All of these sweet potato pie recipes come from the early part of the 20th century — from 1915 until 1922 — and should give you some ideas for ways to spice up a sweet potato pie of your own!
Vintage Christmas
Step into a vintage Christmas wonderland, exploring the old-fashioned traditions, classic decorations, and timeless recipes that rekindle the kind of holiday magic you remember!
Food: Christmas recipes | Christmas dessert recipes | Holiday cookie recipes
More: Holiday crafts | Christmas trees | Ornaments | Decor
Christmas by decade: 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s
🎅 100 vintage Christmas scenes so sweet, you’ll want a time machine
🥘 24 strange vintage Christmas appetizers you don’t see much anymore
🎀 Bad vintage Christmas ads: Retro holiday sales pitches you’d never see today
Baker’s easy one-bowl German chocolate brownies with coconut-nut topping: A classic recipe from 1997
These easy German chocolate brownies are deliciously indulgent, and have a coconut-nut topping! Get the ’90s retro recipe right here.
Take a look back at dozens of vintage gift sets for men from the ’60s, with popular aftershave, cologne, shaving sets and other grooming products.
Dig this crazy caramel popcorn – it’s positively wild, all candy-coated and crunchy with almonds, pecans or peanuts, made with corn syrup.
This exceptional Bacardi rum cake is a pudding cake baked in a ring pan, and flavored with Bacardi dark dry rum. You may be surprised at how easy it is to get an elegant cake – perfect for the holidays!
Why do so many people love vintage Snoopy stickers? ‘You’d be astounded at the enthusiasm of Peanuts collectors,’ said cartoonist Charles Schulz.
The old Sears Wish Book catalog was perfectly named – it was where kids and adults alike would dream about all the things that Santa (or a special elf) might bring for Christmas. Find out its history here!
Try this tasty and easy recipe from the early 1960s for old-fashioned rolled sugar cookie cutouts, accompanied below by step-by-step photos!
In the 1974 Rankin-Bass holiday spectacle, The Year Without a Santa Claus, the unforgettable Heat Miser and Snow Miser captured imaginations with their signature musical showdown. See it here!
Vintage Christmas TV specials were as much a part of the holiday as gifts and Christmas trees. Millions of people – especially kids – looked forward to them year after year. Look at more than 100 of these classics.
That characteristic mid-century modern flair — with an abundance of color, clean lines and geometric patterns — translated perfectly in these examples of 1950s Christmas wall decorations
There’s a reason that advertising has evolved over the decades – and these bad vintage Christmas ads from years ago show you exactly why!
Having a retro party for the holidays? Here are lots of crazy kitschy vintage Christmas appetizers you may want to serve… at your own risk.
Remember these classic 70s Christmas cookies? Here’s our collection of the best and most delicious old-fashioned treats of the decade!
Check out this fascinating collection of 1970s Christmas photos and magazine clips, showcasing the unique holiday spirit and trends of the era.
Step back and time and enjoy these charmingly vintage Christmas scenes celebrations from the 1940s through the 1970s, showing holidays that were picture perfect.
Get seven sassy snack mix how-tos from yesteryear, including the granddaddy of them all: the original Chex mix recipe!
These rich and tender cherry thumbprint Christmas cookies have bright and colorful button centers, made by placing pretty halved red or green candied cherries into the middle of each one.
Get ready for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays with the help of these old-fashioned stuffing recipe, made with simple ingredients and fresh foods.
Dive into the nostalgia of 80s toys! From Transformers to Strawberry Shortcake, explore the iconic playthings that made the 1980s a decade of fun.
If you want to serve something different this year for Thanksgiving or Christmas, a retro cranberry souffle salad may be just the thing! Bring back some of the flair of the fifties with these unusual little side dishes.
With songs like the title tune and ‘Have a Holly Jolly Christmas,’ the holiday TV special ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ was a delight for the ears and, thanks to the stop-motion photography, for the eyes.
A lot of 80s candy endures to the present, but you’re still going to love these retro ads & packages from back in the day! Which were your favorites?
Let’s consider for a moment the soap on a rope phenomenon — a peculiar fusion of the useful and the whimsical that once occupied a
The Juice is Loose! SNICKERS really satisfies. Melts in your mouth, not in your hand. First it’s a candy, then it’s a gum. These iconic
Try this beautiful melted bead suncatcher DIY! These decorative plastic crafts can even be embedded with foil, glass nuggets, marbles, shells, and more for countless interesting designs.
This recipe for tasty Greek Christmas cookies uses half almond flour and half all-purpose flour for the dough – which is spiced with cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, then topped with a candied cherry.
These retro Christmas ornament craft ideas may be more than 50 years old, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less festive than you’d expect to see today! Take a look at how easy they are to do.
This amazing peppermint fudge recipe from the 80s combines the flavor of peppermint with creamy white chocolate for a treat that practically tastes like Christmas.
Here’s a collection of gingerbread houses to inspire you this holiday: a fairy-tale cottage, half-timbered country house, marvelous Victorian mansion, and many more – along with details on how to make your own classic gingerbread house.
Want to have a holiday get-together with a little retro charm? Check out these creative and colorful 1960s Christmas party decor ideas!
Rocky Road fudge — with its tried-and-true combination of chocolate, marshmallows and nuts — reaches new heights when made in fudge form.
People of all ages will love these cute vintage Christmas cookie houses, which can be made easily and inexpensively. See examples and get directions here!
A Rice Krispies gingerbread house – or Christmas cottage – made from crispy rice cereal is easier and faster to put together than most conventional gingerbread houses! Here’s how to do it.
If you’re a fan of yummy treats you can whip up in a flash, you’ll love this collection of delicious cookie bars made famous in the last century.
With a little thought and care – plus the inspiration of these lush holiday table settings of yore – you can create unforgettably nostalgic Christmas table settings that will be remembered for years to come.
We found a treasure trove of letters to Santa dating back to the 1930s (and they are adorable!). Come see what kids were asking for back in the day.
Here are some crafty fabric Christmas ornaments you can make yourself. There are five different designs using an inexpensive patchwork design.
This shaped butterscotch yule log is like a roll of butterscotch fudge that you cut into slices – and is super easy to create. Here’s how to make one for Christmas!
We’ve collected some of the most well-known, classic versions of this vintage chocolate chip cookies. Which one will you bake today?
Here’s how to craft creative salt dough ornaments for Christmas! It’s easy to stir up a batch, and makes getting into the holiday spirit extra fun.
These big chocolate crinkle cookies are covered in powdered sugar before they’re baked, and come out of the oven with little cracks in the snowy sugar. This classic recipe comes from the 1980s, and uses unsweetened cocoa.
Take a look at these beautiful sequined ornaments and beaded fruit crafts from the 1960s & 1970s for a little DIY inspiration!
Raisins and walnuts, delicately flavored with the flavors of cinnamon and orange, are wonderful surprises awaiting you with your first spoonful of these delicious old-fashioned baked apples!
If you are looking for a treat so Christmas-y that you can actually taste the festivity, it’s hard to beat the old-fashioned charm of gingerbread recipes.
If you’re having a party, consider these 12 cheese ball recipes! These tidbits provide a good color, taste and texture contrast to other foods, and can be made ahead of time, too — even several days ahead to suit your convenience.
By using baking mix and sweetened condensed milk, you don’t need sugar, egg, butter or flour… in fact, everything you need to make easy peanut blossoms cookies might be in your cupboard right now.
Serving canned cranberry sauce this year? Don’t be shy about getting out the jellied stuff, because it turns out you can do lots of cute and creative things with it, from making little turkey cutouts to eye-catching Christmas trees.
How long do you need to cook your turkey? While making a roasted turkey for Thanksgiving is about as vintage American as it gets, our turkey cooking times and tips offered here are based on the most up-to-date standards.
Some hardware stores in the 70s used to stock tons of great toys and Christmas gifts for kids – like dolls and trucks, bikes and ride-on horses, car sets and craft kits. Take a look!
To get in the proper holiday spirit, Americana-style, let’s revisit some of the most iconic moments from the timeless TV classic, “A Christmas Story” – plus find out where to watch the sequel!
Toast the season’s riches with this snappy pinecone-shaped cheeseball! Formed in a nutshell of crisp, crunchy almonds, its flavor is so scrumptious, your guests will go simply nutty.
Adapted from an article that ran in Better Homes & Gardens print magazine back in December 1970, this cute craft how-to for “colossal Christmas balls”
This retro cranberry pumpkin bread recipe makes for a breakfast or dessert filled with warm flavor from just the right blend of fall spices, plus a little bit of a tart kick from the popular autumn fruit, cranberries.
Once you have made your perfect pumpkin pie – using the classic Libby’s pie recipe or another version – you might want to accent your delicious dessert with one of these tasty pumpkin pie toppings!
What could be better to get a holiday party rolling than a creamy, festive olive cheese ball? This recipe comes from the 70s, which was pretty much the golden age of cheese spreads.
More than good, Libby’s pumpkin pie is smooth, gently spicy, and perfect! Get the classic pie you love – the original vintage recipe is right here, with our very own step-by-step photos to guide you.
As you prepare to dive into the busiest cookie-baking season of the year, make sure you’re prepared with the best quality cookie-baking supplies!
While chocolate milk will always be the rock star of milky mixed drinks, strawberry drink mix has a charm all its own. Here’s a look back at the debut of Nestle’s Strawberry Quik back in the sixties!
What is a pumpkin roll? It’s a lightly-spiced pumpkin cake, jelly roll-style — filled with sweet, fluffy cream cheese. Try this retro version from the 70s!
This retro holiday spinach rice recipe makes 12 servings of a delicious and festive-looking side dish, which includes spinach, cheese and green onions – plus sliced almonds for crunch.
This collection of vintage Pier 1 Christmas ads shows the great variety of gifts, home decor, and Christmas decorations they had available through the second half of the 20th century.
Pecan pumpkin pie adds the rich flavor of pecans in a crunchy top layer. Corn syrup is combined with canned pumpkin and eggs for a fast, smooth custard filling.
These classic spiced crackle cookies from the 80s – rolled in powdered sugar before baking – deliver a sweet dessert with rich flavor and a little warm and spicy tang.
This almond legend cake has one whole almond baked inside, and the lucky person who receives the slice with the hidden almond is said to enjoy good fortune all year! Here’s the classic recipe from the 1970s!
If you love the flavor of almonds and sherry, try them together in a fabulous cake! You make this almond sherry cake with cream sherry, sliced almonds and cake mix.
Baby Ruth candy bars – and even Baby Ruth gum – were among the most popular sweets back in the day. Right here, take a look at more than 50 years of the history of the brand.
Raise a glass, retro-style! Get Glacier highball, Christmas sparkler, Kris Kringle punch & vintage holiday punch and classic cocktail recipes for a holiday party
These shortbread-like cream cookies are super fun and festive when dipped into melted chocolate, and then rolled in edible decorations!
We’ve rounded up 30 dramatically different examples of 1950s Christmas tree decorations — come be inspired by these lavishly decorated Christmas trees!
Celebrate this season with this quick and easy Hollyday Mint Pie recipe. You’ll love how easy it is to get into the holiday spirit.
Hot punch is one of the traditional winter warmer-uppers, whether or not there’s booze in it. Here are more than a dozen old-fashioned hot punch recipes for the holidays, both with and without alcohol.
The official pictures of kids with Santa – once called ‘sitting on Santa’s lap’ – has been around for generations. Here’s a look back at this Christmas ritual!
Let Christmas stocking stuffers of yesteryear inform your Christmas list THIS year! We’ve rounded up over 30 vintage Christmas stocking stuffers we loved in days gone by.
The Christmas decorations in Victorian churches could be extremely lush Victorian Christians were faithful practitioners of their religion, and took special care decorating their churches
Here’s a look at the clothing boys and girls wore in the winter during the 1890s – and how you might have seen those Victorian-era children dressed up for Christmas and the other holidays of the season.
How did a character whose brief life ended so tragically become a hero of the happiest holiday? We have some theories plus four different vintage gingerbread man cookie recipes!
Long before we became obsessed with charcuterie boards, we had Hickory Farms Food Gift Paks. Remember those? Here, we have a round up of vintage Hickory Farms ads for your reminiscing pleasure!
Um, our ancestors were weird, y’all. Maybe we’re just missing some context that would make these bizarre Victorian Christmas cards make sense?
Cranberries have become traditional for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners — and these 20 homemade cranberry sauce recipes will help you deliciously add the ruby-red jewel to your feasts!
In these recipes from the 1950s, find out how to make classic gingerbread cookies — pretty decorated cut-out Christmas cookies with that famous spicy flavor.
You might remember some of these popular fudge recipes from your childhood. We encourage you to try at least one this year (or try them all)!
On these pictures of Christmas trees in the 70s, cuddly creatures, lace, ribbons, flowers, Santas and toys, were all radiantly spotlighted with the gleam of shining ornaments. Take a look back here, and get a little retro inspo for your holidays!
Why do we kiss under mistletoe at Christmas? The history of this holiday tradition goes way back. In fact, the ‘missel thrush’ has been by ancient cultures for thousands of years.
Whether you’re a nostalgia buff or looking for Christmas door decorations for your mid century home (or both!), we have some fun and festive ideas!
While there are many different recipes for this classic sherry bundt cake, here is one that has remained popular for decades This dessert is moist and decadent with the perfect amount of sweetness.
The best way to gift-wrap a bulky or odd-shaped kitchen appliance or utensil is – don’t! Give it a fanciful shape, instead – with Christmas paper, ribbons, ornaments and more.
To many Americans living south of the Mason-Dixon line, sweet potatoes must be made with marshmallows! Here are 6 ways to make old-fashioned marshmallow sweet potatoes for a Thanksgiving side dish!
If you want to try something new that’s actually old for Thanksgiving, try making this homemade pie crust recipe from 1950!
These Karo lace cookies are so thin & elegant, crisp & crunchy, you can serve them to company, give them as gifts, or hang them on the tree.
Soaky was a popular brand of bubble bath in the ’60s that kids loved because the plastic bottles were shaped like cartoon characters. See some here!
Re-create that warm holiday feeling with an almond pudding loaf that’s will fill your home with the delicious aroma of home baking.
In the ’80s, these sweet vintage Dunkin’ Donuts glass jars came filled with Munchkins donut holes, and were meant to live out the rest of their days on a kitchen counter, just waiting to be refilled with tasty treats.
If you’re looking for a vintage-style dessert for a special occasion, check out our collection of more than 100 classic cake recipes to suit all tastes!
Here is an easy 1970s chocolatey Coconut Joy no-bake cookie recipe from C&H. With it, you can easily make these sweet treats for the holidays – or any day of the year!
These pretty and old-fashioned paper Christmas ornaments are so easy to make, kids and adults can work on them together! As a bonus, they’re very cheap to create. Get directions and diagrams here.
This carrot cake Christmas pudding is a variation of the classic holiday dessert, but based on a carrot cake recipe. That means it should make a delicious treat even for those who aren’t fans of old-fashioned plum pudding.
How about a little old-fashioned holiday inspiration? Check out these super-cute retro Christmas cake decorating ideas to help you use frosting to make a wreath, stocking, reindeer, Santa Claus cake and more!
