It's a great day here in NYC. Well at least to me. We finally have a break from the super hot weather and have temps in the 60s!!!! YAY! It totally feels like fall! Too bad it's only for a day,but I'll take what I can get. This weather is really getting me thinking about apples, pumpkin, comfort food and nice warm flannel throw blankets. So... what do you think I spent most of my morning doing?
Christmas researching with a nice mug of hot coffee!
Around this time every year since I was a kid, I get what I call the "Christmas Tingles". Its that little butterfly-y feeling most of us got when we knew Christmas was right around the corner. The only difference is that I get the "Christmas Tingles" MUCH earlier than most people, and they last through the rest of the summer on till New Year's Day (After that I get the "Post Holiday Dumps" and they make me a little sad and not myself. I try to focus my energy on Valentine's Day/Honey's and my anniversary).
I'm doubly excited for Christmas this year because we have decided to make this year's Christmas a vintage one. That means I'm giving all of our old decor to charity (unless it's some of the more expensive collector's stuff I've been known to buy) and replacing it with vintage or vintage look alike decorations! I'm so excited I can barely contain myself.
The theme for this Christmas will be a 1940's Christmas. Maybe a little more post-war than rations... Yes, I know, I'm admittedly more of a 50's girl but I'm not a big fan of 1950's Christmas decor. I REFUSE to get an aluminum tree and all the not- so-Christmas colors of the decade put me off a little. I much more lean toward a Victorian ideal of the holiday. But in keeping with my personal affinity of all things mid century, I decided that the 40's would be a good compromise. It's before all the artificial-ness of a 50's Christmas but not so far back that I would bore Honey with sugarplums, marzipan and Wassail (although I do enjoy a good marzipan and Wassail).
So what does having a 40's Christmas mean in my mind? Well, I was thinking a 40's Christmas would have been a lot more homemade. Handmade decorations and gifts. Actual stockings hung as opposed to the Santa boot shaped stockings on the market today. A live tree (which we do anyway) decorated with popcorn and baked goods.
I'm already planning on buying some strands of Bubble Lights, which were popular in the late 40's. I think I may buy these new, although I'm sure I could find vintage ones on Ebay. I was thinking of ordering them from here
Christmas Central
Or do you think these multicolored ones (from the same company) give more of a retro feel?
I think it may overwhelm our tiny apartment. Especially since I tend towards larger trees.
These are definitely on my to do list when the holiday rolls around. I found this recipe for inedible Christmas cookie decorations. I've never tried anything like it before so it should be fun. The recipe comes from The 1940s Experiment (the link will take you directly to the recipe). Aren't they adorable!
I also want to make a few paper chains. In years past (in my life pre-vintage) I shied away from hand made decorations. I thought that they may not look polished and may look like a child did them. But THESE (click the link and scroll down the page) from London's Imperial War Museum's 1940s House all decorated for the holiday make me want to try them out.
This exhibit was from a couple of years ago. Fleur from Diary of A Vintage Girl did a Christmas photo shoot there. I love it! The photos give great 1940s inspiration.
Here is a video of the house all done up for Christmas.
I would love to get some vintage Shiny Bright ornaments like these:
They're all over Ebay with decent prices so it's time to get a jump on that! Before the prices go up!
So, that's the beginning of my Christmas prep. I just need to organize my ideas on paper and start purchasing things. I'm a stickler for coordination in decorating, so I want to make sure everything flows correctly AND stays in the designated time period.
Before I say goodbye I wanted to leave you with THIS little essay that I found about the author's Christmases as a child growing up in 1940's North Dakota. It's sure to get your "Christmas Tingles" tingling!!!!!
Every month on the 25 (Rudolph Day) I'll be doing a Christmas themed post. It may be baking idea, gift ideas or any of the many things that ramble through my mind about the holiday on a daily basis. Be looking out for the posts. Hopefully we can bounce ideas around about how to make the holidays as vintage as possible!!!!
Happy Rudolph Day, Lovies!!!!
xoxo
I totally agree with you! Fall time is the best and my favorite time of the year! For me, the two favs are Halloween and Christmas so I totally feel you on the "holiday tingles" lol since it is going to be here before you know it! CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW FAST TIME IS FLYING!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your posts for the month...am hoping you have a lot of fun 40's recipes for foods and drinks as that is the best part of the holiday!
Also, it would be so cool if you found some vintage wrapping paper on Ebay and showcase it on the blog! I have never seen wrapping paper from our time periods so that in itself would be really neat.
I love it! Last year I was going to attempt to do my version of a 40s christmas but I started too late. Now I think is the perfect time to start and I plan to include the kids in making the decor. Lots of garlands to make for the doorways and tree. I am so excited. And its so nice to see that other can get excited about the holidays just as much!! xox
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, that really does put where we are in the calendar year into perspective. I absolutely adore Christmas, too, and love that you're already counting down to the big day! Growing up we made a few batches of those (exquisitely scented) apple sauce + cinnamon decorations (which decorated with glitter glue) and to this day, nearly twenty years later, my mom still has (and displays each year) some of those very decorations (from day one she reinforced the backs of them with lines of hot glue to help give them more strength - and it sure did work!).
ReplyDelete♥ Jessica
Whenever I go to thrift stores, rummage sales, or garage sales, I always keep my eye out for vintage Christmas decorations. It doesn't matter what time of the year is, if it's cute, vintage and within my budget it's mine. I've bought all of our Christmas ornaments used. It's way cheaper and also reusing something that would otherwise go into the dump.
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