With vintage Christmas tree ornaments back in style, people are scouring all the sources they have to find the best vintage Christmas ornaments available for purchase. Similar to but different from antiques, the Merriam Webster dictionary defines vintage as, “[…] a period of origin or manufacture,” or “a collection of contemporaneous and similar persons or things.” Antiques are old in terms of centuries and decades, but a vintage item, like vintage Christmas ornaments, may count only a decade or two.

Vintage Christmas tree ornaments may be found in several places, but you need a little more patience than when choosing new ones or ornaments with a vintage style or feel. If you want to find real vintage Christmas tree ornaments for your tree this year, here are a few ideas on where to look:

Online Auction

On websites like Ebay.com, or other sites where users post items from their own collection, business or home, there are many vintage ornaments to choose from. Prices vary from $999 for a Hand painted Gucci set of Christmas ornaments, to $0.99 for a charming Shiny Brite Christmas Ball. What’s the best thing about these online auction websites? Since the vendor doesn’t pay for a listing or a commission, you can haggle or search out the best discounts from these sites. Be careful, however, and discerning with online auction sites, as they are purely user-generated, meaning, there is often little or no authentication of claims. While an easy place to find a deal on real vintage ornaments, buying ornaments without seeing them in person is tricky business.  

Specialty Websites

With specialty websites like Etsy.com, which specializes in handmade items, you can find vintage ornaments with ease. Specialty items are verified, creating a slue of trusted sellers on the site, and you can sometimes cut a deal if you are a repeat customer. As with our warnings about online auction websites, be careful about dealing with a new seller on nay specialty website, or one that you haven’t done business with before, and remember to check ratings can seller comments before purchase (these sites usually have forums or boards).

Flea Markets/Garage Sales

Go brave that flea market you’ve been dying to visit but have never “found the time” and you might just find great deals on vintage ornaments. A good thing about flea markets is that some sellers just want to get rid of these items, and expect haggling and bargaining for a better price. Good hagglers can get up items at half or a quarter of the original price. Plus, unlike online auctions, you will be able to see in person the quality of each item you’re buying. The same goes for your neighborhood garage sale; one man’s spring-cleaning can be another man’s Christmas centerpiece.

Specialty Auctions

For the avid collector with dollars to burn, a specialty auction of vintage Christmas ornaments may be the best option. With the purchase of vintage ornaments at these auctions comes a guarantee of authenticity of production and manufacturer, as auction houses catalogue and verify each item they put on auction. Search for announcements online or in local papers for specialty auctions.

With advancements in technology and the local community doing their part to make more cash, the world has now become a global marketplace. But with this commercial attitude, more obscure things like vintage Christmas ornaments are now readily available. And as with anything, you have to be sure you get what you paid for. With the places we’ve listed, you can shop for vintage Christmas ornaments to your heart’s content!