In my introduction post to this series, How to Live a More Old-Fashioned Life, I explained the heart of the matter. We need to find more balance in our lives. Doing so means pulling back from the internet a bit and learning to live a more old-fashioned life. So to continue on from there, in this post I am sharing ideas on how to have A More Old-Fashioned Christmas Holiday.
When I think about how to celebrate an old-fashioned Christmas, I believe it comes down to two things.
One is the conviction of our hearts toward Christian generosity. Teaching our children (and others) about Jesus Christ and His love for us. This Gospel message empowers and inspires us to live a life of Christian generosity towards others. I think that is paramount to understanding the Christmas season and having a more old-fashioned style Christmas.
The second is keeping to our family traditions. This means both maintaining and creating our own family traditions during the Christmas season; those things that our family’s look forward to and expect to do every year. I don’t believe it’s just about the decorations and the outward appearance of our homes. Although those things are fun and do add holiday charm, those actions become much more meaningful when we take a step back and do them out of family tradition instead of what is “on-trend” or commercialized. By adding touches of family history, making decorations with our hands and spending quality time together as a family, I believe that is also key to having a more old-fashioned Christmas.
So below, I have listed ideas for integrating both Christian generosity and inspiring family traditions to celebrate a more old-fashioned Christmas season.
Old-Fashioned Christmas – Religious Celebration
Because Christ is the reason for the season!
Go to Mass/Church service every week, not just on Christmas
This is great time to start going to church every week, if you haven’t been. The Advent season can get you back into the habit of going and you can really re-discover the Church again.
When it comes to the Christmas services, I love going to Mass on Christmas Eve or the Mid-Night Mass. This is a great way to keep Christ at the heart of Christmas while still having a relaxing Christmas morning with your family.
Have a nativity scene
By having one of these in your home, you can more easily show your children the story of Jesus’ birth by having a visual piece that they can see every day. It can be an art piece, a scene-like diorama or a statue scene.
This doesn’t just have to be a Christmas-time thing either. I bought this one shown at a flea market and I can leave it up year round because it’s not “Christmas-y” looking.
Set up an Advent wreath for a more old-fashioned Christmas
Unfortunately, I’ve never had one of these yet, but I plan to! This article by the Catholic Company (no affiliation, just a company I personally like to support) explains the symbolism behind Catholic Advent Wreaths and also has some beautiful ones you can purchase. Also, some other Christian denominations have their own traditions regarding Advent wreaths. This article by Crosswalk.com is another explanation of Advent wreaths for a more non-denominational Christian Advent wreath.
Start an Advent devotional
Although Advent has already started for this year, on 11/28/2021, you could still start an Advent devotional. For years I have used this devotional by Every Sacred Sunday (again, no affiliation, just another wonderful company I like to support). It’s a Catholic, weekly Mass Journal for the entire year, but it starts with Advent. And it has a special section of reflection for the Advent season. For other Christian denominations, you could ask your pastor or a Church friend for a good recommendation.
Old-Fashioned Christmas – Decorating Ideas
Make your decorations
- String pop corn & cranberries
This is one I did last year for the first time and it was so fun! I am definitely making this into a family tradition.
- Orange garland
I will be trying this one out this year. The way it works is that you have to dehydrate the orange slices either in the oven or a dehydrator. Then you can make them into ornaments or sting them up like garland.
- Ornaments
You can make paper ornaments, make clay shaped statues, or crochet/knit/sew plush ornaments. Have fun with it!
- Wreaths
With this one you can either buy the supplies to make the wreath or you can scavenge for the supplies in your yard. You could look for pieces of tree branches to form the wreath and then look for pine cones to add to it. Then you could top it with the dehydrated orange slices!
- Paper snowflakes out of paper
Remember those paper snowflakes we used to cut out as a kid? Yeah, those ones! Cut some out and hang them around your home for a snowy feel.
Get a real tree
So, depending on the “old-fashioned” time frame you are looking at, you could argue for that mid-century pink, white or silver artificial tree since they were popular during that time period.
But if you are generally going for a more old-fashioned vibe, the real, traditional Christmas tree does it. Plus you get the adventure of getting the tree; going out with the family to pick it out. Whether that’s buying one from a parking lot or cutting it down yourself, you can make it a fun adventure for the whole family.
If you have family heirloom decorations, use those!
Take out and use those heirloom family decorations. You’re extremely lucky to have them! Especially if you have ornaments or decorations from your childhood. They add so much authentic old-fashioned Christmas charm to your home.
Thrift shop for old-fashioned Christmas decorations
Check out the thrift stores in your area to score some vintage Christmas decorations.
Put battery-operated candles in your windows
This is my favorite way of decorating for the holiday season, and all winter in fact. It’s simple, classic and beautiful. Although the tradition of course started with real candles then plug-in versions, I appreciate that we have battery-operated ones on timers nowadays. And it gives the same warm effect in a much safer way. It always brightens my evening to drive by a home with these in the windows.
Add sentimental memories of years gone by for a more old-fashioned Christmas
One idea is to put up photographs from Christmas’s gone by all around your home. You could also decorate with some treasured childhood memories, of yours or your children. Last year I set out my son’s first pair of cowboy boots as a decoration and it was so cute to see, and warmed my heart every time I looked at it.
Make Christmas stockings
Although I have never made my own Christmas stockings, I would love to do this someday as a cherished heirloom piece for my children that isn’t too big to save and can easily be passed down.
Decorate the deer mounts too!
This is a very country idea, but I had to add it to this list! If you have deer mounts in your home, you can add a festive scarf to them to “decorate” them for the season. If you choose a scarf that is more neutral you can leave it on for the whole winter season, too.
But remember, less is more
This is key. For decorating, depending on the era of time you are aiming for, will most likely have less decor. It’s just simply that people didn’t have as much access to decorations as we do now. Now, a lot of products are made in China and imported here and can be bought very cheaply. But that was not how things were then. So remember when decorating in a more old-fashioned way, that you don’t need to go overboard. Less is more. And the more hand-made or family heirloom type-pieces the better.
Old-Fashioned Christmas – Gifting Ideas
Send old-fashioned Christmas cards
Remember how nice it was to receive all those lovely Christmas cards in your mailbox every year? I remember. When I was a kid, we’d get a bunch of them from relatives and friends, and we would hang them up all over the house. They were a part of the decorations and a reminder of all the people we love near and far.
Over the years, I have seen that number dwindle drastically. But it’s still one of my favorite parts of the Christmas season.
Send these to your friends and family, near and far.
Make homemade Christmas gifts for a more old-fashioned Christmas
Not only is this more thrifty but also can be much more heart warming. Especially items you may have been working on for a while for a particular person; like a handmade sweater or a blanket. But even sending someone homemade cookies or a jar of dry homemade cocoa can be a lovely gift. It’s not about the stuff, it’s about the love and intention behind it.
Try “want, need, wear, read” for gifting for your children
This photo is of our Christmas tree last year with all the presents. Only the plaid wrapped ones in the wagon were from us to our son and to each other. Our extended family’s sent gifts to us to put under the tree as well; so some are from grandparents and other family members. We all pulled together and it was the most wonderful 1st Christmas for my son that I could have imagined.
I wish I knew who started this idea so I could credit them, but for gifting, we do “want, need, wear, read”. 1 or 2 of each type of gift for our Little One. And for each other (my husband & I) we just usually do 1 gift and a stocking.
I love this because it’s simple. Plus, the gifts matter more. They require more forethought, instead of just buying stuff.
Think of it this way. Not too long ago, in most parts of the country, getting an orange in your stocking for Christmas was a special treat and a luxury because they were hard to come by. So be thankful for the luxury we have in todays world.
Wrap your gifts in brown paper with a ribbon or twine to make it festive
For a more old-fashioned Christmas, save and then re-use those brown paper grocery bags for wrapping the Christmas presents. I used to love using the Trader Joe’s holiday bags for Christmas presents when I lived near one and shopped there. But plain ones work just as well. If they have the name of a grocery store on them, then just flip them over and put the name on the inside when you are wrapping, so you can’t see it. Then get a spool of ribbon or twine to jazz it up and make it festive looking.
Old-Fashioned Christmas – Celebrating Ideas
Listen to old-fashioned Christmas music
You don’t have to have a vinyl record player to listen to some old-time music. You can definitely find some vintage Christmas playlists on Youtube.
But I will say, with a vinyl record player, you can then find a lot of Christmas vinyl records at thrift stores for really, really cheap.
The act of putting on a vinyl record while decorating the Christmas tree with your family or having a mug of cocoa, just adds another layer of that cozy old-fashioned Christmas feeling.
Remember to get a gift for a child in need
I’ve seen places that have Christmas trees filled with ornaments written out by children with what they would like or need for Christmas. You would take that ornament and get the gift and attach that ornament to the gift when you would drop it off so that it would be given to the child that wrote it. Another idea I’ve seen are toy drives, where you bring a toy (or sometimes it’s a needed item like childrens coats or winter hats) and you would drop it off in the box at a local business that was affiliated with it.
By doing this, especially when getting your children involved, they see and learn generosity. They learn that there are children in need and to do something to help. Generosity is a much needed lesson to keep in the Christmas season.
Make homemade cookies & hot cocoa
For a more old-fashioned Christmas, make homemade cookies and hot cocoa and just savor the moment with your family.
Having a jar of homemade hot cocoa mix ready to go in the pantry will make this even easier to do! You can check out this delicious recipe for Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix by my friend, Savannah, over at Urban Homestead Life. I love her addition of mini-chocolate chips!
Make it a family event to decorate the Christmas tree
When decorating the tree, make it an all out family tradition of fun.
Remember that your tree doesn’t have to look like one on Pinterest or in store. It just needs to reflect your family. Especially when you’re a young family, just starting out. Let your Christmas decorations accumulate over the years, instead of trying to fill it all in with cheap stuff in the beginning. Then you’ll be able to say, “aww, look, this ornament was from baby’s first Christmas… this ornament was made when so and so was 7… oh, look, this one was from that trip we all took to…” you get the picture.
As you take out the decorations and ornaments, you have stories to tell and remember as you decorate your tree. In the young years of marriage and family, that may be only a few decorations, and that’s okay. Each ornament is meaningful and shows your journey as a family.
Drive around to see the Christmas lights in your neighborhood
I love doing this, seeing all the decorated, beautiful homes in our community. Last year my son was too young to appreciate it, but this year I think he’ll really enjoy it. Sing some Christmas carols in the car as you drive around together!
Sing Christmas carols together
Find the lyrics to some old-fashioned Christmas carols or get a song book and sing them together as a family.
Go to a Christmas parade or tree lighting in your town
Bring your family to your town’s Christmas parade or tree lighting to be a part of your greater community. If your children are involved in activities like scouts or in band they might even be a part of the parade. These activities are so fun and really enliven the Christmas spirit in the community. And they have that old-fashioned Christmas feel, too.
Go sledding
For a more old-fashioned Christmas, go out sledding. If you have snow in your area around Christmas-time, this is a fun way to get outside. I remember as a kid, I couldn’t get enough of sledding, I loved it! I even went a few times as an adult, before having my son.
Just make sure everyone has the proper snow gear to stay warm, and do it in small amounts. Go out, then come back inside to warm up and dry off, then go back out again later on for another short time.
I just envision kids on their sleds, then coming inside for a warm cup of hot cocoa while their gloves, hats and jackets dry on a rack in the warmth of the fireplace (even a fake one would do in this case!).
Take a family photo in front of the Christmas tree every year
This tradition is so fun because you get to see how your family has changed over the years and have a photo memory of it. You can print these and frame them and use the photos of Christmas’s past as part of your Christmas decorating as well.
Donate to a food pantry
Bring a food or money donation to a local food pantry or church that is collecting for one in your area. This goes along with Christian generosity and remembering those in need during the holiday season.
Read a Christmas-themed book aloud on Christmas Eve
These two books in the photo are the ones my parents read to me when I was a child. I remember looking forward to it as a tradition every Christmas Eve. I’ve cherished them for that reason and can’t wait to read them to my son. He was too little last year for books, but he loves being read to now. And it will be so special for me to read them to him for the first time on this Christmas Eve.
Watch an old holiday movie together as a family
This is the only one of my ideas that involves a screen but I think family movies once in a while can be really fun. Think of the favorite ones you grew up watching and watch them together with your children. I can’t wait to watch Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer!
Leave cookies out for Santa
This was one of those things I remember being so excited for as a child. Part of waking up on Christmas morning along with seeing the tree and the presents set up just so, was also seeing the nibbled cookies and the empty milk cup. We also would put out carrots for the reindeer, next to the cookie plate. It was one of those silly traditions that makes me smile to think back to now.
Wrapping Up
So to wrap up this post, I hope it inspires you to celebrate a more Old-Fashioned Christmas.
Be sure to check out the other posts I’ve written in this series below.
And keep an eye out for the next installment of the series, where I tackle another area of life.
Check out the rest of my A More Old-Fashioned Life Series
How to Live a More Old-Fashioned Life
Savannah
Christmas lights with hot chocolate and giving back are my favorite things to do during the Christmas season. This is a great list! Thank you for sharing!
Mountain Mama
Thank you so much, Savannah! I completely agree! 🙂
Sarah
I remember my granny keeping battery-operated candles in her windows. They were always so cozy-looking! Love the idea of an old-fashioned Christmas! Thank you for putting this together!
Mountain Mama
Aw, that is such a sweet memory! Thank you! 🙂
Laura
I love the traditional Christmas feeling. Thanks for sharing!
Mountain Mama
Thank you!! 🙂
Jamie Wagner
These are wonderful ideas to celebrate Christmas traditionally. Our family actually does many of these <3 Thank you for sharing!
Mountain Mama
That’s so awesome! I love that. And thank you so much! 🙂
Barbra-Sue
Love all the great ideas. We’re having an old fashioned Christmas too
Mountain Mama
Yay! That’s awesome!! I’m so glad to hear that. And thank you so much!! 🙂