Mid-Century Modern Christmas Decorations—in The Ranchos!

Ah, the holidays. A time for giving thanks, for gift-giving (and getting), for spending time with friends and family and for . . . mid-century-modern Christmas décor! Oh, man. I just love it. Can’t get enough of it, really. Partly because I only get to see it for a few short weeks. But, oh, how it tickles me every time I look at it. And this, our first Christmas in our Cliff May Rancho? It doesn’t get any better than this.

Personally, I like my vintage Christmas decorations to have a nice mix of kitsch and class. Don’t get me wrong. I love that overly cutesy 1950s Christmas vibe. But I try to hold back, lest I end up with a look that’s taking the house on a trip straight to Tackyville, if you get my drift. And I know you do. 

Right now, in terms of Christmas décor, I’ve got a couple of things that I’ve had for awhile, some I’ve just picked up, one family heirloom and one modern piece with vintage appeal. And the pièce de résistance: a vintage aluminum Christmas tree. With a color wheel. But you already guessed that, didn’t you? 

So it’s time, dear readers, for me to introduce you to my collection, of which I am oh, so proud. As my first-ever journalism professor advised, I’m ready to “show, not tell.” Ready? Here goes. 

First, please meet our fabulous Christmas stockings, which we’ve hung by the chimney with care. Since we don’t have a mantle, we figured a swag of old-fashioned garland (from Target) would do. I actually made these babies by hand from vintage kits I scored on eBay over the years. 

 

The kits are from Edna Looney—my favorite of the craft-kit makers back in The Day. I found the “Dad” kit first and spent the next several years searching for the “Mom” kit that matched it. Once those were complete, I thought it only fair that our toy poodles, Sophie and Bailey, should have stockings too, so I looked for appropriate Edna Looney stocking kits for them, found two, and made the stockings up. Great, aren’t they?

 

Beneath the stockings sits a little fella I featured in an earlier post—a beautiful ceramic centerpiece in the shape of a golden ram. (Or is he a sheep?) Anyway, I filled him with vintage red Shiny Brite ornaments. I think he adds a touch of class to the whole arrangement. You?

 Here’s a recent find—a vintage Holt-Howard cookie jar I scored at the Long Beach Salvation Army a few weeks ago for only three smackers! Judging by the look of him and by the label, I’m guessing he’s from the 1960s. He’s supposed to be Santa, I think. Whoever he is, I just love him. And he looks great on our recently completed kitchen island next to the acrylic grapes and Rosenthal-Netter pottery. 

Next to my cookie jar sits two little candle holders in the shape of carolers—one playing a lute and the other with a lyre. No markings on these guys save “Made in Japan” stickers. So cute, no?

Next, I’d like to share something close to my heart—a Danish modern crèche that belonged to my mother. My earliest childhood memories at Christmastime include this piece being displayed in our home. I find it so beautiful—so elegant in its simplicity. I always loved it, so my mother gave it to me when I was in my 20s. I will always cherish it.

I also have a modern crèche—a “Presepe” Italian porcelain nativity scene from A di Alessi, which was designed by Massimo Giacon. 

My fabulous interior stylist, The Divine Victor Underhill, placed this crèche on the Danish modern credenza in our rumpus room next to our wrought-iron clock, which evokes a cathedral. (Genius!) I love this piece. So playful. So modern. It’s still available, if you’d like your own.

 These pretty little papier-mâché angels were a gift from my mother-in-law, Peg. I love their Danish modern look, don’t you? They fit right into our décor. Sadly, the year she gave them to us, our poodles were pups, and one of them decided to chew on one of these angels, so she’s got a few teeth marks. (The angel, not my mother-in-law) She’s still pretty, though, so we continue to proudly display both every year.

Last but not least [[drumroll]] . . . our vintage aluminum Christmas tree! This is our second such tree. The first one . . . well . . . it’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it some time. 

This tree’s better than the first, though, because it’s one of the rare examples with various-sized branches. Most aluminum trees have branches that are all one size, but the angle of the holes drilled into the center pole changes to give the illusion of an overall cone shape. It’s not a terribly effective illusion, if you ask me.

 Our pretty tree is decorated in vintage ornaments—mostly my favorite Shiny Brite—picked up on eBay and at estate sales. It makes me happy every time I look at it. It’s got a temporary tree skirt from Target underneath it. I’ve had a vintage kit for a tree skirt for years that I need to complete, but I’m intimidated by it and haven’t made it yet. Maybe next year?