Rockin’ Around the Vintage Christmas Tree
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure PolicyWell, it’s November 8 and my Christmas tree is up.
I know some folks dislike seeing anything remotely holiday-related so early in November, but my mind is in full -blown holiday mode at this point. So, welcome to an Inspired by Charm Holiday! As I mentioned when I showed you my Peace Wreath, I hope my earliness gives you time to recreate or be inspired by these ideas for your own decor. So with that said, on with the show!
The reason I put this tree up so early is that the awesome folks at Treetopia offered to send me one of their trees to decorate. Originally, I’d wanted a traditional green tree, but they talked me into doing something with more pizazz. I looked through their colorful tree collection.- Their selection is unbelievable. However, after spotting the All That Glitters Gold / Platinum Tree, my search was over. When gold is an option, it’s the hands-down winner.
After selecting the gold tree, I needed to devise a decorating plan. I went back to my eBay collections and started gathering inspiration. After some searching, I decided to go all vintage. I wanted to get ornaments that on their own would seem sort of old and tacky, but when put together, would tell a story of tradition and vintage holiday cheer. I also knew I had to have color!
My go-to source for vintage Christmas decor is eBay, so I began building a collection of vintage lighted tree toppers. (You can follow my eBay collections here by the way to get a sneak peek of what I’m up to. In fact, I have a collection for vintage ornaments, tree toppers, and other holiday goodies.) I thought, instead of placing the tree toppers in their traditional location, I would to scatter them around the tree for a little color and sparkle everywhere. Cute, right?
I then started collecting the ornaments. The goal was to get really interesting and unique ornaments. I didn’t just want plain glass balls. I found an amazing collection of these beaded and sequined ornaments. It was such a score.
A few of my favorites are this stove / chimney with a little fire and stockings.
I also got a set of six felted and sequined ornaments. Three are snowflakes and three are birds. The detail on these is amazing.
Finally, I got these gorgeous mercury glass beaded ornaments from this fab eBay seller. They may be small, but they make this tree extra special.
I finished things off with a pink and gold vintage mercury glass garland.
I saved my favorite tree topper for the top.
Okay, now that I explained things to you, let me show you how I did it!
And yes, I totally pulled inspiration from Young House Love and their fun tree trimming time lapse videos. They are so fun, and it certainly was good practice for my first video.
While I plan to gather a few more ornaments, I’m so pleased with the way this tree came together. I’m positively in love with the actual tree as well. As you can tell from the video it was so simple to set up. Plus it’s pre-lit and that saves tons of time. I will say, though, that my favorite part is the color of the branches. I’m so glad I was encouraged by Treetopia to try a non-traditional tree for this challenge. The mix of gold and platinum needles almost makes this tree look like vintage silver and I just can’t get enough of that.
I may end up moving this tree into my dining room and setting up my Tree of a Different Color in this space. Given their color schemes, I think that would be the ideal, but time will tell.
I’ll also be on the hunt for a tree skirt. Right now I’m just using an old tablecloth. It works, but I can do better.
And that about wraps it up. What do think of my vintage-inspired gold tree? What are your plans for your tree this year?
A huge thanks to my new friends at Treetopia for this fun challenge. Be sure to say hello to them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
My eBay collections were curated as part of my collaboration with eBay. As always, the thoughts and ideas are all my own. #FollowItFindIt
I know this is an old post, but just a warning for you or anyone else, like me, who thinks this tree is gorgeous and wants to do something similar…
I bought the Treetopia tree and collected lots of vintage ornaments and tree toppers leading up to Christmas in order to create a similar tree. One thing I noticed is that every single one of the lighted tree toppers that I purchased from ebay/etsy (dating from 60s-80s) specifically said on the box that they were not to be used on metallic trees. I dismissed this assuming that it was an outdated warning based on the old aluminum trees popular in the past and couldn’t still be applicable to modern and presumably more fire-resistant trees. However, a few days after assembling and decorating my tree, I noticed that one of the toppers was no longer lighting up. When I took it off to inspect, I saw that one of the decorative plastic pieces around the lights (like those seen in the pic of the star topper above) was burnt looking and had almost completely melted!!! Thankfully, it shorted itself out before fully catching on fire, and I never left the tree lit when not at home. I did some more research on this, apparently lights should never be added to metallic trees, because in addition to the fire hazard, they can also cause the tree to become charged with electricity, meaning that anyone touching the tree can be electrocuted!! Despite the waste of $$$$, I will definitely not be using the lighted toppers on the tree when I put it up next year, and I am so thankful that there was no damage and no harm to my holiday guests, including my friends’ small children who spent a great deal of time playing near the tree.
I remember making beaded ornaments all my young life. A lot of them have survived with my grandmother’s Christmas things. We still use them on her tree. Love the vintage idea! Gold tree is killer too!!
That’s so wonderful! Those types of ornaments hold so much special meaning.
xo Michael
I think I have tree envy! I went with a traditional green tree, which is gorgeous in the old Victorian, but now I’m wishing I went with the gold/silver mix. It looks fantastic with your retro ornaments and toppers!
Oh snap! Nicole – thank you SO much for stopping by my blog and for your amazing compliments. It means the world coming from you. I’m loving your traditional tree, but I do miss your pink one too. 🙂
xo Michael
Okay – the video is adorable! Love! great tree!
Hey Laura!! Thank you so much. I know I owe you an email response. It’s coming. 🙂 Busy, busy, busy. Hope you are well.
xo Michale
I LOVE this tree, and I’m a traditionalist. I love that you used the vintage ornaments on it, since it was a non-traditional tree. It looks great, and now, of course, I’m going to take 20 minutes at all the links in the doggone blogpost!
Fantastic! For the first time I’ve seen a video that actually inspires me! The tree looks amazing, you’ve done a wonderful job. I’m very inspired! This year I’m going for a vintage vibe as well, inspired by the memories of my childhood. I have been gathering ornaments that “resembles” the ones from back in the days, and think that will do it. 🙂 Thanks for sharing you awesome video! Have a great day! Vanessa
Love the video and the tree with all its ornaments is to DIE for!
So cute and very very vintage retro. What era would you say those ornaments our from? I’m pretty sure I made some of those hand-stitched beaded ones as a kid. You’re tree is lovely and inspiration. I just realized I have not holidays in my vintage I’m writing. Time to add some. Happy (early) Christmas to you 🙂
Yes, I love how having a blog gives me an extra excuse to start decorating for Christmas early, ha ha! I’m going with the vintage/rustic style in our house, too. I LOVE that you selected a gold tree. It’s so perfectly vintage, and the ornaments are wonderful touches. Beautiful job!
OMG. I have just died and gone to Christmas tree heaven. This is absolutely, perfectly vintage chic. I die.
Love love love your tree and I grinned silly through the whole video! Just delightful-thank you! ox
Hey there! Just stopping by to let you know that I nominated you for the Sunshine Award because I love reading your posts 🙂 Check it out: http://homegrownhostess.com/2013/11/10/sunshine-award/
How sweet of you Madison! Thank you so VERY much!!
xo Michael
you’ve completely inspired me! I want that tree! And the vintage was the way to go for sure. How do you stay so damn skinny?
Awww! Thanks so much Brian. The tree is really beautiful.
xo Michael
This tree is AMAZING! The vintage decos are beautiful and fun and make me happy! Loved watching your video! You were having so much fun! And that is my fav Christmas song! I have been dying to order vintage decos on Ebay but have always hesitated, but You have inspired me! Your taste is impeccable! Happy Holidays!
That is quite the compliment Andrea! Thank you so much! And I agree buying vintage online can be scary. Just be sure to read the find print, check sizes and look at the photos carefully. Happy Holidays to you too!
xo Michael
I love the old-fashioned tinsle trees.
Aren’t they beautiful!? Thanks Arthur.
xo Michael
I’ll admit I’m a bit of a scrooge until after Thanksgiving, but that tree is so festive and you looked like you were having so much fun decorating it in the video that it’s impossible not to be infected with a bit of Christmas cheer. Thanks for sharing!
Hahaha! I’m glad I could take the scrooge out of you even momentarily. 😉
xo Michael
I am so happy to see it. I’m dying for the Christmas music to come on the radio. Just give it to me already!!
Yay!! Haha. You’ll just have to start playing it at home.
xo Michael
That is simply the most awesome tree I have ever seen in my whole life. I LOVE the tacky vintage ornaments – wow, I soooo want the same thing in my house this year!
What a compliment! Thanks a million Leeann!
xo Michael
Love it and you have inspired me! Who says you have to wait until after Turkey Day to put up your tree (which is when I normally do it)? This time of year is so rushed and frenzied that to enjoy the beauty of a Christmas Tree for a bit longer is lovely. And, you can wear white after Labor Day. Another useless rule.
You got it! Especially when the holiday season is short this year with Thanksgiving being so late. Bring on the tinsel!
xo Michael
So FUN! I love ornaments that light up, those are my favorite! And that tree topper rocks!
You got it! It add a little more color to the tree.
xo Michael