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.
Quick View of What You'll Find on This Page
Granny’s Vintage Christmas Decorations
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.
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.
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.
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.
I’m sitting here on the train with this month’s The Simple Things in front of me with similar decorations on the cover. Sweet wrappers is exactly what they are like! Lucky you to have such treasures from your granny. Our tree goes up relatively late, but I love all the ritual of decorating it.
#homeetc
That’s so funny!! I haven’t seen this month’s mag yet — looking forward to seeing it now! Definitely lucky to have those treasures — they’re so old!! Amazing they’ve survived!
Oh HOW beautiful and what a collection. Stunning decorations. My twins did all our tree this year and it looks shocking but they had a ball! I think thats me redundant from that job forever!
Happy Christmas lovely, have a lovely one with your boys :) Love, Jess xxx
Haha!! That’s one job that I’ll never give up!! LOL!! Decorating the tree is out of bounds for the boys — they can stick up the off bauble but that’s it!!! Haha!! Mean mummy ;)
The radio is lovely and decorating the Christmas tree would not be the same without music!
I also love Grannies decorations – so precious.
We decorate our tree with ornaments collected from our travels!
Loving the vintage baubles Caro! I love how old decorations tell a story of Christmases past. Funny now that all my 3 are of school age, we have reverted back to a themed tree in the ‘good room’ and a fun, colourful one to welcome visitors in the hall – how middle aged is THAT?!!! Happy Christmas lovely and thanks for letting us all share in #HomeEtc this year. Looking forward to more in 2017! K xx
Ah your decorations are amazing, how lovely to inherit such beauties from your granny. Gorgeous #HomeEtc
Oh I want one, wish I had a Xmas list to put it on, maybe next year. How perfect is your tree, you make the whole process sound just magical, I really think I want to move away from our theme to something like yours, I am very jealous of yuor vintage decs xxx
My Mum still has some of these decorations! They are so much fun! I have that Radio too, sits next to my bed, so I can wake up to music instead of beeping!
I love this tradition!! It’s great that you’ve collected so many decorations over the years as well as heirlooms. I love going to my Mum’s around Christmas because she still has a lot of the decorations from when I was little – in all their 80’s naffness!
The radio looks gorgeous Xx
Oh, how wonderful to have your granny’s ornaments..Precious things with sentimental value. We’ve got a new artificial tree we bought in the January sales and its much taller than our first family tree. We are escited about putting it up in our extension and hopefully have some folks over for mulled wine and mince pies. We don’t have any ‘special’ decorations but I think its a tradition we should adopt…Adding something special every year.
That radio looks fab. I love radios. All of the colours and styles. Gorgeous.
Aaand I’m sounding like a broken record but I do appreciate great photography. #HOMEETC
OMG it is called Christie, I need that radio, do you know every Sunday I listen to Elaine Paige I love shows its my fave afternoon of the week, I listen to the radio loads. Any you Grannies decorations are gorgeous my Nan had decorations the same I particularly remember that green spotty one, I so wish i had them now, it would mean so much putting her decorations on the tree x
I know!!!! When I saw the name I thought of you!!!! You NEED that radio Mrs Christie!!! :)
Oh I just love that you’d managed to keep hold of those ornaments for all these years! I’m trying to do something similar for my little girl but don’t know how long they’ll last if she keeps trying to climb the tree! Haha
#HOMEETC
Ahh that is so lovely that you have your granny’s decorations. I can relate where you used to decorate trees by theme, we used to do that, but now it’s mix and match and all colourful, each bauble has a memory! Have a great Christmas with your lovely family xxx
#HomeEtc
I love those old boxes full of beautiful things! I’m like you – my tree is always a colourful jumble of decorations I love. I’ve also developed a bit of a thing for that Heart xmas radio station! Hope you have a great christmas! #HomeEtc
Gorgeous collection of decorations. I now let the boys choose a decoration every year, so hopefully we will end up with a beautiful collection.
I love your radio too but just had a look a the Emma Bridgewater polka dot one and it’s gorgeous! I just love polka dots!
#HomeEtc
You have the most stunning Christmas decs, mine are truly terrible in comparison!
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
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!!