Vintage Christmas lights are a sure shot way of fusing the past with the present during the festival time as nothing evokes the past gracious era more than vintage Christmas decorations.
Stores selling vintage Christmas items have proliferated but unless you are prepared to pay through your nose, flea markets are your best bets for picking up bargains. Or scour your grandparents’ attics to rescue those precious vintage Christmas tree lights or vintage Christmas ornaments and bring back the retro in your modern drawing room.
Some of the traditional vintage Christmas decorations include the old fashioned aluminum Christmas tree which was mounted on a round mirrored pedestal which could be rotated. Lights changing colors would be focused on it and though it may seem garish today, the aluminum Christmas tree is one sure way of evoking the past era.
The rotating changing light displays have become very difficult to get hold of and if you do manage to get one, you have struck gold! The silver tinsel trees of the 60s are equally popular today but getting increasingly difficult as well as expensive to find.
Vintage Christmas ornaments are reflective of a particular period and delicate, hand-blown Victorian glass ornaments instantly transports one to a more romanticized and royal era. These of course are very expensive but those growing up in the 50s or 60s will remember with pleasure the ‘Shiny Brite’ ornaments or those clear bells with figures in them and which, if you look hard enough, can still be got at reasonable prices.
Some of the vintage bells were covered in gold plastic and 8 or 9 bells were strung together from the trees. Tin decorations engraved with renditions of Saint Nick bring back the 20s with full force. Traditional wreaths and garlands made of pine boughs and holly hung over the mantelpieces with colored glass balls or gold painted pine cones still look great.
Earlier people used to place tiny candles in holders on the trees to act as Christmas tree lights but this was always a risky procedure as the tree could easily catch a fire. This then gave way to bubble lights and it is possible to find these vintage Christmas tree lights even today. Only make sure that there is no frayed wiring and it is in good working condition.
Christmas night lights can be used to illuminate the entire house from outside and give it a fairy-tale look. A few popular designs include snowmen, Santa faces, hollies and berries, Christmas trees and wreaths etc.
Vintage Christmas lights and decorations have become exceedingly popular in recent times in a bid to bring back that romance and graciousness which have been traditionally associated with Christmas.