If you are itching to pick up some great vintage holiday decor, now is the time to hit the thrift shops. Many shops hold their Christmas merchandise to put out once a year instead of having it on their shelves year-round. You never know who cleaned out their attics this year!
Just this week, I scored big time at one of our local thrift shops who holds their holiday merchandise back. I actually went in there to look for an antique dresser to refinish, but I jumped as soon as I saw these boxes.
People, I picked up six boxes of vintage glass Christmas ornaments – for $1 a box! I couldn’t believe my luck. Most of these ornaments are ever the popular Shiny Brites from the 1950s and 1960s. Some are a bit “newer,” but even the newer ones must be at least 20 years old. In the antique mall a few doors down from the thrift store, they sell these for about $3 per ornament. I bet those vendors hate that I beat them to the thrift store that day.
I now have my very own collection of vintage glass Christmas ornaments in gorgeous colors – blue, red, teal, white, silver, gold, rainbow, and even a few with flocked words and designs.
I was able to pick up 80 ornaments, but I’m on the hunt for more. For what? I don’t know. I’m considering making one of Eddie Ross’s gorgeous wreaths, but I’m going to hold off for a few weeks to see if I think of anything else interesting.
Have you scored some great vintage holiday decor at thrift stores? Are you on the search for something specific this year?
Oh, girl, I am soo jealous. Those are gorgeous, and I'm sure whatever you decide to do with them will be too. I think it's time for another Goodwill trip!
I plan on making the same wreath! Great score with ornaments!!!
What an awesome score!! I hope I can get that lucky. They will be beautiful whatever you decide to do with them.
I have been collecting vintage Christmas ornaments for well over 5 yrs, and I have probably well over 300. Some of them are ones that were on our Christmas tree when I was a child. Telling my age – (1950's – 60's). They are very hard to find now, since Antique stores sell them for such a high price. For the last two yrs. my Christmas tree has had only vintage ornament on it, and if I may say so, they make for a gorgeous tree. I'm always on the lookout at thrift stores for them, and am glad to see that you found them so cheap.
Love your blog!! Your's was the first one I ever started reading.
Woo hoo! You scored a motherload! 🙂
oh, those are so pretty!
Good one!! And the boxes are great too!
I love it when that happens!
Score!!! I was just in a couple of thrift stores yesterday, and I was pretty disappointed with their Christmas section. Oh well!
Oh wow, lucky you!! I checked my Goodwill today, I am looking for dark blue or gold. I am doing a College Themed tree this year. I didn't have any luck, much less your awesome luck. 🙂
Cece
Ooooh vintange ornaments. Love them ! I've got just a few in my Etsy shop but I didn't pick them up for that cheap ! Jeez Louise, so green with envy that your thrift had vintage ornaments. Total score !
that amazing! a true find.
I have been searching for those vintage aluminum reflecter collars that go on the Chrismas lights. I saw a magazine article a couple of years ago that did all sorts of cute things with them. I have yet to see them in a thrift store I've looked in. I could probably find them online somewhere, but it takes some of the fun of the hunt out of it for me.
OMG I have been looking for those for years…there are hundreds on Ebay for sale but I want to find them on my thrifting…I'm so jealous 😉
Sarah
Score! I found a wreath for 2.99 I have to remove all the old lights and decorations on it and then make it my own!
I've been wanting to make a wreath like that with vintage ornaments, too. I just didn't know where to buy the ornaments. Now, I'm heading to the thrift stores. =)
I just made the Eddie Ross wreath a couple of weeks ago, and I love it!
I have a couple of those Shiny Brite boxes. I've never done anything with the ornaments…I just set them around the house at Christmas time. 🙂
These are a terrific find. How wonderful. Can't wait to see what you decide to make with them. The wreath is fabulous.
Ruth
Great score! I love that wreath. Very tempting.
Nice find! I love vintage ornaments too, so simple yet so full of color.
You lucky girl, what a find! I have searched for years with no luck in my area. Guess it just isn't meant to be. I did snag some great wool sweaters for half off (grand total $3) for both yesterday, going to try and whip up some new stockings, or a pillow, or some decor mittens.. Also got 2 glass flower frogs for a couple bucks so all was not lost. What I REALLY want is some old metal cookie cutters for a project I have in mind, not a one in sight!
Lindsay, I hate to tell you but you paid too much. That box in the first photo is marked $.75! LOL!
Seriously though, that is a great find! Can't wait to see what you do with them.
Cindy – hahahaha Clearly someone tried to garage sale that box before taking it to the thrift store! If THAT box didn't sell for 75 cents, I can't imagine what did sell that I wish I could have gotten my hands on!
Ooooo! What a find! I'm hoping to go antiquing with my mom in the near future and am on the look-out for anything xmas-ey. I would like to find a silver tiered tray to display ornaments. And maybe some vintage xmas cards or postcards to make some wall art. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Wow – great find!! I'm totally jealous.
I haven't been thrift store shopping lately, but this is a great point–I need more holiday decorations and I hadn't really thought about going the thrift store route.
Its funny what is considered popular in different areas. Around here the thrift stores have boxes of those things just sitting around. They don't mark prices here but I can bet that they would throw them in free with another purchase or only ask a quarter for them. I looked at some thinking I would use paper mache and cover them (forget where I saw it now) but I opted against it for time reasons. I had no idea that they would be considered valuable to anyone! In my area vintage isn't so hot. I suppose that explains why I get the great deals I do! LOL
Sherri! Boxes of those go for like $20 on Ebay! Go make yourself some money!!
And also, where do you live? I might need to take a road trip. hahaha
AWESOME finds!!! I love it when a "normal" person finds great stuff like this instead of a reseller. Can't wait to see what you do with them! 🙂
Good find! Love those colors!
Hey this is wonderful! I saw an amazing idea years ago where someone took a rectangular piece of chicken wire the length of their mantel and attached (with wire) Christmas ornaments. Similar to the Ross wreath….
Stunning! I can't wait to see what you do with them.
Blessings,
Debbie
Hi- I'm new. Love your blog. Thanks for the post, I scored 7 boxes of my own Shiney Brites at a yard sale this morning ($3 for all, plus some other good loot.) Thanks for the tip. I love them! Can't wait to see what you do with yours.
Lindsay, I LOVE that Eddie Ross wreath too…I'm going to try to find some time to make one this season…. I've been sewing like a madwoman! Go check my blog to see the Christmas outfit I just posted…. It's one of my all time favorites….of course, everytime I make an outfit it becomes one of my faves… 🙂
Shiny Brites are still being made and sold, their current packaging is made to look vintage. Is there a date on the box? I would guess that they're new, and not actually decades old. But they're still cute, and it's still a great find!
You really scored, those are amazing colors 🙂
I found some hideously ugly, yet somehow adorable Christmas Elves last year. Very odd looking, but they do grow on you 😉
Those ones you've posted are delightful though!!!
Wow…what a great find…i have lots of these…but I paid more than a $1.00 per box:(
Hope you have a FUN week!
Blessings,
Linda
This entry literally made my heart smile Lindsay! I love all the ornaments you go – the teal/sea blue is my favorite. We always had this color ornaments on our tree when I was growing up. I now just do silver but this makes me want to purchase a 2nd tree (in white) and get ultra colorful with it. Thank you for the warm fuzzies and Christmas cheer! ox
I have these. My grandma gave them to me awhile ago. There weren't my style, but kept them anyway. So glad I did. I love them now.
Oh oh oh. How much do I lurve that Eddie Ross wreath? I know what's going on the door when my current wreath gets stolen. (I live in the city. It happens).
I made the wreath many years ago, have filled a tree and still want more. Love my shiney brites!
A friend glued them really thick to some faux green garland and used it as a table runner. Stunning! I think she got the idea from Pottery Barn.
I love vintage ornaments also! I snatch them up whenever I see them. I'm in Texas (Fredericksburg). You should come to Trade Days. I love your style. I may try the Eddie Ross wreath using non-breakable ornaments for our gate. Thanks for turning me on to that blog! A word of caution on the vintage ornaments-they can be super fragile.
i went to the thrift stores in out town and bought them out of ornaments…now i have a question they are all different colors…should i try to paint them so they match or just leave them all different? let me know what you think!
I am so lucky. My 85 year old mom divided her ornaments as she is trying to simplify. Ha….
When my 90 year old mother in law passed, no one else wanted her ornaments. When my husband and I got married 35 years ago, I found a new ornament every year. Every ornament on my tree has a "history", even the new one this year that was used as favors at my daughters 2009 wedding