Today is Christmas Porches Tour day!!!
It's the day I get to team up with some amazing bloggers to show you what we've been up to on our porches for the holiday season!
I am so EXCITED! And if I'm being honest, a little bit scared!
This is the only official tour I do for the holiday season and I always want to put my best foot forward. But my best foot might just involve a few blowmolds and I know kitschy vintage pieces aren't everyone's thing. Gasp.
And then I got to thinking (I do that sometimes), that I want to show you how you can use some retro pieces mixed in with your rustic or traditional decor and have something sort of special.
And not in the "Bless her heart" sort of way, but in the "Good golly, she's convinced me to dig grandma's blowmolds out of the basement" sort of way!
At the end of the post you will see links to the other bloggers' porches.
5 Tips For Adding A Little Retro To Your Christmas Decor:
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- Use your more rustic or traditional decor as the base and then add in a couple fun and funky retro pieces as the accents.
- It will probably be easiest to set up the entire porch with the rustic decor first and then add in the retro goodies second. That way your mind isn't going back and forth when trying to see what looks good together. One design era at a time, people.
- Flea markets, thrift stores, estate sales, antique malls, Etsy and Facebook Marketplace are all excellent places to find retro Christmas decor.
- Add a little bit of whimsy! Retro Christmas decor was fun, bright and a little bit funky and a lot of the time it was plastic. Don't shy away from plastic!
- Just go for it! It's easy to second guess yourself when all you see right now on the internet is gray walls and shiplap, but if you want to dive into a little retro Christmas decor, dive in the deep end and don't worry about your beehive hairdo getting wet.
The Retro Front Porch Christmas Goodies
This small blowmold Santa sleigh and reindeer is a fun vintage piece. He's very nostalgic looking.
As are the vintage blowmold candles.
I wasn't 100% sure I was going to put the candles on the porch or not.
I bought them a few years ago and I generally keep them on the back porch at Christmastime, but I thought they would UP the kitschy Christmas factor out front this year.
So I promoted them to the front porch and am so glad I did!
By the way, a tutorial for the porch urns can be found here - Easy Holiday Front Porch Planters (and as the name implies, they really are that EASY to make).
You can't go wrong with a stack of Shiny Brite boxes. Ever.
I joked on Instagram that these only lasted on the porch long enough for me to take photos, because, although everything else is on the porch is there for real, these were here just as "props".
Not going to leave my babies out in the cold, wind and rain!
On the other side of the porch I put the second candle along with a sign I made a few years ago.
I didn't bother to make a tutorial for the porch sign, because it's basically a piece of wood I bought at Home Depot painted with the word NOEL and a wreath hung around the O. Simpler than simple.
The Rustic Front Porch Christmas Decor
I hung fresh greens around the doorway.
It's takes about 20 feet of pine garland to go from one end of the doorway up around and over to the other end of the doorway.
Since the local garden center had 25 foot rolls of garland at a good price, I used the extra 5 feet to drape over the top of my brown wooden cabinet thingie. I first showed this shelf on my fall porch - Simple Fall Porch Decorating On The Cheap.
The HUGE pinecones on top of the cabinet are sugar pinecones. Sort of hard to see in the photos, but they are pretty impressive as far as pinecones go!
I found the deer head silhouette at a local craft sale a few months ago (I link to a similar one in my "Where To Buy Christmas Porch Decor Online" section below) and wired it to a behemoth live winter wreath. It's 36" wide across and fits perfectly in this space between my door and window.
And then I placed some bundles of live winter greenery (mostly cedar, spruce and holly) in a galvanized tub in front of the porch and in the green wooden box beside the cabinet.
I think I may have put the garden center owner's kid through college with all my greenery. Seeing as how we have at least 7 huge pine trees in our yard, I probably could have gone the natural scavenge-for-yourself route, but I love the variety of greenery at the local mom and pop garden center.
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. You can read my full disclosure policy here.)
Where To Buy Christmas Porch Decor Online:
22" Fresh Christmas Wreath (great size for typical front doors)
36" Fresh Christmas Wreath (same size as I used beside my door)
Blowmold Christmas Candles (mine are actual vintage ones, but these are a similar look)
And don't forget I also have an Amazon shop where I list a whole bunch of Christmas goodies!
Other Post You May Enjoy:
Front Porch Christmas Decorations (circa 2017)
Christmas Porch Decorations (circa 2016)
Where To Buy Reproduction Vintage Christmas Decorations
Now scoot on over and see what everyone else has done to their porches this year!
Christmas Porch Tour
Follow the links below for the full Christmas porch tour lineup, featuring 18 home decor bloggers. Be sure to visit everyone for lots of ideas to add festive touches to your porch and other outdoor spaces.
Monday, Day 1
My Thrift Store Addiction // Postcards from the Ridge // Cottage at the Crossroads
Petticoat Junktion // House of Hawthornes // DIY Beautify
Tuesday, Day 2
Sweet Pea // Duke Manor Farm // StoneGable
Sand Dollar Lane // Atta Girl Says // Our Southern Home
Wednesday, Day 3
North Country Nest // My Creative Days // Worthing Court
2 Bees in a Pod // Major Hoff Takes a Wife // Craftivity Designs
Margo
I love the bench/shelves. I’m looking for something like this to put in my kitchen area to display some of my favorite Christmas dishes. After downsizing for retirement I had to give away my large hutch and now have nowhere to put all these favorites. I too like the retro look and have a collection of Napco girls from back in the 50’s and 60’s.
Pamela
Very pretty. I also like the colors of your house the siding and shutters. And I use to have candles like that.
Meegan
You KNOW that I love your style, Pam. Always creative with a vintage twist.
Your porch is a perfect welcome for your Christmas visitors.
Pam
Thank you Meegan!!! That means the world to me!
Atta Girl Amy
I was THISCLOSE to buying some retro candlesticks for my porch this year, but the pricetag scared me away. I'm gonna cross my fingers that they'll go on sale, and I can get them for a steal! I love your colorful, kitcshy space exactly because it is unique and creative and not like every other square I see on Instagram! And I just had to laugh about your comment about putting the garden center owner's kid through college. I'm pretty sure there's a pumpkin patch kid getting an Ivy league education thanks to me! And this year, I did splurge on some greens. We should probably plant and grow these things ourselves, but who needs more work, right?
Thanks so much for being a part of the porch tour again this year.
Pam
Thank you for inviting me! I look forward to seeing what every is doing on their porches each year!
Jane
Pam, I always love to see how you've decorated your porch each year. You do have the unique gift of displaying vintage items to perfection. I also love how you use natural items, and I really wish I'd added real garland around the front door after seeing yours!
Pam
Oh, but your porch is AMAZING as is! I used to have a huge cow collection, so I loved your theme this year!
Angie @ Postcards from the Ridge
Pam, your porch is so pretty and fun. I love your porch pots. And all of your charming vintage items are just perfect, especially the green pieces. Love it all.
Pam
Thank you! I LOVE making those porch pots. I try to do a different version every year!
Maria
I love your porch it just screams vintage holiday porches, so pretty.
Maria
Pam
Thank you Maria!
Lisa
Your porch is fun and festive. I love everything about it. You did a great job. I think my favorite thing has to be those black urns.
Happy Monday.
Lisa
Pam
I love those urns too! And they are plastic! I bought mine at Lowes, but they have the same ones on Amazon. When I bought them I was thinking "Oh, if they last a full year I'll be happy", but it's been 4 years now I think and they are still looking good and haven't lots their color at all!
Patti
Of course I love all your naturals but I really do appreciate the kitschiness of your posts too. Such personality. Truly one of a kind. I'm sure everyone who reads this has a smile on their face and they're thinking, "Hey, I think I might have something like this I could use in my stash."
Pam
That's so kind. I do hope I inspire people to think outside the box a bit 🙂
Cindy
Pam, it's fun, it's festive and it's entirely original! I'm a HUGE FAN of decorating with what makes you happy, and I only wish I had anything of my grandma's to bring out during the holidays! Love your sweet porch friend! Blessings for a very Merry Christmas! 😉
Pam
You are so sweet! So glad you are part of the porch tour!
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
I always love your porch decor, Pam...and at Christmas it is always even more special! Love the whimsy! I need to make a NOEL sign!
Pam
Thank you Linda. I really do enjoy playing around out there!
Kris @ Junk Chic Cottage
Pam I love seeing your porch for the Holidays. I love all your mix of retro things. Just brings back so many great memories. I love it all so festive and pretty. Have a great new week.
Hugs,
Kris
Pam
Thank you Kris! I was just checking out your fabulous party! The planning and attention to detail you go to with that is amazing!
Kari Wagner Hoban
I envy your porch in the kindest way possible. I have a stoop, so I am always dreaming of a day when I will have a porch.
I love what you did with this and I adore the plastic red candle that screams my youth. 🙂
Pam
But you have a picket fence!!! A picket fence is almost as fun to decorate, right?
Cecilia
Pam, I share your affection for vintage and retro and would love to get my hands on some blowmolds--love yours! Also, you reminded me that I need to bring out my Shiny Brite boxes, too! Your porch is charming and welcoming! Happy to be joining the tour with you. Blessings, Cecilia @My Thrift Store Addiction
Pam
I saw a whole bunch of them for sale in a booth at the Country Living Fair last year, but the prices were astronomical. I don't think I've ever spent more than $5 for one at a yard sale!
Debra
I absolutely love your blowmolds! I have never seen the candle ones with a santa on them. Great find!
Pam
Thank you! I found them a few years ago. It was the first time I had seen the Santa variety before!
Paula
I look forward to seeing your Christmas porch every year, Pam. This year's porch is vintage perfection. I love every single detail and admired all of it over my morning coffee.
Pam
Thank you Paula! If you're missing that glorious red Coleman cooler one morning, you'll know where to find it!