Christmas Past: Why I Love Vintage Christmas With Better Homes and Gardens

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved vintage Christmas decor. I mean, what’s not to love? From charming antique glass ornaments to one of a kind putz houses, vintage Christmas treasures just seem to remind me of childhood memories … and simpler times.

Off To Grandmother’s House We Go

When I was a child, my family would go to my grandparents house for the holidays each and every year. My brother and I would ride in the backseat of a two door VW rabbit and and my parents would drive 12 straight hours from Georgia to Michigan so that we could be with our nearest family for Christmas. It was a magical adventure that I looked forward to each and every year because I knew that when we finally got to my grandparents house then Christmas would officially begin!

As a kid, I didn’t pay much attention to the little details that came with Christmas each year. But, somehow they stuck with me. As an adult, I can recall the special decorations (the vintage ones that I love now) that my grandmother would have around the house and on the tree. I can still remember the smell of her warm kitchen while we ate our Christmas Dinner and I can still feel the heated slate floors under my feet as we opened our gifts on Christmas morning. Those little Christmas “moments” really are what stick with me now.

And I guess you could say that the real reason that I love my vintage Christmas treasures is because they remind me of being at my grandmother’s house each Christmas and (more importantly) they fill my heart and soul with the same feelings that my grandmothers home did when we would visit her all those years ago. I can not put my finger on the exact words to describe that feeling, but I know that there are so many of you out there that feel the exact same way when you pull out your collections.

BHG Shared My Story

Back in April, Better Homes and Gardens/Country Home Magazine came out to my home to shoot some of my collections for their 2021 Holiday Magazines. This was such a dream come true for me and it truly was one of the best days of my adult life. Several months later, I got an email from (now my good friend) @goodgirlmedia asking if I would be interested in expanding upon the photoshoot. Of course I was all in! She explained that Better Homes and Gardens wanted to do an online article (on their dotcom site) all about the connection between my Grandmother and my enthusiasm for vintage Christmas collections. Here I expand upon the story of my Grandma D and I share the details of our holiday traditions. All of which are tied to why I am so drawn to my vintage Christmas collections.

I am so happy to share that article from Better Homes and Gardens – click here to see the entire article.

Although she has been gone for over a decade now, I would like to think that she is smiling down on me right now. I know she would get a kick out of being in one of her favorite magazines of all times. I also would like to think that she would be proud of me. We were very, very close. This somehow brings us even closer … even if she isn’t here to share it with me on this earth.

I would also like to take a moment to thank my dear mother, France. As my brother and I grew older, we stopped traveling to Michigan and my grandparents would come to Georgia – we actually never spent one Christmas without them. It was then that my very own talented and loving mom kept the traditions going for us back in Georgia. From old blow molds to a really good old Santa collection, my mom decked the halls each and every year in an effort to make things just as special, and they were.

I want to take this opportunity to remind all of you out there that the efforts that you put into making the holiday season special for your loved ones can really make an impact. I would like my grandmother – and my mom too – to know that their efforts each year during the holidays made a lasting impression on me. I know for a fact, this is why I adore Vintage Christmas treasures.