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.
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
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
These shortbread-like cream cookies are super fun and festive when dipped into melted chocolate, and then rolled in edible decorations!
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 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.
Um, our ancestors were weird, y’all. Maybe we’re just missing some context that would make these bizarre Victorian Christmas cards make sense?
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.
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.
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.
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!
Delicious Christmas and holiday recipes with walnuts, including Chess pie, Walnut nuggets, Plum pudding, Walnut stuffing, Scotch trilbies, Panettone, and other delights.
From the era before electricity, automobiles and radio come these very old-fashioned recipes for Victorian Christmas side dishes. Get a taste of the holidays, 1800s-style!
Looking for a fun and creative holiday project that’s a little different? Check out these crafty and cute vintage Christmas decorations, based on ideas popular back in the sixties.
Beautiful, festive Christmas plates and dinnerware – like these vintage sets from Lenox and Spode – are still popular. Here’s a look at some of the patterns and pieces you could get in the past!
What kind of sweets did they enjoy more than 100 years ago — especially when ready-made candies were few and far between? People back in
Old-fashioned orange pomander balls made with cloves first became popular around the 17th century, and have been in use ever since. Here’s how to make your own fragrant decoration!
Find out how to make these colorful Christmas decorations: Translucent Tissue paper stained glass art panels to make your rooms blaze with jewel-toned light.
It’s a joy for the whole family to get in on the planning and making of holiday cookies days and even weeks before Christmas day arrives. Here’s a classic cookie collection from the ’50s.
Here are three old-fashioned plum pudding recipes – classic Christmas desserts full of fruit, booze, and other good things that there is little room for the dough.
Try these Triple Treat holiday bars: A vintage bar cookie recipe from 1973! They’re easy to make. Take one pan, bake one base, then top 3 different delicious ways.
Here is a group of irresistible cookies of every kind which you’ll enjoy making as much as giving. From Woman’s Day magazine (December 1962) Cookies
Here’s a cute little vintage Christmas tree craft from 1950. You can cut the tree and decorations out of paper, then and you can use it as a table centerpiece or a mantel decoration, hang it up, or just play with it.
If you’re looking to recreate that special vintage Christmas cookie recipe that your grandmother used to make, or want to discover old-fashioned cookies to make new again, here’s a big tasty collection of treats for you!
If you’re looking for tips on doing something just like they did it 100 or more years ago, you’re in the right place! Here are
If you love the rich taste of maple syrup, we’d like to tempt you into giving a sweet twist to your holiday baking: these vintage-style snow-topped thumbprint cookies with a hint of maple!
Two Christmas traditions (eggnog and Kringla) rolled into one soft, cakelike cookie. Here’s how to make classic eggnog kringla cookies with this recipe from 1990.
Here are a few ideas for antique-style Christmas embroidery you can use to create small gifts. We have also included some bonus patterns, also from the early 1900s.
Want some retro-style holiday decor? Find out how to make some vintage Christmas crafts from the ’60s: a burlap wreath, tabletop Christmas trees, a starburst decoration, papier mache ornaments and more.
This holiday chocolate nut squares recipe makes a delicious vintage cookie bar – filled with chocolate, pecans or walnuts, plus coconut on a sweet cookie dough base!
You can make these super easy wax & tissue paper flowers for Christmas or any time of year! This vintage craft uses basic supplies, but creates a surprisingly beautiful result!
Take a look back at some of the most popular vintage Black & Decker electronics and small appliances from the late ’80s, including everything from Dustbusters to irons, and food processors to toaster ovens.
Whether they’re right out of the box or in your favorite recipe, here is is an easy way to tempt the vanilla wafer lovers in your family: Make a nilla wafer cranberry cheesecake!
This peppermint marble angel cake gets an extra festive touch from peppermint extract and bonus bits of crushed peppermint candy. Here’s a vintage recipe from 1990!
Here’s a vintage Johnny Appleseed Pie recipe from the Log Cabin kitchens for an apple pie that Johnny Appleseed himself would have been proud of, with extra flavor from maple syrup.
Here are three different recipes for vintage pumpkin meringue pies – one with a homemade pie and meringue topping, a second with a ginger-infused meringue, and the last using a pre-made pumpkin pie with a nutty meringue on top.
Iced Nesselrode Pudding, a chestnut-based chilled sweet, was considered to be very expensive, very fancy, very tasty — and was, consequently, very popular during the Victorian era.
Go a little retro this year! Make delicious holiday butter cookies and lots of different pressed Christmas cookie designs – including spritz – from these easy vintage recipes.
Depending on your preference, this retro creamy chocolate mint pie recipe from the 80s uses either Creme de Menthe liqueur, or you can use a little peppermint extract.
This deliciously festive pear-cranberry cobbler recipe from the ’90s is filled with seasonal fruit and a crumbly topping.
You’ll love this old-fashioned clove cake that’s really different from any other spice cake you ever tasted.
Take a look back at the latest and greatest toys from 1986 in these pages from the vintage Toys R Us catalogs called the 80s Out of this World Toy Book.
What’s the history of Necco Wafers? Here’s a look back at how a company made the candy such a big hit that it would be on shelves for the next 100 years.
Take a look back at dozens of vintage gift sets for women from the ’50s, ’60s & ’70s, filled with fancy fragrances, makeup, skincare products & more!
From the 1981 C&H private collection comes fresh look at one of your favorite Christmas cookies: Golden thumbprints, the classic sweet-topped cookies.
Swedish rosettes, a light Scandinavian cookie, uses a rosette iron to create its distinctive shape. The result is as delicious as it is beautiful.
Fudge ribbon pie combines peppermint ice cream and a creamy fudge sauce, frozen and then topped with a peppermint meringue.
Except for the silvery cones atop the towers, this fantasy ice castle cake is completely edible, built with rich cake, paved with icing and rock candy.
From the C&H private collection comes a recipe for these Christmas cookies. Viennese sugar twists are shaped like a pretzel, but are a whole lot sweeter.
Glowing with cheer, try this fresh-made delight – Kahlua Christmas cake, made with ground almonds instead of flour, and covered with a mocha frosting.
Try one of these vintage 7-Up cake recipes with lemon-lime soda! ‘Never before have you had a cake so light, so airy, so high, and with such a delightful new flavor.’
Get some great retro recipes for some classic molasses cut-out cookie recipes: Swedish crisps, gingerbread men & Christmas tree cut-out cookies!
Take a step back into the beauty of yesteryear, and see some pretty vintage & antique Christmas decorations that were both charming and affordable.
Joyous in the holiday season, homemade candy & fudge are gifts happily remembered: golden taffy nuggets sweetly flavored with molasses, white velvet creams, chocolate cream fudge and more deliciousness.
In 1957, accordion player/band leader/TV show host Lawrence Welk was the most popular musician in US history, and made millions doing what he did best.
This Baker’s Chocolate Decadence cake from the ’80s is made doubly rich with chunks of chocolate plus raisins, dates, and almonds. It’ll put everyone in the holiday spirit.
Holiday punch takes on a whole new dimension when you spark up the brew with deliciously fizzy drinks like ginger ale, 7-Up and Sprite!
Coca Cola’s images of Santa Claus molded our national concept of the jolly old man, and it’s lasted through changing tastes and electronic times.
Come see what kinds of retro Christmas cards people sent each other to celebrate the holidays back in the fifties and sixties!
Have a look at 126 of the most popular toys from the ’40s that millions of kids found under their Christmas trees back in 1948, courtesy of Santa… or from mom and dad.
This invisible floating Christmas tree decoration from the ’60s – made with shiny and colorful ball ornaments – is so simple, but an absolute showstopper. See how to make your own here!
This cute Jell-O Jingle Jells recipe features bells cut out of Jello (with a cookie cutter) and served with flaked or riced Jello and whipped cream.
Love those classic cocktails? Get the recipes here for some of the finest from the 40s: Gin Rickey, Creme de Menthe Frappe, Hot Toddy, Side Car, Pink Lady, Stinger, Champagne Cocktail, Manhattan, Daiquiri & more!
Try this Borden holiday eggnog pie, made with a filling of vanilla pudding, eggnog, spice, and whipped topping mix. The result is festive, delicious and easy.
Once upon a time, fruitcake took days to prepare. Weeks even. But not anymore! Here’s the famous 9-minute ‘can’t fail’ holiday fruitcake.
Christmas goes to the dogs! Here are 8 adorable antique Christmas postcards with dogs, plus a tale of how some boys got together and gave their pups their own holiday party.
Who’s got time to fix dinner during the holiday rush? Colonel Sanders! In the ’60s, the hot tip was to have Kentucky Fried Chicken for Christmas.
Here’s how to make that classic m&m cookie recipe loved by generations — and just as tasty today as ever.
If you can spare no money, and have no time to make pretty and inexpensive things, give pleasant words and wishes, and rediscover the truest joy of Christmas giving
Make an easy layer pumpkin pie! 2 vintage recipes that double (or triple!) the holiday deliciousness
Here are two great no-bake pumpkin pie recipes – a double layer pumpkin pie that uses instant pudding, while the second recipe has a base with plain gelatin.
With these retro Christmas Jello recipes, don’t serve cranberries the same old way, try a star of a salad. Make a wreath with a wiggle. And a rum dessert that’ll make you see an old favorite in a new light
Although L’eggs doesn’t make their egg packing anymore, you can still make adorable egg-shaped ornaments with the help of these vintage craft instructions!
Use an old milk or juice carton, wax and ice to make a fancy-looking DIY milk carton candle! It’s inexpensive, and the directions are easy enough for a kid to follow.
