27 Victorian Christmas Ideas

I absolutely adore Christmas. It is my favorite holiday.

I love the decorations, the beautiful and creative ways people celebrate, and the warmth and love the holiday brings.

Each year, I love creating new decorations and crafts to celebrate the season. This year, I’ve been inspired by Victorian Christmas ideas.

Victorian Christmas decorations are known for their classic and vintage look.

The Victorian era was a time of great prosperity and peace for the United Kingdom.

Queen Victoria was on the throne, and the British Empire was at its height.

The era was also a time of great scientific advancement and industrialization.

1. Use a Feather Tree

The Christmas tree is the focal point of the holiday season, and this was no different in the Victorian era! In the 1800s, people used to decorate their trees with ornaments, small toys, and candles.

The trees themselves were often smaller than the ones we use today. Feather trees, like this one, were an alternative to the typical evergreen.

2. Make a Victorian Cone Ornament

If you’re looking for a simple way to add a bit of Victorian flair to your Christmas tree, then you’ll love this Victorian cone ornament craft.

These cone ornaments are made with vintage-inspired paper and a few other supplies.

You can even personalize them with a name or initial and fill them with candy or small gifts to give to friends and family.

3. Decorate with a Christmas Pickle

The Christmas Pickle is a tradition that is often mistaken for a Victorian one, but it actually comes from Germany.

In this tradition, a pickle ornament is hidden on the Christmas tree, and the first child to find it gets an extra gift.

Germans also have a pickle tree tradition, but it’s a little different. They hide real pickles in the tree, and whoever finds them gets a prize.

The Christmas Pickle is a fun and easy tradition to add to your Victorian Christmas tree!

4. Add a Tussy Mussy to Your Tree

Tussy mussies were small bouquets of flowers that had specific meanings and were often given as gifts during the holidays.

They were also used as ornaments on the Victorian Christmas tree.

You can make your own tussy mussies by gathering small bouquets of flowers and greenery and wrapping them in lace.

Then, hang them on your tree as a sweet, vintage touch.

5. Make a Victorian Paper Chain

Paper chains are one of the easiest and most affordable ways to decorate for the holidays. They are also a very Victorian tradition.

The invention of paper meant that people could now afford to decorate their homes with festive decorations.

And the paper chain was one of the most popular.

You can make your own paper chain with construction paper or use patterned scrapbook paper if you want something a bit more elegant.

Cut the paper into strips and then tape or glue the ends together to form a loop.

Then loop the next strip through the first and so on until you have a long chain.

6. Decorate with a Kissing Ball

Kissing balls are a beautiful way to add some Victorian charm to your Christmas decorations.

These hanging balls of greenery are typically made from bunches of evergreen leaves, holly, mistletoe, and ivy.

You can also add in ribbons, pinecones, and other Christmas decorations to make your kissing ball your own.

Like the Christmas wreath, the kissing ball was originally a symbol of everlasting love and friendship.

The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe comes from the kissing ball!

Victorians loved to hang kissing balls throughout their homes and would often have a large one hanging in the entryway.

7. Use Glass Icicles

Glass icicles are a classic Victorian Christmas tree decoration.

Keep your tree simple and elegant by just adding a few strands of glass icicles to the branches.

You can also use these icicles in garlands, wreaths, and mantel decor. You can find these beautiful glass ornaments on Etsy.

8. Decorate with a Christmas Spider

According to a Ukrainian legend, a poor widow and her children found a Christmas tree in the forest and decorated it with what they had.

When they woke up on Christmas morning, they discovered the tree was covered with cobwebs that had turned to silver and gold.

This was seen as a blessing, and the family was able to leave their life of poverty.

In the Victorian era, it was common to decorate with spiders and spider webs, so this story fit right in.

The spider was seen as a symbol of good luck, and spider web decorations were popular.

9. Make a Vintage Christmas Card

If you have any graphic design skills or simply want to get creative, design your own vintage Christmas card to send to family and friends.

You can even print them out and mail them the old fashioned way!

There are so many beautiful examples of vintage Christmas cards to draw inspiration from. I love the ones that feature winter scenes and animals.

10. Add a Christmas Stocking

Christmas stockings are a tradition that comes from the Victorian era.

In fact, it was during this time that the stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

The story goes that St. Nicholas heard of a poor man who had three daughters.

The man was so poor that he could not provide a dowry for his daughters, and they would not be able to marry.

St. Nicholas wanted to help but knew the man would never accept charity.

So, he waited until the daughters had washed their stockings and hung them by the fireplace to dry.

St. Nicholas then filled the stockings with gold coins, and the family was saved.

In the Victorian era, children would hang up their stockings, and St. Nicholas would fill them with small toys, fruit, and candy.

11. Decorate with a Christmas Wreath

The Christmas wreath is a classic decoration that has been around for centuries.

In the Victorian era, the wreath was a symbol of the circle of life and was often made of evergreens to represent the continuation of life even in the dead of winter.

Wreaths were also decorated with fruit, pine cones, and other natural elements to represent the harvest and the abundance of the season.

Today, Christmas wreaths are made from a variety of materials and can be found in many different styles.

Choosing a wreath that fits with your Victorian Christmas theme, such as this one made of dried oranges and eucalyptus, will add a touch of elegance to your holiday decor.

Conclusion

Christmas was a magical time in the Victorian era, and it’s easy to see why. The decorations, the crafts, the baked goods – it’s a time we still look back on with nostalgia. We hope you have enjoyed these Victorian Christmas ideas and that you give a few a try this holiday season. Merry Christmas!