How To Create A Retro Christmas Look

Click here for more about this year’s top trends for Christmas.

15 Iconic Looks For A Retro Christmas

Here’s 15 décor details to consider when creating a retro Christmas aesthetic. Which is your favourite?

Coloured Lights

Forget the classy white lights. Retro Christmas is all about the colour. Oversized bulbs are trending high.  And if you can find those old pickwick style (flowery) bulbs in the attic, even better!

Colour Everything

And it’s not just the lights that are being given the rainbow treatment. Kitsch Christmas is the epitome of all things merry and bright! Cherry red with turquoise, pink and white as well as dashes of green, blue, yellow, purple … you name it!

Disco Ball Designs

Disco balls, mirror balls, glitter balls. Whatever you call them, they are a HUGE trend for this year and perfect for a retro Christmas design.  Whether you tuck them towards the back to work their sparkly magic or have them front and centre for a retro disco display, there’s a disco ball for everyone!

And don’t just think the classic silver mirror ball either: there’s glitter balls in every conceivable size and colour this year. Plus mirrored everything else too – lips to Santas, wine coolers to mushrooms!  So, go glitter ball crazy and spread the festive joy!

Inverted Decorations

Remember those inverted glass decorations we had on our trees growing up? They’re back and more cheerful than ever. Perfect for catching the fairy tree light!

Hand-Painted Decorations

Speaking of decorations, we’re bringing back those hand-painted designs from our childhood too. Gorgeous glass and ceramic decorations that deserve to be celebrated on our trees.

Vintage Santa Décor

You’ll know exactly what I mean when I say that jolly Santa face motif, right?!  Whether it’s on mugs, pictures, figurines or any other decorative pieces, the iconic smiling Santa face immediately screams retro Christmas! So, add them liberally to your décor design.

Other Retro Character Icons

And don’t stop there. Whether it’s those Kitsch Christmas deer, cute Mrs Christmas ornaments, carol singer figurines, or cheery snowmen with flushed cheeks, they are all welcome to this retro Christmas party!

Bottlebrush Trees

Another icon of the vintage Christmas.  Bottlebrush (or sisal) trees are back in full force right now. They are such a versatile décor piece, looking equally as fabulous on a coffee table, sideboard, tablescape or even in the front door wreath. Go for a forest of colourful trees for full-on retro vibes.

Tinsel Trees

Believe it or not the tinsel tree is back too. Both the full-size silver Christmas tree and the tabletop classics. Not quite sure how this one stacks up on the eco credentials but it’s certainly full of festive fun and nostalgia.

Tinsel & Lametta

Even if you’re not convinced by a whole tree, there’s no denying that tinsel is back in town. From the lush garlands that wrap around our tree and down our staircases to strands of sparkly lametta sprinkled liberally to our tree branches.  Let’s just be sure to reuse them as much as we can to offset the lack of recyclability.

Honeycomb Decorations

How fun to be unfolding those honeycomb decorations once again. I came across my parents’ old paper honeycomb designs recently which are still in incredibly good condition! Whether paper or foil those large fans and snowflakes, hanging garlands and honeycomb balls are all back in fashion and perfect for adding colour to your design.

Tassels & Fringes

Can we thank Taylor (Swift) for the return of the tassel? Possibly so! Either way, it’s welcome back to fringes and tassels on everything, bead garlands, and pom pom flair! All add fun extra details, full of vintage vibes.

Retro Signs

Add some cute metal signs to your décor display.  Preferably those ones that are slightly tarnished around the edges and look like they’ve been sitting in an old storehouse for the last 50 years! 

Quirky Ornaments

Celebrate the icons of a bygone era with some quirky decorations. From jukeboxes and platform boots to mix tapes and vintage TV sets, there’s plenty of fun ornaments to add to your tree.  Cute slogans work well too on bright colourful glass.

Ceramic Christmas Trees

They’re back in a big way: perfect for a side table or adding a bit of festive to a smaller room, these plug-in ceramic Christmas trees simply scream retro Christmas, don’t they?!

Easy Ways To Go Retro This Christmas

Here’s five easy ideas for adding retro Christmas decorations to your home:

1. Go hunting in your parents’ attic. My parents moved house last year and gave me and my sister free rein to take whatever decorations we’d like.  What a treat it was to go through all those gorgeous retro and vintage ornaments. Have a look what’s in your parents’ or other older relatives Christmas stores that needs dusting off.
2. Visit second hand stores. Take a trip to your local second-hand shop and see what beauties you can find. Don’t forget to try yard sales, school fairs and online marketplaces too.  You’ll be amazed what you can pick up.
3. Add honeycomb decorations. The addition of a few colourful honeycomb decorations and paper fans can make a huge impact for very little investment. Add a pop of colour or bring the palette together. And create a backdrop to showcase retro or vintage pieces you’ve found.
4. Use wall art. Add fun slogans and vintage Christmas pictures to your walls and sideboards. Find free or cheap images online to print, or buy some cute retro metal signs.
5. More is more. The trick with a Kitsch Christmas is to go to the max. When you think you’ve got enough, add more! There’s never enough lametta, and there’s always room for one more Santa. So don’t hold back, get it all on display!

But as we all know the world of Christmas trends is as diverse as Santa’s workshop itself.  If you’re in the market for more festive inspiration, check out our guide to the latest Christmas trends.  It’s a treasure trove of ideas from luxe metallics to youthful optimism, natural beauty and so much more.