Here are some fun ideas and recipes to give your 4th of July a truly retro vibe, plus a look back at the history of Independence Day!
entertaining
Serve your Caribbean coconut chicken with cornbread or French bread, pear-lettuce salad, and a full, dry white table wine.
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.
Find out how to make some sweet vintage Easter egg crafts for spring – everything from bunny-decorated eggs to lacquered lace eggshells.
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!
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.
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!
Get seven sassy snack mix how-tos from yesteryear, including the granddaddy of them all: the original Chex mix recipe!
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.
Try not to be too creeped out by this collection of vintage Halloween party ideas spanning over a century!
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!
Here’s a look at our collection of vintage 1950s table settings – direct from magazines that came out between 1950 and 1959.
The judgments are harsh, and nobody is worried about subtlety in these mean and bad ads that ran in popular magazines many decades ago.
Step back in time with a fun look at vintage cracker brands, from cheesy Cheez-Its to buttery Ritz, and relive the tasty, crispy and crunchy nostalgia through old-school ads and photos!
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.
Have a look back at 50 years of America’s favorite party snack – and see if we found any of your favorite old potato chip brands!
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.
Although the popularity of the fondue recipe has waxed and waned over the years, it is still — and likely forever will be — enjoyed as a delicious communal meal that brings people together.
See some old-school Jacuzzis, hot tubs and spas, including the super-trendy retro backyard whirlpool baths that ushered in a whole new way to entertain friends.
Want to have a holiday get-together with a little retro charm? Check out these creative and colorful 1960s Christmas party decor ideas!
A box social, sometimes called a box supper social, was an old-fashioned way for communities to connect, share a meal and raise money for local
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.
Ever since the 80s, the iconic conversation pit has seemed hopelessly out-of-date. Could it be poised for a comeback?
Want to host a throwback celebration, with ideas straight out of the early 1900s? Here’s a menu describing each of the fourteen courses served at a formal dinner party, plus other hosting tips for an event with true Edwardian style.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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-shaped 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
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.
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.
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!
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!
What were calling cards, and how were these visiting cards used by polite society back at the turn of the century? Find out!
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.
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.
Tilting water pitchers were often found on the dining table during the Victorian era. Mounted on a swing pivot, it simplified the task of pouring ice water into cups or glasses, as there was no lifting required.
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.’
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
Here’s an easy and attractive appetizer recipe from the sixties for chicken ham pinwheels: a meaty oven-baked roll that you slice into pieces, sushi-style.
Garden delights! Here are some old-fashioned backyard flower carts made of metal (often wrought iron) and wood.
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.
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 pinecone cheese ball recipes are the ultimate decorative old-school appetizer spread! Find out how to make them here.
Back in the ’60s, they called this recipe Fruits Royal Hawaiian — a easy-to-carve pineapple basket filled with a luscious fresh fruit salad. Get the how-to here!
Here are four retro recipes for easy appetizers and snacks made with envelopes of Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix!
Teen guests will swing at a party of food, fun and favors that a young hostess can make herself. Greet your invited ghosts and goblins with a Halloween party!
Here’s a creative pineapple treasure chest filled with a delicious fresh fruit salad. It’s easy to make this stunning party centerpiece! Here’s how you can do it.
Make these brilliant harvest desserts – Halloween Jello recipes! Whip up a glittering pumpkin parfait. A sparking new way to serve grapes. Or a glowing harvest moon salad.
Trimmed with good-to-eat Oscar Mayer tidbits stuck on with cocktail picks, this Christmas tree with meat ornaments is sure to be the center of attraction at any holiday buffet.
’60s dinner party with fondue — the fun party dish! Everyone will have a ball the moment the dunking begins. These exciting party foods show you’re really with it. Plenty — and then some — to feed a crowd. Here’s how!
Check out some vintage baby gear from Cosco, along with some of their other products – including folding tables, serving carts and more.
This zesty horseradish dip recipe gets its zing from both radishes and horseradish, smoothed into a savory sour cream and beef soup mix base.
You’ll amaze folks with your skill (needn’t tell ‘em how easy it was!) and delight everybody with this grand-tasting cheese souffle.
At first glance, vegetable ice cream looks like a terrible idea… but it’s actually not quite that bizarre when you realize these aren’t desserts, but are meant to be served as a salad, or a light and savory chilled palate refresher.
Summer parties and entertaining duties never cease — there are always garden fetes, weekends, luncheons and bridge suppers to be planned and executed.
The mark of the guest room is its appointments. It should be fitted with all the comforts that art and ingenuity provide in house furnishings. Here are some vintage tips!
Make-ahead dazzler: Philly chocolate cheesecake – the retro 60s recipe This chocolate thriller is just one of many Philly desserts that you can make days
Party aprons and serving holders Ever since Madame Schiaparelli wore lovely aprons as part of her hostess gowns, we’ve been on the alert for something
Why not go native at your next party with a retro Hawaiian luau party? It’s now officially as American as a New England clambake.
