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Best Vintage Christmas Ornaments

July 22, 2022 10 min read

If you've been thinking about adding a Christmas village to your home for the holidays but don't know where to begin, these Christmas ideas will help.

Do you want to start your own collection but don't have one yet? This is a great place to start, with everything from tips and tricks for setting up a display to DIY tutorials for building one.

Enjoy these Christmas village layout ideas in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials.

From simple vignettes to full DIY scrap wood table builds, wood and cardboard houses to porcelain, here are the best ideas for every style, taste, DIY skill level (including none) and budget.

Instead of buying random holiday decorations that you know you'll get tired of, make your own miniature winter wonderland as a family tradition. You'll be eternally grateful.

1. Hand-Painted Christmas Village Houses

I painted my first Christmas house when I was eight years old, and each year I add to my collection with a new hand-painted piece. It is a project that my family, and hopefully future generations, will pass down and incorporate into their holiday traditions.

Unpainted village houses, or "greenware," are harder to come by these days, but they're a cost-effective way to create an epic village...and one you'll cherish for a lifetime. And if you want to make your own DIY village pieces, I'll give you the lowdown on the awesome mom and pop shop where I get my materials online in this village update post!

We've also added some accessories from more expensive village collections, such as Dept. 56, as the budget has allowed over the years (the Dickens Village set is a favorite).

2. DIY Christmas village from the thrift store

Spray paint is an easy way to give ceramic houses purchased at thrift stores a more up-to-date appearance. This is such a simple change, but it makes such a big difference.

On the mantle of a fireplace, a miniature Christmas village that is only a few houses large, like the one shown here, looks absolutely stunning.

3. Fairy Garden Christmas Village

Build a mystical fairy garden Christmas village by concealing miniature homes in jars and placing them in the center of plant communities all around them. Put the houses in bowls for decoration to give them some height and to add some visual interest.

4. Scrap Wood Christmas Village

A beautiful homemade Christmas village can be constructed out of scrap wood for a cost of less than twenty dollars. I really like the variety of architectural styles that were used for the houses. And the whitewashed houses made of wood look particularly stunning when set against the holly wreaths.

5. 3D Paper Christmas Village - Lia Griffith

Are you serious about telling me that these adorable little houses are made out of card stock? The good news is that you can make your own thanks to a free download that is available.

6. Red Truck Christmas Village Table Centerpiece

You are going to absolutely adore this Do It Yourself Christmas Village that can be displayed as a table centerpiece or along a table runner to create the most festive tablescape you have ever seen. If you are a fan of anything "little red truck," you are going to love this project.

7. Pottery Barn Inspired Christmas Village

The Pottery Barn Christmas village served as Colleen's motivation for this project. She embellished some inexpensive ceramic houses with lots of glitter and painted them with metallic paint using just a few straightforward steps. Putting them on top of the fluffy snow is a requirement.

8. Wooden Houses on a Christmas Mantel

A straightforward redesign using silver and gold stars is applied to the miniature wooden homes. This mantel display is perfect after it has been finished off with the DIY star garland.

9. Scandinavian Paper Christmas Village

Using a cutting machine, you can quickly construct this paper Christmas village that is inspired by the Nordic countries. Make use of pretty decorative paper in the colors that appeal to you.

No mantel for your display? No problem! Make use of a book shelf, or even a couple of them, as the number of houses in your village continues to increase over time.

10. Wood Christmas Tree Shelf Village Display

Putting houses on a shelf in the style of this do-it-yourself Christmas tree shelf is a super cool way to show off your collection of miniature homes. Because it does not occupy a significant amount of space, it is an excellent choice for living in a restricted area.

Are you just getting started with your collection and find that you are lacking in some Christmas village houses? Utilize a large quantity of pine trees as "filler"! They are available for a low price, and accessories for the village, such as miniature trees, really help bring these sets of a village to life.

11. Dollar Tree Snow Village Display

Transform inexpensive Christmas houses into an impressive display without breaking the bank. To make holiday centerpiece decorations out of Dollar Tree houses that you'll look forward to bringing out and putting on display year after year, you only need a few simple supplies like mod podge, paint, and glitter.

This tabletop village is evidence that you do not require a large amount of space to create a beautiful display. Small displays are wonderful, and they are ideal for homes that are on the smaller side.

12. Lemax Christmas Village Display

Linda generously shows off her stunning Lemax Christmas Village. She augments it annually by selecting significant new additions, such as a winery, to the collection. What a wonderful custom to uphold.

13. The Ultimate Guide to Building the Ideal Christmas Village Display

Watch as Lauren creates a stunning holiday vignette by utilizing a piece of furniture that was already in the room. In addition to that, she offers guidance on how to organize your very own exhibition.

14. Christmas Hoop Village Wreath Display

Going vertical with your village display is a simple solution to the problem of not having enough room for a tabletop version of the village. A house can be displayed in an original and imaginative manner with the help of this large hoop wreath that has shelves.

15. Tabletop Christmas Village Display

My French Twist offers a step-by-step tutorial for an incredible plywood display that you can make yourself and keep using year after year. If you are interested in this project, you will not be disappointed.

16. Bright and Colorful Christmas Village

The bright and colorful Christmas village display can be made out of scrap wood in a surprisingly straightforward manner. Excellent for displaying on a tabletop or mantel.

Do you have a glass cabinet or curio cabinet at home that is begging to be decorated for Christmas? That would unquestionably be improved by the addition of a village.

17. Christmas Village in a Window Box

Do you have a large window box that you would like to decorate for the holidays but are unsure how to do so? You might try putting up a display of a Christmas village in the window. It develops into a charming point of focus.

Due to the fact that we spend so much time in the kitchen during the winter holidays, that area of the house would make an excellent location for a window depicting a village.

18. Glittery Rainbow Christmas Village

With this idea for a painted village, you can bring a kaleidoscope of colors into your home. This would look amazing in a playroom or bedroom belonging to a child. How inexpensive and simple it is to make as well.

19. Snowy Christmas Village Houses In A Jar

Build a wintry village in a large glass jar by inserting miniature houses and decorating them with bottle brush trees. This is the ideal size for a Christmas vignette that you might display on a bookshelf or in the kitchen. The lights that look like fairies are just right!

20. How to Display a Large Christmas Village

Marty has been collecting miniature Christmas villages for a good number of years. She fashioned a table out of plywood to serve as a repository for all of them year after year. If you want to create your own, there is an excellent video tutorial available for you to watch.

21. Easy DIY Christmas Village

Keep an eye out for birdhouses made of wood when you're shopping at the craft store. They can be easily transformed into the cutest possible Christmas village display with very little effort.

22. Wooden Christmas Village

Using the straightforward tutorial and the available templates, you can construct this village set even if you have no prior experience with woodworking. Put your creative skills to use by including patterns and colors.

23. Snowshoe Wall Decoration Lodge Decor 15” Set Plus 1 Pair of Snowshoe Ornaments

This 3 piece bundle includes 1 pair of Russian Miniature Wooden Snowshoe Wall Hangings and 1 pair of Snowshoe 4" Tree Orders. Snowshoes with a rustic and vintage appearance made of wood and webbing and tied together with gold hanging string. 15 inches long by 4.5 inches wide. Lightweight and ideal for hanging on the wall.

ADDITIONAL SNOWSHOE ORNAMENTS: 1 pair of 4" snowshoe ornaments, ideal for hanging on Christmas trees or adorning your walls

24. Set of 3 Giant Harmony Cow Bells Huge Vintage Handmade Rustic Lucky Christmas XXL Bells On Rope

The golden color is actually a brass coating. These bells are baked in fire, which gives them their distinct brown rustic color. These cowbells have been purposefully given a rough appearance. Because each bell is handcrafted, minor variations are possible. Produced from reclaimed iron sheets. Metal with a weathered paint finish Can be used to make Christmas wreaths, wind chimes, and wedding decorations, among other things. Made in INDIA by the best Indian artisans.

25. Foldable Christmas Village

There is one church and two homes that fold up into their own individual flat packages. To make windows appear to be glowing, you need only pop them up and illuminate them with an electric tea light. When the season is over, fold it up so it takes up less storage space.

26. Ceramic Christmas Tree

This ceramic Christmas tree measures 15 inches in height and does not require batteries to function. To turn on this electric tabletop decoration, all you have to do is flip the switch located at the base of the piece.

27. Nutcracker King

A nutcracker soldier displayed on a shelf is the image that most people think of when they hear the phrase "Christmas classic." These traditional nutcracker men are available for purchase in a variety of uniform designs, making them ideal for collectors.

28. Vintage Celebration Reflector Ornaments

Shiny Brite was responsible for making some of the holiday glass ornaments that were the most sought after in the 1950s. These particular ornaments are designed to reflect light, which enables their myriad hues to be seen.

29. Treasured Traditions Ivory Lighted Tree Figurine

This ceramic tree is embellished with 24-karat gold and features colored lights that are delicate in appearance. This exquisite piece of Lenox is currently fifty percent off in our online store.

30. Wooden Beads Christmas Garland

This one-of-a-kind Christmas garland is made up of wooden beads in a variety of bright colors, including pink, yellow, green, blue, and red, to give your tree a splash of color from another era.

31. Traveling Father Christmas Ornament

As he prepares to embark on his yearly journey around the world, Santa Claus is outfitted with everything that he will require, including his deluxe fur coat and traditional street lantern.

32. Assorted Gold Glass Ornaments

Use your imagination, and you'll find that these ornaments can be arranged in a number of different ways to create a festive atmosphere inside your home. You can create an ornament wreath with them, use them as a centerpiece for each of your Christmas meals, hang them on the Christmas tree, or put them in empty lanterns or small vases.

33. Stained-Glass Candle Holder

Either accessorize it with a tea light purchased from a dollar store or simply place it on the ledge of your window. There are also alternative designs, such as a snowman, a contemporary Santa, or a church window.

34. Pinecone Gnome Figurine

If you didn't already know, there is such a thing as a gnome made of pinecones! You can make your own, or you can shop Etsy for a variety of vintage ones. Additionally, they are popular items to collect and give as presents.

35. Silver Bell Christmas Tree Ornaments

The proprietor of this shop sells a few of these vintage sets, the majority of which date back further than 1945. Each individual silver bell has its own distinct tone and sound.

36. Ceramic Grandma's Lit House

The experience of looking up at Grandma's complete snow village that was displayed on her mantel is one of the most evocative memories from one's childhood. At Department 56, you'll find a greater selection of items from the same collection.

37. Peanuts 2D LED Pathway Markers

You can't get through the winter holiday season without hearing the legendary instrumental track from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on the radio at some point. This set of pathway markers comes with four cutouts measuring 12 inches each depicting Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, and Charlie ice skating.

38. Pink Flame Clip On Candle Ornament

The plastic candle simply clips onto the tree for a quick and easy attachment method. Additionally, it is stuffed with shimmering silver tinsel that can be seen when the light hits it.

39. A Christmas Story Leg Lamp

You are already aware that this thing is easily broken. This conversation piece stands an impressive 45 inches tall, making it one of the tallest table lamps you'll ever own (the heel definitely helps with that).

40. Bubble-Lite Light Strand

Christmas bubble lights are holiday decorations that consist of a base that resembles a light bulb and a column that is filled with liquid. The bubbling of the liquid contributes visually to the celebration and is caused by heat.

41. Vintage Glass Christmas Bulb Set

This collection of Christmas bulbs comes with a total of 17 vintage ornaments, each featuring a unique print and a reflector bulb in a variety of colors.

42. Retro-Vintage Deer Wooden Ornaments

A wire hanger allows for a discreet hanging, and a burlap bow completes the sweet and nostalgic look of the scene, which takes you back to your childhood.

43. Early Years Revolving Color Wheel

When people wanted to see their aluminum Christmas trees glow in different colors in the past, they would use a color wheel similar to the one shown here. Utilize this color wheel to bring back the popular trend!

44. Retro Winter Red Truck Cushion Cover

During the winter holidays, the warm and fuzzy comfort of Grandpa's love is brought to you by the vintage red truck that is printed on this pillow cover. The look of burlap is very trendy right now, especially with the country-chic aesthetic.

45. Battery-Operated Classic Train Set

Despite the fact that it is not an authentic Lionel locomotive train set from the 1900s, putting a train set similar to this one under the Christmas tree recreates the Christmas decorations that were popular in the past among shop owners and homeowners alike.

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