A Very Vintage Christmas Part II: Retro Reproductions

Sometimes, try as we might, we can’t find our dream vintage piece no matter how hard we look. Didn’t find what you were looking for on our post about sourcing vintage Christmas decor? Read on to see some A+ reproductions.

Tru-Tone LED Bulbs

These traditional-style glass bulbs really capture the look of mid-century string lights, with the added bonus of being LED (less power wasted, less heat generated). Now you can recreate Christmases of yore without the fear of one bad bulb knocking out the whole string of lights, or an overheated one setting your tree ablaze! We love the eco-friendly combo of glass over plastic and LED over incandescent: “Tru-Tone LED bulbs consume 0.6watt. Standard Incandescent C7 bulbs use 5 watts. That’s a whopping 88% savings. Standard Incandescent C9 bulbs use 7 watts, so you’ll save even more at 91% energy savings! Put another way, a tree with 125 C7 Tru-Tone bulbs will use 75 watts and glow just as brightly as a tree with 125 C7 incandescent bulbs consuming 625 watts! No wonder the tree served as a space heater!”

Tru-Tone bulbs consume 0.6 watt. Standard Incandescent C7 use 5 watts. That’s a whopping 88% [energy] savings!

Kurt Adler “Early Years” Ornaments

Kurt Adler’s beautiful collection of vintage-styled glass ornaments have been on the top of our wishlist for years. From mid-century indented bulbs to beautiful wartime novelty pieces, Adler’s delicate, detailed ornaments make for a stunning addition to any tree. These are available in many stores and online, but before you go to order off Amazon, we suggest checking out Retro Festive, the pop culture and Christmas store in Oakville, Ontario, just outside of Toronto. Shop local this Christmas!

Vintage Tinsel Wreaths

A mid-century Christmas isn’t complete with tinsel. Lots of tinsel. Unfortunately the loose stuff can get a bit messy, so we recommend sticking to something cleaner, like this sparkly wreath from Putti Fine Furnishings.

Light Covers

When the first Christmas lights were introduced to a captivated public in 1884, they were not only expensive, but were unrealistic for most people as many still did not have electricity in their homes. However, by 1914 the cost of lights and electricity had come down considerably, and by the 30s most families had some sort of colourful light for the holidays. I’m not sure when exactly the first shaped and figural light covers arrived on the market, but I believe I’ve seen them from at least the 1920s. Early versions were glass, and ranged from mini Santa Claus to animals, fruit and even licensed characters like Betty Boop. Today you’re more likely to find ornaments that mimic this style, but some of the classics that pop over lights are still to be found, here and there.

Are you searching for a modern take on a vintage favourite?
Let us know in the comments.

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A Very Vintage Christmas – Retro Mid Century Xmas Ornaments

As much as we may be in denial about winter being here, it’s hard to deny Christmas is around the corner when you’re bombarded by Christmas music in all the malls and decorations starting to pop up in stores and street corners. Instead of grumbling about how it all starts “too early”, we’ve decided to embrace it and take this time to help you prep for your own holiday celebrations, vintage style. Here’s our list of where to source the best decorations for those of you who like a “classic” feel.

Cheerful Reproduction Ornaments

Nothing says retro Christmas like the classic Shiny Brite ornaments. The most popular ornaments of the 1940s & 50s, they faded out of fashion in the later half of the 20th century, but in 2001 Christopher Radko began reproducing them, complete with vintage style box! You can find them a lot of places online, including Amazon.

 

 

Kurt Adler is another company that has really nailed the vintage aesthetic. You can find his stuff on Amazon as well, and he’s got everything from sparkly glass ornaments to small novelty characters, bubble lights, and classic clip-on birds, as seen below.

Garlands, Tinsel & Icicles – Oh My!

No vintage tree is complete without some classic garlands and tinsel. Retro Festive has a super fun popcorn garland (if you want the look without the salty temptation) The Holiday Barn has a  candy garland if you prefer something sweeter, and of course there’s the classic Shiny Brite garland, again from Amazon.

For tinsel, you can try a garland like this kitchy pink one from The Holiday Barn, get some beautiful handmade tin icicles from Pietersma Tinworks, or go with a real classic like Brite Star tinsel strands. While all of these are available from Amazon, I have lucked out before and come across some Brite Star type stuff at Dollarama. They get their share of decent stuff and it’s dirt cheap!

Retro Keepsake Ornaments

Maybe you’re not looking to replicate a classic tree, and just want something to show off your retro-loving personality. If that’s the case, there are a tone of cute and kitschy “keepsake” ornaments out there, like these fun little guys from Old World Christmas or Winterworm (bonus – they’re in our colours!).

 

You can get both of those on Amazon. Or you can check out specialty stores like The Holiday Barn and find ones like these retro cars and trailers, which are always fun.

Of course you can also take your chances scouring vintage shops, Etsy or Ebay for some authentic vintage pieces, though the prices can be steep, and if you’re worried about little hands or paws knocking things over, you might want to steer clear of the real thing.

What’s your favourite spot to score a vintage style ornament? Let us know in the comments below.

-E.