Christmas Rituals and Vintage Christmas Decorations

Since my boy and I have been together, fetching the Christmas tree has been one of the highlights of my year; and bringing our vintage Christmas decorations down from the attic is one of my favourite Christmas rituals.

We have always bought a real tree and the tradition of choosing — and decorating it — is one of my favourite things in life.

We’ve collected a number of decorations over the years and I love seeing them again each December.

Granny’s Vintage Christmas Decorations

Granny's Vintage Christmas Decorations
My Granny’s vintage Christmas decorations in their original box.
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
Some of Granny's Vintage Christmas Decorations date back to the 1940s and 50s
Unwrapping the baubles.
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
Granny's Vintage Christmas Decorations include this little glass bell
Amazing to think that this little bell decoration is almost 70 years old!
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.

Mix And Match

For the first couple of years, when we owned our first home, we themed the decorations.

Blue and silver the first year — just silver the second.

But as the years have rolled by the only ‘theme’ we have is a tree full of decorations we love.

I was lucky enough to also be given my Granny’s old vintage Christmas decorations too — beautiful and unusual ornaments from the 1950’s.

Each one offering memories of Christmases past; little reminders of where we were and why we’d chosen a particular decoration.

I love the fact that our tree is always bursting with sparkle and colour. It has a real mixture of vintage and new decorations.

And they work so beautifully together — never jarring — always sitting so happily side by side.

This isn't a vintage bauble, it's my newly purchased bird decoration
One of this year’s additions to our collection.
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
Granny's Vintage Christmas Decorations — including the crazy glass aubergine!!
A mix of old and new.
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
Decorating the Christmas Tree
Lights and sparkle!
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.

My Favourite Christmas Rituals

Decorating the tree is never a rushed affair either.

It’s often spread over two or three days.

An hour here, an evening there. Sometimes with mulled wine, other times with hot chocolate. The smell of gingerbread cookies baking…

Always with music for company.

I usually play Christmas music from my iPod but this year I’ve been listening to dedicated Christmas channels on my VQ Christie Radio.

Decorating the Christmas Tree with the VQ Christie Radio
Loving the Christmas radio stations on the VQ Christie
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
Decorating the Christmas Tree with the VQ Christie Radio
Beautiful retro styling
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
Decorating the Christmas Tree with the VQ Christie Radio
Like our decorations this VQ Christie Radio is a real mix of modern and vintage.
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
Granny's Vintage Christmas Decorations
I love these vintage Christmas decorations; they remind me of sweet wrappers!
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
Decorating the Christmas Tree with the VQ Christie Radio
And this little mini is this year’s choice; we have a blue one for Cosmo and red for Bertie
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.

There’s something very comforting about Christmas traditions isn’t there?

Every year there will be bets on whether it will snow on Christmas day.

It wont.

Unless you’re, say, in Sweden.

The annual tradition of tree trimming. Getting the decorations from the attic, unwrapping each little trinket from it’s tissue paper. Greeting those little balls of glass like long lost friends.

The fact that every year you’ll hear the same old Christmas tunes on the radio; ‘Fairytale of  New York’ and Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas’.

Aaah Christmas. The most wonderful time of the year.

Bring. It. On.

Granny's Vintage Christmas Decorations
One of my Granny’s vintage Christmas decorations in pride of place.
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
Decorating the Christmas Tree with the VQ Christie Radio
My new bird decoration.
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
Decorating the Christmas Tree with the VQ Christie Radio
Granny’s little bell in a glass hoop.
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
Decorating the Christmas Tree with the VQ Christie Radio
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Photo Credit: The Listed Home.
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Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.

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20 thoughts on “Christmas Rituals and Vintage Christmas Decorations”

  1. Gorgeous to see all of the old and new decs and the memories. You have some fab pieces there. I particular love those delicious beetles #HomeEtc

    Reply
    • Aah thanks lovely — I said to Mr D (when we took the decs down a couple of days ago) that we’ve got to stop the tradition of buying a couple of new ones every year. We’ve got too many!!!! LOL!!

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