Classic Christmas Decor

Merry Christmas Everyone! If you haven’t decorated your home yet…where have you been? These traditional decorating ideas have been passed down from generation to generation and have never lost their appeal during the festive season. How many do you still have in your home?

Christmas Tree

They may have taken a turn in shape, colour and décor in more recent times, but the Christmas tree is still a must-have feature in any festive home. Traditional Christmas trees originated during the modern Renaissance in Germany however they were once a pagan tradition that was completely un-associated with Christmas tradition. The tradition of decorating the tree did not come to Britain until around two centuries ago initially occurring only within royal families. When Queen Victoria married her German husband Prince Albert the traditional became wider spread amongst wealthy and middle-class families. By the 1920s the trend had spread across all generations and now are a staple feature of any festive household.

Wreaths

While wreaths have their origins well-rooted in ancient Greek history; their use as symbols during the Christmas period was adopted by Christians in the early 16th century in Germany. They were initially made from a cartwheel design and each spoke would feature a candle that would be lit in the countdown to Christmas; much like today's advent calendars. More traditional wreaths that we hang from our doors are made from evergreen foliage to represent everlasting life and the circular shape represents God with no beginning and no end. In more modern days the shape has remained the same, but they are now made from numerous materials such as baubles, pompoms or even feathers.

Snow Globes

The exact dates that snow globes became a popular festive item is uncertain however they can be traced back to 19th century France. Snow globes became hugely popular in Britain during the reign of Queen Victoria and made their way over the Atlantic to America in the early 1920s where they became popular collectors’ items. In the 1950s snow globes that were traditionally crafted from glass were began to be crafted from plastic making them cheaper and easier to mass-produce. These days you can find snow globes that feature traditional souvenir style scenes from countries and attractions but the most popular is still the wonderful snowy Christmas scenes that look wonderful displayed around the home this time of year.

Stockings

The excitement that surrounds the Christmas stocking is still as prevalent as ever. Their origins are believed to lie with the story of Saint Nicholas where his gift of a bag of gold to one family inadvertently landed in a girls stocking (adding to the theme of leaving orange in the stockings at Christmas). Traditionally children would just leave out one of their normal socks but in the early 1800s Christmas stockings began to be made for this purpose. There are some that say that it is also linked to the Norse God Odin as children would leave their boots filled with carrots, straw or sugar near the fire for Odin’s flying horse. These tales and traditions seem to have come together to create the tradition that we still know and love today, stockings and food for Santa and his reindeer.

For more ideas on classic Christmas Décor, take a look at this week’s latest Pinterest board - Pinterest - Classic Christmas Decor.