How to find and style vintage Christmas decorations like a collector

The holidays make us feel nostalgic. Maybe it’s opening the box of homemade decorations from childhood or the warm smell of grandma’s Christmas ham recipe. You might turn on the TV every year to watch Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer And Miracle on 34th Street. This is the time of year that makes us think of Christmases past, which is why many of us love being surrounded by vintage Christmas decorations.

“I feel like people are really craving that nostalgic feeling. For me, it’s my childhood,” says Katie Hyatt, shop owner and owner of online antique boutique Saint Signora. “My mother gave us a piece of jewelry every year. She still does it.”

As a professional collector of old things with timeless charm, Hyatt has learned some tips and tricks for finding and decorating with vintage Christmas decorations. Here are her best secrets for making your home cozy and nostalgic for the holidays.

Browse stores when seasonal decor hits the market

Buying good seasonal decor at thrift stores can be a godsend, but you can find vintage ornaments and bottlebrush trees at thrift stores and flea markets if you time your visits right. Grab a bag of mix-and-match ornaments at a bargain price here.

But if you want something safe, you’ll almost certainly find vintage Christmas decorations on display at antique malls.

“Your local antique store is a good place. Sometimes you want to see things in person. “You want to touch it and feel it,” says Hyatt, whose home was featured in our December 2024 issue. Here you may find glass ornaments, ceramic trees and Christmas stockings.

“I really like the quilted stockings,” she says. “It kind of taps into the cottage vibe that people really gravitate to.”

According to Hyatt, when thinking about your vintage Christmas decorations, don’t overlook more universal pieces like candlesticks and sterling silver.

“Black Forest Bohemia glassware in shades of green and red: This is a great way to bring vibrant colors to the table,” she advises.

Find treasures online

According to Hyatt, there’s no better place than eBay when it comes to buying ornaments in bulk. The online marketplace is also a good source for finding antique toys.

Hyatt turns to Etsy for sterling silver pieces that can be used on the table and throughout the home throughout the season. Unusual collector’s items can also be found here, such as the Victorian Dresden gold foil cuts that she recently acquired. They are made on centuries-old dies from Germany and can be hung on the tree or used to outline parts for paper chains.

“It’s just another way to evoke nostalgia but also add a little sparkle or drama to a natural element,” says Hyatt.

Reuse Christmas decorations in unexpected ways

Hyatt recommends thinking beyond its intended purpose when using vintage decor in your home. She especially loves adding glass ornaments to her holiday table. Hyatt uses them for place cards that make every place setting an eye-catcher. You can also use antique intaglio images—engraved miniatures of classical busts or religious figures—to capture place cards.

And of course, you should make full use of family heirlooms.

“Sterling is big in the South,” says Hyatt, but “it doesn’t just have to lend itself to its traditional uses.” Plant paperwhites or mini rosemary trees in your sterling silver bowls to make them more festive.

Make the old new again

Not every vintage item you buy is valuable. Hyatt is a fan of turning old parts into something new. “People take antique quilts and make tree skirts out of them,” Hyatt gives as an example. “I think it gives a cozy atmosphere.”

Hyatt also buys old tablecloths and linens and dyes them to match their holiday theme.

“If it’s a specific piece that’s been passed down in your family, of course keep it as is,” she says. “For bedding, this is a great way to modernize it and keep it relevant.”

Invest in pieces for every season

When deciding whether you want to spend a lot of money on holiday decorations, Hyatt recommends asking yourself how often you’ll use them. “There are things that you can use seasonally or year-round and combine in some way,” she says.

For Hyatt, high-quality sterling silver is an obvious investment opportunity. She can add bows to her Georgian candlesticks at Christmas, but can also use them all year round. However, sometimes there is something special that you would like to spend a little more on. For her, it was an early 20th-century German glass tree topper that she purchased as a nod to her family heritage.

Hyatt decorates her Christmas tree with family ornaments she has made or collected over the years, wraps it in old-fashioned tinsel and attaches her antique tree topper. To finish, she likes to add bows and homemade paper chains. That sounds like a cozy, nostalgic Christmas.