
Speaking of ceramic Christmas trees, I picked up the little guy in the photo above at a local antique store. It's cute at just 10 ½" tall and oh-so colorful!
What's your favorite vintage inspired item to collect for Christmas?
Annette Kelly
Pam, you are so sweet and generous in having this giveaway. I thoroughly enjoy your writing style which I find so humorous. I hope you and your family have the best holiday!
chris tucker
all of your porch post have always made go gaga, and as i was scrolling through this post and came onto the tree i said out loud ohh i love that tree, i made my dog jump up and trot over to me for a treat, have a Very Merry Chri
chris tucker
have a very Merry Christmas pam that was supposed to say lmbo xx
Lisa
Love the tree & your blog!! Merry Christmas!!
Robyn G
This post brought back such good memories! My mom still has her ceramic Christmas Tree she made in ceramics class, along with an elf boot we always put candy canes in. Also a plethora of hand painted ceramic ornaments. But my absolute favorite is her faded plastic blow mold light-up Santa that gets displayed every year without fail. There are pictures of my first Christmas with that Santa sitting by the tree. Thanks for the trip down memory lane this morning!
Dawn
Love vintage and love what you do with the items to make them look so cute.
Detta Penna
I love looking at your blog. And my ceramic tree story is just like everyone else’s. mom made the tree in the 60s in her ceramics class, and after her death it disappeared. I found one in a thrift store and sent it to my brother. And I would love to have one of my own! Thanks for all the good ideas!
LaVonda Popp
I think vintage Christmas decor is just the best, probably because it reminds me of my childhood Christmases. My mom used a foil tree with the revolving color wheel for years - oh to have that in my house! Love the Shiny Brights, too.
Joyce
Thanks for your inspiring blog posts. Thanks to you I am enjoying Grove Collaborative, also. I have been collecting vintage Christmas the past 10 years or so. I turn to your blog to get ideas and tips. Thanks.
Donna Weigand
I am so fortunate that my son in law gave me a ceramic tree, he had 2 which were passed down to him from his grandparents.
Rolinda H Christman
I love the ceramic Christmas trees, I inherited one from my mom (and returned the bigger one to my ex - his mother made it - wish I still had it!) - would love to give this one to my daughter! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to You!
Linda Greiss
Fun post! Merry Christmas!
Donna Setters
My Mom painted one of these trees in ceramics class, however I've totally lost track of who in the family inherited hers. I wasn't the one. Though I did score a few of her Shiny Brites. I've enlarged that collection now. The old wax Santa boot with teeth marks was mine, too....over the years the toe of the boot finally fell off....waaahhhh.
Teri
Pam, love the post! I am fortunate to still have my mom's ceramic tree and intact. The memories it invokes are priceless since she is gone. Old or new, they still make me smile. Merry Christmas.
Pam Jacob
Love vintage Christmas everything! I did find the Shiny Brite ornaments at TJ Maxx and I scooped them up. I have vintage ones too from my 97 year old MIL, but I’m almost afraid to use them. Thanks for sharing these goodies Pam!
Pam
Sandy Beets
Ooo! Love vintage Christmas
Sherrie
I love all things vintage especially at Christmas. Have only recently discovered your blog, but have really enjoyed them. As a kid growing up in the 70's, my family and i always went to see both sets of grandparents in the country. I used to love my grandmothers bottle brush trees, ceramic tree, shiny brite ornaments on their live trees that my grandpa would cut down on their land. Such great memories of a simpler time. Merry Christmas!