Favorite Vintage Christmas Decor Finds
These vintage finds were my favorite in my christmas decorating this year. Here are Creative Ways to use your old and thrifted items to decorate your home for christmas.
Do you love vintage treasure hunting as much as I do? This past year I scored quite a few wonderful vintage finds at estate, church and garage sales and vintage shops. Once revived and refreshed, they were the backbone of my Christmas decor. These pieces can be used in every season by changing up what’s around and in them. Hopefully this Favorite Vintage Christmas Decor Finds will inspire you to go treasure hunting, too!
Favorite Vintage Christmas Decor Finds
For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission. There is no additional cost to you. “As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases.” My full privacy policy is here.
Trash to Treasure Vintage Finds
Usually when I find these pieces they’re in less than beautiful condition. But the price is usually great! It’s all about spotting their potential when they’re full of cobwebs and rust. But hopefully if you’ve been around here for awhile, you’ve started seeing your old stuff with new eyes, too!
This cute green box was obviously home made. It had me at hello when I saw the red clam shell hinges. I just had to sand the rough edges and the word “Decoys” painted on the top. Once it got a coat of poly and a new front latch, it was ready for Christmas!
It looked adorable in our entryway with a couple fresh plants, an upcycled candlestick and a thrifted lantern. (You’ll see a lot of my DIY Repurposed Candlesticks tucked around the house) I used the candlesticks in each window with my favorite faux candles. (find them HERE)
For the Love of Old Galvanized Metal
I love old metal vintage finds; their industrial vibe is such a nice mix to old wood. I picked up this rusty black tool caddy at an estate sale and revived it. (see “How to Clean Galvanized Metal and Revive the Vintage Patina”) The huge colander was found in a small junk shop on a road trip.
By placing seasonal fillers in each, they turned into beautiful Christmas decor! (see 35+ Decorative Bowl Filler Ideas for Beautiful (& easy) Winter and Christmas Decor”) A galvanized wire container became the perfect centerpiece for our Christmas table setting, too. (See the whole table in “Cozy Woodland Table with Vintage Finds”.)
Decorate with Vintage Collections for Christmas
Christmas is the perfect time to enjoy your vintage collections. Just add some seasonal flourish and they become holiday decor! I picked up a very heavy old floor scale at a big junk event last Spring. Once I scrubbed it up, it became the perfect centerpiece on our kitchen island. A few seasonal plants livened it up even more.
You can see how I created a whole woodland milk glass collection display in our hutch in “Woodland Inspired Christmas Hutch Decor with Vintage Milk Glass”.
Vintage Textiles for Eclectic Style
Old textiles were the star of the show in my Christmas decorating this year. Thrifted scarves were used in many creative ways for a pop of color and pattern. (see 12+ Ways to Decorate with a Thrifted Old Scarf” ) They adorned wreaths, dining chairs, popped out of tool caddy’s and hung on the tree. I used them inside and out!
(Remember last year’s tree shutters I found at the epic estate sale? See my haul in “Thrifting for Vintage Christmas Decor”).
I came across an estate sale sign that pointed to a local storage place. The woman did estate sales and was going through her huge stash. I came home with this beautiful braided rug and knew it would fit perfectly into the look I was going for this year. It coordinates beautifully with an old oval rug that was my great grandma’s, too. I’ll be using them again with my 4th of July patriotic decor, for sure!
And an old pieced quilt (from a local estate sale) got taken apart so I could use the colorful top for our tablecloth. The vibrant colors set off the subtle woodland tablescape nicely.
A church sale deer and vintage green mixing bowl combine with a winter wreath (Bottle Brush Tree Wreath How To) for a subtle woodland scene that will look pretty all winter long.
Vintage Finds, Revived and Repurposed
You know I’m always on the hunt for wonderful vintage finds. This year I scored quite a few great pieces. The shipping crate that I put the main tree in was also found at an estate sale where I picked up this old aqua bucket. I had to take the sawdust bees nest out and give it a good scrubbing before I polyed the whole thing, inside and out. It was perfect for a small tree and another cute scarf!
My suitcase stack had been reaching all the way to the ceiling. (I maybe got 2 more this year;) To spread out the love and try something different, I stood them on either side of the fireplace. Old wooden skis carry through the winter and snow theme. (See how I refresh and revive old suitcases HERE)
On the mantel, I used the Repurposed Old Door Trees we made last year. The vintage painting that inspired the whole look this year hangs on my old sorter. The subtle colors and snowy scene inspired the rustic woodland theme decor. A smaller version hangs on the green bedspring over the mantel.
On the coffee table, a huge tool caddy ($20 garage sale find) is filled with winter greens, sticks and felted pinecones. A twinkly string of lights finishes off the display. We can enjoy this all winter long.
I still have a pretty sizeable stash of old spindles;) So we cut them down to 3-6″ and drilled a small hole in the top. Take the bases off bottle brush trees and insert them for a shabby forest Christmas scene.
A Couple More Thrifted Finds for Christmas
Mr. Fix-it tightened up this old black metal lamp I found at a church sale. Last year’s estate sale windows are the perfect backdrop for mom’s church painting. A cute handmade lighted church bird house joins my collection of churches. I didn’t even get the rest out of the bins this year!
A cute small gold bugle joins the music themed piano display. (see the popular “Violin Instrument Case Repurpose HERE). And an old wooden shelf (sanded and polyed) gives a new look to our guest bath.
Yep, the vintage gods were good to me this year! Of course, everything needed to be scrubbed and revived before it came into the house as decor.
Find all my favorite vintage revival products HERE.
That’s a wrap for this Christmas season! My decor was definitely all about my Favorite Vintage Christmas Decor Finds this year! Can’t wait to see what I find in the new year:)
For the full round up of my Christmas decor and DIY ideas, see HERE.
If you enjoyed your visit, be sure to sign up to Become an Insider, so I can send all the ideas right to you! (Sign up HERE)
Follow Me: LTK | Amazon | Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook
Sharing at these lovely parties:
I LOVE your vintage woodland wonderland, and I’m so glad you’ve been taking time to enjoy it! Now that we’ve had a bit of snow, there’s nothing more peaceful than sitting among the cozy decor with a cup of coffee in the dim morning light.
Although, I grew up celebrating December 25th, we always left all our decorations up to honor my mother’s heritage of celebrating Orthodox Christmas, which is today, January 7th. So you are not “late” at all 🙂 I am never in a hurry to take down a labor of love!
Congratulations on your daughter’s engagement! What a sweet picture! Our family event was enjoying watching our 10 month old granddaughter celebrate her first Christmas. What a joy!
Thank you for all your inspiration! Happy New Year!
So glad you had a wonderful Christmas, Amy:) Yes, love getting cozy with Christmas lights and a warm cuppa…but I prefer the night dim to the morning;) How fun to enjoy grandchildren; they are indeed a blessing, I’m sure! Happy New Year!
I really enjoyed seeing your home all decked out for Christmas. I, too, didn’t get my new SLIM tree up til 12/23 and I am leaving it up for a while. I love the light system of brites/pastels/ whites. I can’t handle the flashing, but the fading is pretty. My Nativity set has its place of honor, too! I have a Maine moose in with the camels. It’s fun to see who notices! And a black sheep! I have done my share of bargain hunting for Christmas craft supplies and am ready to work on stuff for my November church bazaar! But, first, the Febuary dollhouse/train show that I do every year! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Kathy!
It was certainly worth the wait to see all of your amazing upcycled and vintage Christmas decorating! You are certainly a vintage collecting pro! Honestly, yours are my favorite Christmas decor pics of 2023!
Thanks for being the great junk collector that you are.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jane:) Thank you!
I’m with you in that I’m still(or just starting) decorating on Dec 23rd! Everything looks great!
Better late than never, right? As long as we enjoy it, it totally works!
Well I’m with you for doing things on my OWN schedule. After many years of retailing and my own shop—where you have to decorate on a schedule, I’m much more laid back on my own decorating. We had a major household upheaval this year, and the only thing I dragged out since we weren’t having holidays was my vintage handmade village. I loved all your ideas, and I will definitely be on the lookout for scarves this year, and odd bits you used on your tree mantel for trees. Also loved the ‘tree’ wreath…adorable, and bits of snow here and there. Thoroughly enjoyed the ‘timely’ or Anytime holiday ideas! Sandi
Thanks, Sandi, glad you enjoyed it! Yes, I remember putting up Christmas lights before Halloween when we had our store. Nice to not have to rush like that anymore.
I don’t care how late it was just glad you shared it and your wonderful news. Thanks and now a wedding to plan, congratulations!!
Thank you, Marlene; I appreciate that!
I can tell you were quite busy and I know you’re going to love the process of planning a wedding with your daughter. Soooo exciting! But on a selfish note, I’m glad you got this tour up. It’s fantastic! Love the new pieces. That blue barrel bucket is amazing. I swear I don’t know how all the people around you get rid of such great stuff. Well, I get the estate sales. Anywho, cheers to a fabulous (and busy) 2024. I’m looking forward to seeing what it holds for us both. pinned
Thanks, Cindy! Happy New Year to you!
LOVE IT ALL, Lora!!! You really outdid yourself this year and what a YEAR you had with sourcing all of your pretty finds! I found a lamp exactly like your black one at the thrift store a few months except mine is a deep red. How fun!! Also, what an amazing way to use those old spindles!!!
SO happy for your girl…congrats to you all! Hope you had a super great Christmas and Happy New Year!
Your red version lamp sounds beautiful, Rachel; what a score! Thanks and Happy New Year to you!
Everything looks so beautiful. So warm and cozy. Congratulations on your daughter’s engagement. How wonderful.
Thanks, Renae; we’re pretty happy about it!
Oh Lora….I love it all! I’m so glad you shared all those great ideas. I’m stealing the colander with the cookie cutters & pine cones idea! Those spindle trees…I have a box of spindles! T AND if you ever want to sell those tree shutters….I can drive to Minnesota for them!
No snow, no sun….strange winter!
Hugs from Iowa,
Michelle
PS. I don’t think we could ever go to a sale together because we would both be grabbing up the same goodies….vintage souls we are!
Finally got some snow, yay! Yes, still enjoying those “new” tree shutters, but if I ever get tired of them…;) Yes, probably good we vintage shop in different states, indeed!
First, congratulations on the engagement and your can’t believe you have no snow!!
So unusual.
Your home is beautiful for Christmas. Love the spindles on the bottle brush trees.
Thanks, Cindy! They were my favorite this year:) Finally got some pretty snow!
You have such a creative mind. Love the way you styled all your finds from this year. My heart always swells for a braided rug and a round one is special.
It is a beautifully made rug; right when I saw it I thought Christmas! Glad you enjoyed all the ideas, Pam; thanks!