How to have a cozy old-fashioned Christmas
There is nothing quite like an old-fashioned Christmas. Something about this time of year that just oozes nostalgia and tradition. Cozy up your Christmas this year by incorporation some of these time honoured festive traditions into your Christmas season!
Decorate with natural elements
For rustic old-fashioned decorations you don’t need to spend a lot of money. Make your own ornaments, garland, wreaths, and decorations with natural elements that represent the season. Dried orange slices, cranberries, birch, pinecones, evergreen, cinnamon sticks, orange pomanders. Not only do these look simple beautiful and rustic they smell amazing too!
I love decorating with natural elements and they hold up all season long, many of them year after year! If you want to check out how to use natural and handmade elements to make holiday garland and ornaments hop over here!
Make handmade decorations
Dough cut-outs
Having an old-fashioned Christmas means spending time with loved ones. If you have kids in your house than making crafts might be a favourite pass time! We love making our own decorations and having our handiwork on display all season long!
A favourite handmade item is ornaments or handprints out of salt dough and cinnamon dough. Use Christmas themed cookie cutters to cut out the dough. These can also be painted if you like but look amazing just as they are.
We love using the salt dough for little hand print ornaments for the first few Christmases. Keep these ornaments year after year so you can see how much everyone is growing!
You can find a recipe for salt and cinnamon dough in this post.
Christmas Cards
So many Christmas cards have beautiful pictures and artwork. Make a Christmas card garland from all of the cards you receive from friends and family. For any extra special cards, cut them out and make ornaments out of them or make a simple diy frame and put them on display year after year.
Simple handmade décor
Get creative with ribbons, bells, and hand made rustic art. Host a craft event with friends and make Christmas nail art, homemade wreaths, sock snowmen, or door swag.
The Tree
For an old-fashioned Christmas nothing compares to the charm of a real tree. Whether you make a day of it by picking out your own tree and cutting it yourself, or pop over to a Christmas tree lot. The smell, look, and feel of a real tree at Christmas really gives that vintage charm.
Old-Fashioned Christmas Cards
Sending hand written Christmas cards is a time honoured tradition that is worth putting the effort into doing. Even though getting electronic Christmas greetings and messages is lovely, there is something about receiving physical mail with a handwritten message that is much more thoughtful.
Take it a step further by getting family Holiday pictures taken and send them with your cards to friends and family.
Christmas Village
Decorate your home with a miniature Christmas village. Home made or store bought, these tiny Christmas villages are full of old-fashioned Christmas charm. Start a tradition where you buy a new village piece every year and watch your village grow!
Cozy drink bar
If Christmas takes place during the winter for you, like it does for me then there is nothing more comforting than a warm drink.
Setting up an easy DIY home drink station is a fun and affordable way to bring a cozy Christmas feeling into your home! Dedicate a small area in the kitchen or even a table you can tuck into the corner of a room. Fill it with your favourite warm drinks and accessories.
This can include apple cider, hot chocolate, coffee, and tea. Gingerbread or chocolate mint drink flavouring, marshmallows, cinnamon, and candy canes. Some fun and festive Christmas mugs are a fun and functional way to add whimsy to this cozy dink station!
Make it accessible so even the little guys can customize their drinks. Make it feel like a special occasion. A cozy coffee shop in your own home!
Watch Old-Fashioned Christmas movies
There is nothing quite like the nostalgia of sitting down as a family and watching classic Christmas movies. Pick your favourites and make a count down to Christmas. Kind of like an advent calendar of movie nights! That sounds pretty great to me!
These are some of the classics to get you started,
- It’s a Wonderful Life
- White Christmas
- Little Women
- A Christmas Carol
- Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
- A Charlie Brown Christmas
- Miracle on 34th Street
- The Muppet Christmas Carol
- Meet Me in St.Louis
- Heidi
- Scrooge
- The Sound of Music
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- Frosty the Snow Man
Christmas stories
Read Christmas stories. Get a collection, borrow some from the library, or pick up used stories at a second hand shop. Read a new one each night before bed. This is an especially fun family tradition to start with little kids.
Use strategically placed books around the home as part of the old-fashioned Christmas décor if you can find some that suit your style.
Caroling
Whether you host a caroling party or attend a Christmas candlelight service filled with singing. Singing classic Christmas carols as a group is a fun and nostalgic way to get into the Christmas spirit!
As a child I did both of these things every year! If you have not heard of Caroling parties, it is where a group of people go knock on neighbours houses sing to them and invite them to join if they would like.
Old-Fashioned Christmas at Pioneer Villages
Where I live there are many pioneer villages. These are sort of working museums set up as an old-fashioned village that you can walk through and interact with. Many go all out for Christmas and are a magical place to visit during the holidays.
Go look at Christmas lights and displays
Many people go all out for Christmas decorating. You can usually find an area near by where sometimes even a whole street will take part in over the top Christmas displays! Find some in your area and do a fun and festive drive. Make sure to pack warm drinks and festive snacks for an extra cozy evening!
Get outside!
Whether your Christmas takes place in warm weather or the freezing cold, like me, there is an abundance of outdoor activities to take part in!
If your Christmas season is full of cold and snow try
- skating
- skiing/snowboarding
- sledding
- snowshoeing
- hiking
- winter camping
- build snowmen/igloos/snow forts
- dogsledding
If you live on the opposite side of the world and your Christmas is in summer try,
- hosting a barbecue
- beach day
- visit the zoo
- swimming
- fishing
- kayaking
- build sandcastles
- surfing/paddle boarding
- camping
- outdoor festivals and parades
Old-Fashioned Christmas Cookies
Christmas and cookies go hand in hand. Take part in a Christmas Cookie exchange, make cookie decorating kits for any kids in your life. Get together with friends or family and host a Christmas cooking baking party.
Hop over here for a must bake list of classic Christmas cookies and treats!
Make thoughtful handmade gifts
I know what your thinking, handmade gifts are not great. But I bet there is something on everyone’s list that can be homemade! These are some of my favourite homemade gifts that people actual want!
- Knit or crochet gifts
- Handmade chocolates
- Candles
- Cookie decorating kits
- A box of Christmas baking
- Soap
- Quilt
- Preserves
Old-Fashioned Christmas Feast
The culmination of all of the Christmas run up is the Christmas Day dinner. Fill your Christmas menu with traditional old-fashioned recipes. There are so many to choose from or use your own family recipes that have been passed down.
Having a traditional Christmas dinner is specific to every person. Different regions will have their own favourite recipes like Panettone, bûche de Noël, mulled wine, and mincemeat.
Searching for some perfect Christmas dinner recipes? These are my family favourites!
Festive Maple Turkey with sweet and salty gravy
Family Favorite Mashed Potato Casserole
From-Scratch Herb Stuffing Bread, plus stuffing recipe
From-Scratch Soft and buttery dinner rolls
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Grab these vintage themed christmas labels! Or try to check off this christmas Bucket List!
