Using my vintage, farmhouse and retro Christmas decor to decorate my home this holiday season.
It seems like in the world of blogs you need to constantly outdo yourself each year for Christmas decor. The wreaths get fancier, the trees get bigger, the packages under the tree get more elaborate (you know those are empty boxes that someone spent a ridiculous amount of time wrapping just for you, right?).
The decor gets more and more "staged" looking. And less and less like a real person lives there.
Believe me, no one is going to have a sip of that hot cocoa with a snowflake shaped marshmallow floating in it while sitting on that perfectly decorated bench with that "casually" thrown plaid comforter wrapped around their legs.
So this year, whenever I had the urge to add one more thing into my holiday decor routine, I would step back and ask myself "Am I doing this for me and my family to enjoy? Or am I doing this because it might make a nice photo opp for the blog".
If it was the latter, then I just dropped the glue gun and stepped back into realityville.
I prefer to know that if one of you knocked on my door tomorrow you would see the exact same scene I am showing you today, give or take a few dog toys on the carpet and Coke cans on the counter.
I am what I am, as Popeye would say.
So here's my . . .
Vintage, Farmhouse, Retro Kind Of Holiday Home Tour:
I bought this snowman mug at a local vintage/craft/everything store and he's one of my favorite things. Sure, he's gotten a little discolored and worn over the ages, but haven't we all?
Santa kicked the turkey out and has taken over the cupcake stand.
Here's a close up of the Gurley candle choir people I scored this year. Well, two out of three, the third guy was too shy for a close up.
These were my mom's NOEL candle holders. I think they're either Lefton or Napcoware??? But they're always the first thing I pull out of the Christmas bins each year.
This is just a print I bought at a gift shop and it's hung from a pant hanger. Odd, since I'm pretty sure Santa isn't wearing pants here.
Santa's multiplying.
I love that I have Santa mugs I can actually drink out of this year. I was always afraid of getting lead poisoning, diphtheria or something out of the vintage ones.
I just love my white tree with my mom's vintage Shiny Brites on it! There's nothing like the whiteness to bring out the colors of the Shiny Brites.
I was sort of mixing styles by throwing the tree in the bushel basket though, but I think it looks pretty good in there!
I repurposed the throw I had shown you on my front porch post into a table runner here in the dining room. (So I guess that's one thing that won't look quite the same if you come knocking on my door).
And my plaid Nesco picnic basket from The Country Living Fair. You gotta love plaid!
OK, go forth and decorate, eat cookies and be merry!
Enjoy those holidays before they're gone and there's just the dead of winter to look forward to! I think it's 2 degrees out as I'm writing this, so it's coming quickly.
Some other holiday posts you may enjoy:
A Vintage Eclectic Holiday Home Tour (2015)
Buying Vintage Christmas Decor At The Stores
Deanna Rabe
Pam, I completely agree! I like your vintage decor that your family loves and is Christmas to you! So many of the home tours have decor that looks exactly the same! I am so tired of neutral Christmas decor!
We like red and plaid around here!
taryterre
LOVE everything. GREAT photos to capture the mood of each piece and how it fits into your decor.
Emily of www.elevengables.com
Pam, I absolutely enjoyed your tour! Thank you for linking up to Eleven Gables party! I agree with your thought process this year. Why am I doing this? That is why my kitchen and keeping room didn't get photographed this year. We are living here and I am keeping this area just for my family. Merry Christmas to you and Yours! xox
Mary (Cottage B at Home ~ Vintage Country Living)
Thank you for your honesty, Pam!! I've been feeling the same way this holiday season and have also scaled back, in my decorating, for sure, but more importantly, in where I'm choosing to put my energy this year. I guess it's a matter of priorities, and as much as I love the way the beautifully styled homes look at Christmastime, the reality of achieving that look and keeping everything on trend and up to date at all times is just not feasible for most of us. I love your outlook on keeping it real, using well-loved vintage items, and not being over the top!!
Cheers & Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Beth
Pam just love all of this! Love all the vintage in your real home. Your down to earth attitude is so refreshing and honestly I've stopped looking at those home tours, they are just too perfect and staged (imo). Merry Christmas to you and your family
Fonda Rush
I appreciate "honest", not staged. Happiness to you and your family...Fonda
Laurie @Vin'yet Etc
Pam, I love the way you write, so refreshing. You would never find a snowflake marshmallow in my cocoa either. Haha, our home is as real and as simple as we are... There is just no other way around it. Now onto the goodies, I would love to come play in your house your vintage treasures are so phenomenal! Merry Christmas friend! xo
Susie
I loved seeing all of your pretty Christmas Decorations. In the mid 1960's my Mom had a white tree very similar to yours, so your post brought many memories back for me. It was fun seeing your vintage decorations. I could remember seeing decorations just like them at either friends houses when I was a kid, or my Mom had them at our house. It was refreshing to see real life Christmas decorating.
Bonnie Schulte
I really enjoyed your tour of Christmas "vintage". Brings back so many memories. I am so happy you had "pin it" on your photos. I put most of them on my pinterest board "Christmas once upon a time" Thank you so much for allowing me to do that...Merry Christmas to you and your family!
chris aka monkey
pam keeping it real baby, that's why I love your blog and I too have memories of things you have love it xx
Mary W Ferguson
Your decorations are great. I don't decorate for a photo shoot either, I live in my home. I really didn't purchase much this year only three items that jumped into my cart and they were 70% off, or I wouldn't have bought them.
I also have two dogs that always want to be in the post.
Well today is my day to bake, so have a wonderful Christmas.
Mary
FLORENCE L SALMER
Thank God for a reality tour! If I see one more perfectly decorated magazine spread, it'll be the death of me!!!!
Yours looks homey and attractive and it's my kind of decorating!
Rebecca
Right on board with everyone else! Love all the vintage mixed in with the new. I too would love those little choir guys. Remember those from my childhood home. I think some of these bloggers have to remember that we all have "real" lives. My house is my home and that means feet up, coffee mug by my side and there would probably be two dogs in any photos. Pam, you are my kind of gal!
Susie
I really enjoyed seeing your real-life home decor!! Brought back memories as my big family decorated with some of the same things when I was a little girl!
I hoped to see your corner fireplace since I have the same situation!!
Patty Soriano
Pam, I'm thinking that some of the other blog authors have a lot more time on their hands than I do. I can never make my home look like theirs. Yours seems very realistic and you share with me the love of vintage decorations. Seeing your Santa mugs makes me wish I had bought the one I saw the other day at the thrift shop. Well, guess I'd better get off my hiney and get some of the decorations out of the bins and onto the tree and shelves! Have a lovely Christmas and Blessings for the new year ahead!
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
I love your Christmas decor, Pam! That snowman mug is so cute! I just shared decorating snippets this year, too...it's how I decorated this year. I really love your Shiny Brites tree!