Here are some fun ideas and recipes to give your July 4th holiday a truly retro vibe, plus a look back at the history of Independence Day!
entertaining
If you love the mid-century style, or want to re-create that beautiful vintage backyard feel, get 47 of the best old-fashioned patio, deck & porch ideas here for a little retro inspo.
A room to relax in, to revel in, to play games in – when have we had a room precisely for that? This 1960s party room could do all that and more.
Full of candy colors, this cheerful open-air bubblegum pink sunroom from the 70s was set up to make it easy to have a little party any time.
This retro 70s party-friendly family room could easily host guests and after-dinner coffee — it was a family room (or living room) with definite pizzazz.
A frame of sunshine colors softened the view of the sliding glass doors in this poolside party room without impeding either the view or traffic to the terrace.
Learn how to macrame with the 70s technique to create vintage-style projects – a macrame plant hanger, a belt, basket-style coasters and a macrame owl.
Get seven sassy snack mix how-tos from yesteryear, including the granddaddy of them all: the original Chex mix recipe!
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!
What could be better to get a holiday party rolling than this festive cheese ball with zesty olives inside and out? Get the recipe!
Originally called a jeweled cheese ball, this retro-style cheddar-brandy cheese ball is so easy to make! It only takes a few minutes to mix and shape. Here’s how.
The mid century conversation pit: A photo timeline of that fascinating 60s and 70s living room trend
Ever since the 80s, the iconic conversation pit has seemed hopelessly out-of-date. Could it be poised for a comeback?
Try not to be too creeped out by this collection of vintage Halloween party ideas spanning over a century!
What were hostesses with the mostesses setting up on dining tables 40+ years ago? Here’s a look back at some beautiful vintage ’70s table setting ideas!
Practical ideas to help you plan small gardens of your own – a quiet, refreshing area close to your house where you can enjoy the plants and flowers you love!
Starting back in the ’50s, women were encouraged to start their own businesses, hosting Tupperware parties, and demonstrating how to use those popular plastic containers. Here’s a look back!
Looking to get a ’60s-style party going? Here are some old-school toasts to raise, and some vintage ’60s drink recipes, so you can say cheers with a savvy retro flair!
Find some elegantly vintage Easter egg crafts and artsy inspiration right here! The ideas may be old, but they’ll probably seem new to you.
How can you decorate store-bought cakes you got from the supermarket freezer? Here are six great ways to customize them – making an ordinary cake into an extraordinary dessert.
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.
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.
Retro paper plates, napkins, placemats, cups and more – all affordable and all disposable – were new and popular in the ’60s. Here’s a look back at some of the products & patterns available then!
Are you ready for Halloween? A look back at some old-fashioned Halloween party tips from 1910, in the days when the holiday was more about gatherings than candy collection.
Cottage cheese — like that used in this creamy cottage cheese dip recipe — is a little lower in fat and calories than sour cream, and just as delicious.
Back when cheap Halloween party decor was a distant dream, people had to make their Halloween decorations the old-fashioned way: by getting creative. Ghoul School 1919 is now in session!
Decades ago, vintage table lighters like these ‘played an important part in the art of entertaining. The gracious, easy way to get a light if you smoke.’
How did people celebrate the spookiest holiday many generations ago? Look here for some very vintage – but hauntingly creative – old-school Halloween party table decor ideas & menus!
Here are a couple recipes for petits fours – along with ways to make the frosting, fondant and decorations for these tiny cakes, all in the ’50s style!
This beautiful Spumoni Elegante is a deluxe version of a frozen dessert classic: fruit-studded cream filling encased in a luscious layer of velvety egg custard.
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.
A Victorian garden party may extend from afternoon into evening, or it may be entirely an evening affair — and here were the best ways to set everything up.
Serve your Caribbean coconut chicken with cornbread or French bread, pear-lettuce salad, and a full, dry white table wine.
Take these vintage centerpiece ideas from the ’50s, ’60s & ’70s, and put your own spin on them for a modern-day retro-inspired holiday or party table!
Here’s a look at our collection of vintage ’50s table setting ideas – direct from magazines that came out between 1950 and 1959.
What were calling cards, and how were these visiting cards used by polite society back at the turn of the century? Find out!
This choco-mint party cake recipe starts with a pre-made angel food cake, and adds a flavorful colored frosting that oozes out from between the layers.
Find out how to make some sweet vintage Easter egg crafts for spring – everything from bunny-decorated eggs to lacquered lace eggshells.
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!
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!
Here are 38 different classic punch recipes to try — none with alcohol as an ingredient. The fruit juices and different varieties of carbonated waters and ginger ales will satisfy the palate, and cool you off in a most refreshing manner.
What can you serve in the punch bowl? Some society ladies of Southern Mississippi offered these 21 fruity vintage punch recipes in the summer of 1969!
The secret to party-giving is good food plus good company in a beautiful setting. When it comes to perfect party tablesettings, here are ways to showcase your decorating and culinary skills!
The judgments are harsh, and nobody is worried about subtlety in these ridiculously offensive ads that ran in popular magazines many decades ago.
To make any kitchen cozier and more welcoming! start by rethinking it as a room, not just a place to cook. Here are some ideas for how to make your kitchen work both ways.
What were these cheesy cheese spread recipes all about? They were appetizers and snacks that creatively-shaped — into a wreath, a chicken (with a tail made out of Fritos corn chips) and a Christmas tree.
There are so many recipes for appetizers to serve at game day football parties — but what about the main course? You can score with this old-fashioned football meatloaf, inspired by two vintage recipes!
Raise a glass, retro-style! Get Glacier highball, Christmas sparkler, Kris Kringle punch & vintage holiday punch and classic cocktail recipes for a holiday party
While we can imagine a Christmas without snow and without presents, it’s almost impossible to envision the holiday without the main meal. Here’s what a traditional Victorian Christmas dinner was like.
This retro recipe for a cold glazed baked ham is coated with a version of chaud droid, then decorated with pimiento, green pepper and olives.
Philly cheese bells are a shaped creamy cheese spread made from Philadelphia Brand cream cheese and spreadable Cracker Barrel cold pack cheese food.
These cheese cones – pinecone-shaped cheeseballs covered in your choice of nuts – is the ultimate decorative old-school appetizer spread! Find out how to make them here.
A shrimp Christmas tree appetizer is a scene-stealer and a real buffet beauty, certain to cast a special charm over any holiday party – yet so easy to do! Here’s how.
