Sunday, November 28, 2010

VINTAGE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS!!!


   In spite of the use and abuse of ultra modern engineering and the rushing hullabaloo of the 21st century, people often seem to become nostalgic when it comes to home decorating for Christmas.  Norman Rockwell's creations-marvelous pictures of Victorian villages under the snow, children eagerly waiting for the arrival of Santa Claus while carolers walk around the villages singing Christmas carols.  Thinking to families decorating a beautiful Christmas tree and drinking hot cocoa with marshmallows, makes our hearts feel merry.  These "old world" visions are the reasons why a lot of us desire vintage Christmas ornaments for decorating our homes.  However, truly old vintage ornaments can be difficult and expensive to acquire.



   Not so long ago the nostalgic desire for items from the past has caused a boom in the artistic creation of vintage hand crafted Christmas ornaments in the last 10 to 15 years.  A lot of online and regular retail outlets specializing in vintage items now offer hand crafted classic Christmas ornaments made of silver or tin with that old days flavor.  Hand-blown, gorgeous glass ornaments to dazzle the eye, vintage twenties looking tin ornaments engraved with the early renditions of jolly old Saint Nick, and softly shining bubble lights in an array of beautiful colors.



   Maybe gold and silver glass ornaments shimmering in the soft light of the Christmas tree, whose top is adorned with an old fashioned tin star or a painted angel, looking like it came right out of a Norman Rockwell painting.  Some homemade garland of popcorn and cranberries, strung around the tree along with crystal "icicles" glistening from the reflections of the Christmas lights.  Tiny "gift" looking ornaments and other metallic pieces of tin shapes.  Cotton or cardboard shapes of cutout fruits, birds, and an assortment winter scenes.  There was a time when people would put tiny candles in reflective holders all over the tree.  Their use was highly risky as it cause many a home fire.  Nowadays, it's possible to have the same kind of old world candles without the open flame.



   Current trends are moving towards old wreaths that are made of foil and tin with pearls or angels attached,  as well as traditional wreaths made out of pine and holly with gold ornaments and dried flowers.  Modern Christmas garlands are not as beautiful as vintage garlands made out of small pine limbs tied with natural bonding materials like hemp,  and decorated with colored berries and pine cones.



   For many of us, the Christmas holiday is a  time to relax and think of Christmas's in our past.  Where things weren't harried and busy.  Nostalgia creeps in and makes us wish for when things were much simpler, a time to reminisce.   When  we were kids and didn't have to worry about all of the other things that happen in our life.  When we looked forward for school being out for the Christmas holiday, going down to the department store to see Santa (before they had malls), loading up into the car to check out Christmas lights,  looking at the brightly wrapped presents under the tree and guessing which ones are yours.  Decorating with all of those wonderful old decorations and ornaments kind of brings us back to that time, even if it's just for a moment. 

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