Hello friends and welcome to my Christmas home! I’m so excited to be sharing my living room as part of Marty’s ( A Stroll Thru life ) Home Tour series. Welcome to those of you coming over from Jo-Anna’s gorgeous home! Thanks to Anne and AnnMarie for at Simply2Moms for filling in for Marty:-)
If you’re new, you can read more about our home in this post.
During the Christmas season, especially, I really want to recreate the memories I had as a child, and the experiences I imagine those before me had as well – particularly my family who lived on this property since the 1920s. I have used many of the same things they used, and I’ve used things popular in the early 1930s when my paternal grandparents were settling in here, some I’ve collected, and many passed down from my mother. Here is a quick, little background to explain my inspiration for doing something so different from the mainstream Christmas decor.
My grandparents married in 1926 and lived here with my great grandmother until after my uncle was born.
They later moved just out the road to the house my great grandfather had bought as his summer property, and the property where we live and my parents live now.
My daddy was not born until 1939, but grew up in this house as well as a little cottage across the driveway they sometimes stayed in during the cold, mountain winters. The house was sadly torn down in 1960, and a new house built in its place, where my parents live now, but all the architectural elements were saved and stored in another Victorian cottage on the property. I have been restoring and installing all of that in our house for the past 15 years – doors, wormy chestnut moldings, beadboard, etc. My dreams of the old house and what Christmas must have been like inspired how I decorated this year – tinsel garland, icicles, glass beads and ornaments – several actually from this photo with my great grandmother and grandmother in the front parlor.
I used to dig up a tree here on the property, but in 2014, I bought a Nobilis Fir from Grandin Road (no longer available) when I was hired by Romantic Homes Magazine to shoot and write a Christmas feature. I had to shoot in January/February, so I decided to get this tree, and I still love it. It looks like trees I remember from my childhood.
I topped it with great grandmother’s angel, and used vintage Shiny Brites, handmade ornaments my mother made and some she gifted to me, as well as Jewel Brite angel ornaments from my childhood, great grandmother’s glass beads, vintage tinsel garland and icicles. The doll was a very special gift sent by my grandfather from Paris to my mother when he was in France during World War II.
Last year, someone on my youtube channel told me about Tru-tone Bulbs, and because I cannot stand the blue glow of LED color lights, nor the chartreuse glow of the clear lights, I was excited to try these, and they did not disappoint. They look like the old C-7 bulbs, but are LED and have the realistic warm glow of the incandescent lights. The first electric Christmas lights in the late 1800s were color, and color reigned supreme until the 1980s when clear gained in popularity, so these color bulbs are perfect for a vintage Christmas tree.
I also decided against foraging for all the greenery I use every year, and opted for tinsel garland. Tinsel garlands have been around forever, and are a must as well as icicles for a vintage-style tree. A simple arrangement of bottle brush trees on the mantel seemed perfect with the 1921 Sessions clock. The oil pastel by Louis Rowell, from 1911, was the view from my great grandmother’s front porch in the yellow house I shared earlier.
Christmas card displays seemed to be very prominent in all the photos of Christmas past I found, and I was happy to display some from my maternal grandparents, including my first Christmas card, and a couple I found on eBay years ago.
Books, candles, and a bowl of sugared fruit ornaments are all I needed on the coffee table my daddy built.
More tinsel garland, Christmas cards, great grandmother’s 1921 portrait, and the 1940s radio daddy remembers listening to FDR’s funeral on, keep the vintage feel.
I made the cardboard version of the Victorian about 10 years ago out of cereal boxes, and it’s a little worse for wear:-) My dream would be to build the house back using what was saved. I found the church on eBay years ago.
Be sure to check out the video tour with more of my inspiration and influences.
Thanks so much for stopping by today for what I hope was – at the very least – something different and nostalgic:-) Coming later this week will be my kitchen inspired by the 1930s – and the set of The Waltons:-)
Next up on the tour is Brendt at She Gave it a Go so be sure to check out her amazing home:-)
I’ll leave you with this poem that is the essence of Christmas, by the Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman.
The Work of Christmas
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among others,
To make music in the heart.
–Howard Thurman (1899-1981)
2023 Christmas Home Tours
Monday’s Tours
Simply2Moms | Worthing Court Blog | Midwest Life and Style
DIY Beautify | Peacock Ridge Farm | The Stonybrook House
Tuesday’s Tours
Our Southern Home | Calypso in the Country | Chalking Up Success
Pink Peppermint Design | The House on Silverado | Lyndale Drive
Wednesday’s Tours
Southern Home and Hospitality | A Pretty Life in the Suburbs | Whispering Pines Homestead
She Gave it a Go | Decor to Adore | Eleanor Rose Home
Thursday’s Tours
County Road 407 | Thistle Key Lane | White Lilac Farmhouse
My Family Thyme | Southern Hospitality Blog | Clean and Scentsible | Bungalow 47
Friday’s Tours
Shiplap and Shells | It All Started With Paint | White Arrows Home
This is Our Bliss | Thrifty and Chic | Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Oh Anita I am completely enchanted with your nostalgic decor. I truly love the vintage images you shared of your family.
Author
Thank you Laura:-) I just feel the need for something comforting and familiar these days:-)
I always enjoy learning about the history of a home! Yes, I can see why you feel very nostalgic. Your Christmas decorations are classic and beautiful with lovely rich colors. Thanks for sharing your style!
Shelley
Author
Thank you Shelley so much!!
Thanks for the lovely tour! I always enjoy seeing how you incorporate your vintage memorabilia into your decorating and vignettes. I love how you decorated the tree; I would never have guessed it was faux had you not mentioned it. It’s great to be on the tour with you again. Happy ‘vintage’ Christmas!
Author
Thank you so much Jayne!!
This post was so interesting. I love all the history of the home. (Old historic homes are my favorite!!!)
Thank you for taking us back in time.
Author
Thank you so much Jodi! No one believes our house is actually under 20 years old because we’ve replaced just about everything on the interior with old:-)
Absolutely fantastic! I loved reading about your house and family history, what special memories you keep alive. Beautiful.
Author
Thank you so much Jo-Anna:-)
Anita, it’s truly delightful learning about your home’s history, and your vintage Christmas decor is absolutely lovely. Thanks so much for sharing, and Merry Christmas! -Brendt
Author
Thank you so much Brendt!
I love the special pieces and the family history behind them. Those are what make the best decorations. The ones that are passed down and have special memories tied to them. So happy to be touring with you this week!
Author
Thank you so much Jen!!
The early 1900s is one of my favorite historical eras so I was enamored by your Christmas decorations. So lovely!! I’m so happy to be on the tour with you—Merry Christmas!
Author
Thank you so much Kate:-) Merry Christmas to you!!
Thank you for sharing all the amazing history and details about your home! All your nostalgic decorations are such a wonderful way to honor your family. Merry Christmas to you!
Author
Thank you so much Anne!
Your home is absolutely stunning. I loved every minute of your tour. Blessings to you.
Author
Thank you so much Renae!
Thank you for sharing your memories, I always enjoy them. Have a blessed and Merry Christmas.
Author
Thank you Marlene, I appreciate that:-) Merry Christmas!
I love that you’re sharing the history of your home. Your vintage decorations are so beautiful and it’s such a treat to take the tour! Merry Christmas!
Author
Thank you so much Michelle!
Anita, I enjoyed hearing about the history of your home. I love when homes are passed down to generations in the family and they are kept in the family. Lovely post and beautiful home decorated for the holidays.
Author
Thank you so much Tammy! As I mentioned, the Victorian was dismantled and a new home built in 1960, where my parents live, but the architectural elements were saved so we’ve been installing them in our home over the last 15 years or so, on the same property but only about 17 years old:-)
I loved seeing the old photos of your family and the houses! What a lovely memory. I don’t have any old photos and am so sad about it. Anyway, your home looks so cozy and amazing. Seems like it was made for Christmas! And bringing in the nostalgic touches is stunning. Hope you have a wonderful WARM (man the snow looks cold) holiday season. Merry Christmas!
Author
Thank you Cindy!! Merry Christmas to you!
I absolutely love hearing about the history of your home Anita. That picture of your grandmother and great-grandmother in the parlor is so special. Your home looks beautiful for the Christmas holiday my friend. Every detail is so lovely. Merry Christmas my friend.
Author
Thank you so much Kim! Merry Christmas to you as well:-)
All so charming and pretty! I love how you style your home in every season and Christmas is extra special!
Author
Thank you so much Kristin!!