An Old-Fashioned Christmas: 10 Simple Ways to Bring Vintage Charm (and Quiet Wonder) Into Your Holiday
November 28, 2025 · by Sara Nichols
The moment I open Little Women, the 1860s American classic written by Louisa May Alcott, I’m ten years old again—enjoying the story with my sister, dreaming of the March girls’ cozy parlor and the way they made Christmas magical with almost nothing. That same gentle, homemade magic is one of the sweetest holiday trends this year, and I couldn’t love it more!
This year, the “Little Women Christmas” aesthetic is everywhere—and for good reason. It invites us to slow down, create with our hands, gather what God has already provided, and center our homes on faith, family, and the quiet wonder of Christ’s birth. You don’t need a big budget or a complete decor overhaul. Just a few intentional touches can turn your home into a warm, storybook haven that brings back the homemade charm the March family would have known.
Here are 10 easy ways to weave that vintage magic into your home this December:
1. Classic Colors
Stick to the muted, natural palette of the 1860s: hunter green, deep cranberry, cream, and touches of tarnished brass or pewter. Layer velvet ribbons, wool plaids, knitted throws, and burlap twine. Don’t worry about perfect matching! These rich, humble tones feel like the March family parlor—timeless and quietly elegant.
2. Handmade with Love
The March girls used what they had—ribbon scraps, lace, buttons, and yarn. Crochet snowflakes, sew simple fabric stars, or string vintage buttons into garlands. Pinterest offers plenty of non-sewing ideas, as well. My favorite look this year? Oversized, loopy bows tied generously on the tree, mantel garland, or staircase; no other ornaments required! This homespun look is a simple, elegant, and gentle reminder that the best parts of Christmas are made, not bought.
3. Edible Decor
Cranberry-popcorn strings, dried orange and apple slices, sugar cookies, cinnamon sticks, candy canes, and gingerbread ornaments scented New England homes in the 1860s (and smelled amazing). Salt dough ornaments also make precious gifts for grandparents! You can find many recipes for free online. Turn an afternoon into memory-making: put on music, pour cocoa, and let the kids help. The kitchen will smell like heaven, and the tree will tell the story.
4. Fresh Greenery
Pine, cedar, holly, mistletoe, and magnolia leaves were free for the gathering and the most popular choice for decor in the 1860s. Snip a few branches from the yard or a nearby wood (another great kid-friendly activity), drape a plain, fresh garland over the mantel, and fill your home with the natural scents of the season. If fresh isn’t your thing, go faux! Mostly unadorned fake greenery still adds that vintage feeling without the high maintenance of watering.
5. Treasures from Granny’s Cabinet
Pull out the heirloom nativity, the old glass ornaments, or Great-Grandma’s embroidered linens. Each vintage piece carries a story worth reminiscing about and sharing with the family. If you don’t have family pieces, thrift stores are full of someone else’s history waiting to become part of yours. Go on a treasure hunt with the family and see who finds the best pieces!
6. Candlelight Glow
The Marches lit their evenings with beeswax candles glowing softly in windows as a sign of welcome. Skip the bright LED strands this year and scatter battery-operated tapers and pillars instead. Cluster them on the mantel, line the windowsills, use them in your tree with clips, or pop them into vintage candlesticks for an instant cozy, flickering warmth.
7. Paper Pretties & Family Crafting Nights
Paper chains from old book pages or hymns, delicate snowflakes cut from white printer paper, hand-cut stars and angels—these were a decor staple in the 1860s. Set out scissors and paper one evening and let everyone go to town. Hang them on the tree, tape them to windows, or string them across doorways. Try elevating this look by using Christmas ribbon for chains in place of paper. Simply cut the ribbon into equal size strips and hot glue together like you would paper chains.
8. All Booked Up
Stack a few cloth-bound books (or wrap modern ones in kraft paper), tie with twine and a sprig of greenery or a velvet ribbon, and set them on the coffee table or mantel. Bonus points if one of them is a vintage copy of Little Women. Include a family Bible open to Luke 2. After all, the greatest story ever told began in the pages of a Book!
9. Wrapping Made Simple
Brown paper packages tied up with string (or velvet ribbon). Simplified, monotone paper in brown, black, white, green or red. Or try using fabric, which can be utilized after the gift has been opened! Understated wrapping keeps the focus on the giving—and the people we love. For an extra memorable and heartwarming touch, let the kids doodle directly on the paper with markers or crayons. Family and friends will love their artistic creations!
10. Personalized Christmas Cards
Skip the mainstream, matching family photo card this year and make something personal. Print, paint, or stamp a simple robin, holly motif, or nativity on cardstock, scallop the edges, and write a personal note inside. You can also find vintage prints available on Pinterest or Etsy. Write a favorite verse inside and mail (or hand-deliver) a little piece of handmade joy.
In the end, a Little Women Christmas isn’t about perfection—it’s about slowing down, using your hands, using the resources God has blessed you with, filling your home with the kind of warmth that only comes from the true meaning of Christmas, and making room for the people and moments that matter most. Here’s to a season that’s cozy, handmade, and full of the quiet joy and gentle wonder the March sisters knew so well.
Merry Christmas, friends! May your holidays feel like stepping inside the very best pages of your favorite book.
