5 min readFilled with beach days, sunshine, and hot temperatures, the furthest thing from your mind during the summer is probably Christmas. It’s still half a year away, so you’re probably not compiling your gift shopping list just yet—and you’re definitely not thinking about holiday decorations. But what if we told you that summer is actually one of the best times of the year to track down valuable Christmas decorations and score amazing deals?
Bob Richter, vintage lifestyle and holiday expert and author of the upcoming Visions of a Very Vintage Christmas, says that summer is a season packed with yard sales, estate sales, and flea markets, “and all of these places may have vintage Christmas items for sale.”
“Fewer people are looking for these items in the summer since they don’t have Christmas on the brain, so those who are on the hunt are likely to have more opportunities to buy,” Richter says. “As a longtime collector, I can tell you that the best deals on vintage holiday items are typically found over the summer.”
Leslie Brocksmith, Founder of The Tinsel Box, a website that specializes in vintage Christmas ornaments, agrees. “In November and December, everyone is decorating, feeling the holiday spirit, and adding to their collections. By then, the best pieces are often already gone, and prices can climb quickly,” she adds. “The off-season is often when a wave of vintage pieces hits the market, so get a head start before everyone else starts thinking about trimming their trees and decking their halls.”
Below, we’re rounding up eight of the most highly sought-after, valuable Christmas decorations on the resale market—and what you need to know about hunting them down.
Evergleam Christmas Trees
As you set out on your summertime quests for vintage Christmas decorations, the first on your list should be an Evergleam Christmas tree. Sophia du Brul, owner of Sophia’s Estate Sales and Appraisals in Chicago, says these sparkly aluminum trees debuted in 1959 and range in size from two to seven feet. Silver is the most common color, but they also come in pink, blue, gold, and green.
“For a good-sized tree, expect to pay $350 and up on eBay, but if you are lucky enough to find one in the wild, make sure that it has all branches, the original pole, and the box and paper sleeves for the branches,” du Brul says.
German Glass Ornaments
“Few things capture the magic of an old-fashioned Christmas quite like antique German glass ornaments,” Brocksmith says. Coming in figural shapes like birds, fruits, pinecones, bells, baskets, flowers, and houses and showcasing an antiqued crackled effect, Brocksmith says these family heirloom ornaments can range from $20 to over $300 each, with rare examples selling for even more.
Vintage Blow Molds
Starting in the 1950s, plastic Christmas blow-mold decorations became a fixture on front lawns, joining the ranks of the pink flamingo. Some examples that du Brul lists include candles, choirboys, angels, deer, Santas, and whole nativity scenes. Some brands include Union Products, Empire Plastics, General Foam Plastics, Beco, and Polaron. Production waned around 1980 as more modern decorations arrived on the scene.
“Simple candy canes, candles, and toy soldiers can be a real deal at $10 to $20 each, but rare and large figures can be hundreds of dollars. A large vintage Santa with sleigh and reindeer is $2,000-$3,000,” du Brul says. She suggests inspecting the condition of a vintage blow-mold closely, since these items are made of a type of plastic that can become brittle with age.
Polish Ornaments
Richer says that vintage Polish ornaments from the 1950s and 1960s are having a moment. “This is likely because of their very nostalgic appeal,” he says, and lists the ones to be on the lookout for:
· Striped Polish Teardrop Ornaments: A set of six candy-colored striped teardrop ornaments; ones in mint condition in the original box can sell for over $500.
· Jumbo Polish Ornaments: Large, colorful, hand-painted Christmas balls; a box of these ornaments in good condition can be worth over $400.
· Polish Indent Ornaments: Mini to full-sized with a prismatic look, a box can be valued at over $300.
Shiny Brite Ornaments
Shiny Brite brand ornaments are some of the most iconic mid-century Christmas ornaments around. “Patterns, mica details, and iconic packaging instantly bring to mind midcentury holiday decorating,” Brocksmith says. “Finding a complete boxed set feels like uncovering a time capsule from a family’s Christmas attic.”
Brocksmith advises searching for original Shiny Brite boxes, matching sets, strong colors, intact caps, and unusual ornament designs. She says that these ornaments’ estimated value is $30 to $150 or more per box, with exceptional sets selling for more.
Bottle Brush Trees
Bottle brush trees have been popping up in big-box stores over the past couple of years, typically in super-cute fun colors. But the real-deal vintage ones have that old-school, charming appeal, and you should be on the hunt for them.
“The older trees will have wooden bases and a thicker central wire along with a fuller tree, and sometimes flocking and vintage balls and decor,” du Brul says. “Many of the best ones were made in Japan in the 1950s.”
She explains that small bottle brush trees can cost less than $10, while larger 12 to 13-inch ones can range from $100 to $200, especially if they showcase ornaments in good condition.
Handmade “Push Pin” Ornaments
Ornaments didn’t have to be made by talented glassmakers to be valuable today—in fact, there are ones that hobbyists made at home that are still sought after. Covered in push-pin faux gems and pearls and pushed into a Styrofoam ball, these ornaments are colorful and look delightful on any Christmas tree.
“Many people remember them from their childhood Christmas trees. Now they want them because they are nostalgic,” Richter says. He adds that handmade push-pin ornaments in mint condition can sell for around $25 each.
Christmas Villages
Perhaps you remember back in the day when your grandmother would proudly display her ceramic Christmas village, and now you can have one of your own. “The Christmas village really grew out of the nativity scene, adding the town of Bethlehem (or their own town) around the stable scene,” du Brul says. The brand best-known for crafting these diminutive villages is Department 56 (which expanded its line to the beloved Dickens villages and more).
“Department 56 continues today, so to make sure it is a truly vintage one, check where it was made. In the 70s and 80s, they were made in Taiwan, with production moving to China and Thailand in the 90s. The original 1970s buildings can be $200 to $300 each, but lots of Department 56 is lurking in the wild, so bargains can be had,” du Brul says.
