Nostalgic Santa Display

Want to create a nostalgic Santa display in your home this year? I am sharing how I created this look and how you can too!

Nothing says Christmas like a vintage Santa display and this year I created my Nostalgic Santa display in this amazing old dye cabinet! Want to recreate this look? Here are a few of my top tips for creating a beautiful and inviting holiday Nostalgic Santa vignette that will make your home feel warmer and more festive this Christmas season.

Christmas is my favorite time of year! I love everything about it, from the smell of fresh pine to the sound of jingle bells. But one of my very favorite parts of the holidays is to decorate my home and each year I love to create new and fun ways to display my collections. This year, for my Santas, I’m using an old dye cabinet that I got from a picker friend. As soon as I saw this old beauty, I knew that it would be the perfect spot for all of my small vintage Santas!

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While I was able to see the potential for this little dye cabinet immediately, it did need some work. It was covered in cobwebs and dust and it even had a few pieces of “trim” that was falling off of the frame. I took time to carefully clean it and mend it. I documented that process here. Once it was cleaned I got right to work filling it with my sweet vintage Santas!

Once I found the perfect spot in the house for the cabinet the rest was pretty easy! I gathered my Santas (I was limited to mostly just the small ones that I had because of the size of the shelves/cubbies. I then started placing them throughout the cubbies. I find that his process is a bit of a “dance.’ When I am creating spaces like this, I usually have to move the pieces around a few times before I land on something that I feel is pleasing to the eye.

In this display I was limited a bit because the shelves were so small and tight and I didn’t want things to look cluttered. After a little trial and error, I decided that i really liked the look of ‘groupings.’ This allowed me to fill the shelves completely – in a more organized way.

I did decided to add in a few old Christmas boxes to break up the Santas a bit. I chose to use old card, ornament, and light boxes. I think the little unexpected script and colors help to make the Santas stand out a bit!

Want To Recreate This Look?

I think one of the reasons this little area stands out to me so much is because of the old unique cabinet that I chose to use. I find that any time I am able to use a ‘one of a kind’ piece it makes the whole display even more interesting and inviting. So, if you ever come up on a unique piece while you are out shopping at an antique mall or resale shop, I encourage you to try and envision how you might use it and then snag it up!

But, even if you don’t have a one-of-a-kind cabinet, you can still easily create cozy nostalgic Santa displays. For example, I did this display a few years back right inside one of my large cabinets on simple ordinary shelves!

Once you have decided where to create your Santa display, my next biggest tip is to choose Santas that speak to you. There are so many wonderful nostalgic options out there and I am always drawn to the vintage and antique ones! I guess it is because they remind me of my own childhood. Maybe that is the most important tip of all to mention is to choose your Santas that remind you of warm memories from Christmases long ago. Those are what will fill your home and your senses with that nostalgic feeling.

Next, my biggest tip would be to embellish your Santa displays with things that you love. You can fill in ‘the gaps’ of your display with simple elements like pinecones and berries or with more sophisticated elements like individual ornaments. The sky’s the limit when it comes to personalizing your display. Just have fun with it and enjoy the process.

Santas To Love

If you are loving the Santas that I used here then I encourage you to hit up your local thrift stores, antique malls, and resale shops! If you just can’t find any that you love in your local area – no worries! I have got you covered. I have rounded up a few of the exact ones that I used here and I also included a few others that I would love to add to my collection as well! To learn more about each vintage Christmas tin, simply click on teach individual he photo below.

Wrap Up

There’s nothing quite like a nostalgic Santa display to get you into the holiday spirit! I hope this inspires you to bring out your Santa collection this holiday season … and to have fun displaying them. I also hope that if you are out shopping this holiday season at your local antique mall that you pick up a Santa or two to add to your collection! Happy Holidays!

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disclosure: affiliate links are used in this nostalgic Santa display blog post. When you purchase an item through one of my links, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting My Weathered Home.