Posts on theantiquedjourney.com may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn on qualifying purchases. You can read the full privacy policy and disclosures here.

Holiday Decorating With Thrifted and Antique Items

By Rachel

published 11/28/2020

Share this post. Share the Journey!

Last Updated on October 18, 2024 by Rachel Granholm

Let’s do some holiday decorating with thrifted and antique items!

With the holiday season knocking on our door, I thought it would be fun to show you some ideas for holiday decorating with thrifted and antique items! I’ll walk you through my Christmas decor this year and show you how I used thrifted and antique decorations throughout, so grab some hot cocoa and follow along for some festive inspiration.

Table of Contents

Decorating for Christmas on a Budget with Vintage Finds

Pulling from farmhouse, rustic, and scandinavian styles, I initially wanted to keep my Christmas decor really simple with minimal pieces.

Once I got going and started playing around with things, my idea of that changed so I just went with it! Sometimes the idea in your head gets thrown to the wind once your creativity kicks in. The storyteller comes out and you find yourself having so much fun and that’s all that matters! Just flow with it and it will turn out beautiful.

In my decor this year you will notice lots of flocked greenery amongst pops of red with the use of raw wood tones. Hints of mixed metals and timeless patterns, found thrifted, pull everything together.

Shop Vintage Christmas Items

The Vintage Christmas Mantel

This mantel is not your standard straight across mantel due to the chimney placement, which creates two triangle type areas on each side. It’s always been a challenge to decorate, but we can’t move the chimney so I just go with it.

The mantel tells a story of Christmas on a farm. On the right side, you will notice a Christmas barn.

Side note: I’ve been looking for something exactly like this for a couple years, because you know me and barns! I unexpectedly (and very happily) found this at a thrift store by my house for $4.00 which was perfect for my decor!

Anyways, to add height, I used a large round piece of wood under the barn. There is a cute old truck parked near the forest outside that is holding the barn’s Christmas tree. The flocked trees add texture and the antique milk jar adds a nostalgic feeling.

Moving to the left side, you will notice a beautiful, antique mantel clock that my husband recently purchased. This was the first time I needed to decorate around it, which was a bit challenging because I needed a bit of height in the back due to the size of the clock. To achieve that, I went with a wintery forest, utilizing many flocked trees.

The pretty orange garland pulls in an organic texture and the timeless plaid pattern of the ribbon is a festive addition. You can read my tutorial for making your own orange garland here.

Finally, the stockings! These stockings and stocking holders are fairly old and we have used them for many years. Even though they are mismatched, the colors are cohesive which helps tie them together.

They give off a cozy, warm feel and flank both sides of the fireplace beautifully.

Christmas Shelf #1

This shelf is the good example of sticking to a color palette and using what you have. I have collected vintage milk glass for years. It is displayed all year round in different areas of my home but have never thought to use it in my Christmas decor.

This year I decided to integrate it into our Christmas decor and I absolutely love how it turned out. I started this shelf by spacing out some of my favorite milk glass pieces. Then, I added in simple wooden trees.

Christmas Shelf #2

The inspiration for this shelf came from the beautiful antique brass candle holders that are featured here.

Now, I’m not one to use brass accents in my decor, but I spotted these at the thrift store last week and there is just something about them that really spoke to me.

Inspired by a mixed metal look, I paired the brass with the galvanized tin barn and used a large wood round to tie in the rustic feel. The wooden pictures add height in the back while the windmill and the white vase anchor everything together.

The Christmas Tree with Vintage Style

We’re using our narrow tree this year to save on space and allow more room to walk around. My Christmas tree has always been pretty timeless, using white lights and ornaments I have had since I was a child.

My husband and I also get an ornament each time we go on a vacation together, so it’s fun to reminisce about those vacations each year as we put them on the tree. Keeping with the nostalgia, I used a simple ribbon on the tree with a red ticking stripe around the edge to tie in with the red berries.

The angel topper and the tree skirt are vintage and extremely special being that they were both my Grandma’s. When she passed away years ago I was able to take many of her special items.

I love using them each year! They surely bring about a classic Christmas feel. Using family heirlooms in your decor is very rewarding and brings back memories of Christmases gone by.

Other Vintage Christmas Items and Accessories

Other antiques used are these adorable Santa’s! These were my husband’s grandma’s Santa’s that she would display in her home for Christmas. We have inherited them and they are just adorable.

They are from the late 1970’s which makes them almost 50 years old! The cute Santa’s are full of charm and exuding such joy. They happily adorn shelves and ledges during the holiday season.

This cut iron Christmas tree was a find at an antique store years ago. It adds such a simple touch to my kitchen counter and ties in with the mixed metals on the shelf.

As an anchor to tie this spot together with the other parts of the house, I used the same ribbon that is featured on the Christmas tree.

The dining table looks stunning draped with this vintage lace tablecloth that I found at a thrift store for $2.00!

Paired with a rustic wood trough filled with burlap ornaments and red berries, it encompasses all aspects of a cozy Christmas.

Closing Tidbits

By combining thrifted and antique Christmas decor, with maybe a few new (but cheap) items sprinkled in, you create a beautiful blend of vintage and modern. In doing so, you are using pieces that others have enjoyed long ago and are making them a part of your Christmas journey.

I hope you feel inspired to create a cozy Christmas by incorporating some antique and vintage decor into your space. May this season bring a sense of calm and peace to you and your home. Cheers to this joyous holiday season!

Let me know in the comments below how you would like to style your home for Christmas!

If you are new here, I’m Rachel, the writer and content creator here at The Antiqued Journey. I’m so happy to have you! I encourage you to stop by the ‘about me’ page to get to know me a little more.

Here on the blog, you will find loads of inspiration for decorating with vintage and antique decor, simple DIY crafts and many thrifting adventures. If that interests you, I invite you to sign up for my e-mail. You will receive a free digital download as a thank you!