Special Christmas in July themed edition of 25 vintage deals under a $100

Hard as it may be to believe, yesterday we hit the five month mark until Christmas Day. Immersed as we are in long, languid afternoons spent at the beach, gallons of sweet tea, and vintage sundresses as far as the eye can see, thoughts of Jolly Old St. Nicholas, visions of sugarplums, and the round-the-clock soundtrack of holiday tunes may just be the furthest thing from our minds, and yet...

Five months is not a terribly long time in the grander scheme of thing. Hop ahead a few more weeks from now and we'll be getting ready for fall, to send the wee ones back to school, for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the last precious drops of summer's fleeting warmth. Beyond that, it's a mere snowball's throw until we're decking the halls, trimming the trees, and baking enough sugar cookies to feed a small army, so really, is it all that preposterous to spend a few minutes focusing on Christmas in July?

I don't think so, and in fact, as a paper crafter (who adores creating homemade holiday cards), this is almost always when my mind starts, at least in part, to begin to push some of those thoughts of picnics, open toe shoes, and beach reads out of my mind and replace them with ones that are decidedly more December themed in nature.

Whether you're in the mood to bust out the White Christmas DVD yet or not, it's always fun, any time of the year, to reflect on Christmas and be reminded of some of the most delightful, iconic, and fashionable elements of this immensely important winter holiday. At the very least, surely doing so can't help but cool us all down a touch and surely that alone is a very, very good thing these sensationally warm days!

1.Without a doubt on the of the loveliest elements of the holiday season is the act of giving and receiving Christmas cards, but that doesn't mean of course that you can't stock up on some vintage ones of your own to adorn your home with as decor pieces, too. This stellar 1950s unused pop up card would do a marvelous job of that in any room of the house. $10.00 from Vintage Beach Kids.



2. Wonderfully well priced and so festively fabulous, this red 1950s party dress would work a treat for Valentine's Day, too - and the 4th of July, to boot. Fits up to a 34" bust/24" waist. On sale for $30.00 from Coral Vintage.



3. Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas with out Kris Kringle, be he intepreted in loving grandfatherly form or a cuter, cuddly character like this charmingly sweet 1940s fabric Santa Claus doll ornament that measures 6 inches tall. $10.00 from What's In Store Vintage.



4. Whether you live in a bachelor apartment or a sprawling mansion, Christmas lights are a season must and few will deliver on the old school loveliness like this string of vintage 1940s Sterling Christmas lights, complete with their original box. $19.50 from Viewridge Vintage.



5. Delicate and oh-so-beautiful, it's hard to believe that this length of vintage Christmas coloured crepe paper garland trim has survived for over seventy years and still looks pristine. It has and does though, and now it can be yours for just $6.00 from Vintage Handmade (who have a stellar selection of vintage and shabby chic craft supplies, may I add).



6. Spritely and sweet, this cute little ceramic Christmas elf looks like's a good chap, not a mischieous pixie and will help keep your poinsettia, Christmas rose, or any other holiday season bloom company from his vintage ceramic planter perch. $16.00 from Queen Bee Vintiques.



7. If you happen to be on the especially slender side and are looking for the perfect Christmas 1950s skirt, this red and green tiny floral print quilted gem is for you. If only this was a touch bigger, it would soooo be mine. Swoon and sigh! :) Fits up to a 24" waist/40" hips. $58.00 from Alex Sandra's.



8. Much like the crepe paper trim in this post, it's rather impressive that this immensely cute trio of 1940s castile teddy bear soaps perched on their cue red toboggan have survived intact for so many decades. $15.00 from Antiques & Curious Goods.



9. Ever since I was a little girl, I've been a fan of Christmas themed literature like this wonderful 1940s edition of The St. Nicholas Anthology, which gathers tales from various authors together in one festive compellation. This listing also comes with another book called the The Dickens Digest and you will get both for $25.00 from Grandma's Green House.



10. Even if you live in one of the warmest climates of the world, you can still bring a much needed dose of sparkly winter snow your way thanks to this beguiling, generously sized vintage rhinestone snowflake brooch that hails from the 1940s or 50s and would sensational as part of a Christmas themed photo shoot outfit. $32.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



11. Ho-ho-holly good deal! This wonderfully fun circa 1950s vintage Santa Claus suit with matching beard is a rare find and such a bargain at just $30.00 from Vintage Creekside.



12. Measuring in at five inches tall, this beautiful little 1940s/1950s wreath might be a touch too tiny for the front door, but it would make a stellar addition to a mantelpiece display, your Christmas tablescape, holiday powder room decor, or on the festive tree itself. $15.00 from Bits of the Past.



13. A timeless symbol and functional element of Christmas alike, candles are a holiday season must that bring such special, lovely warmth to any festive event. Why not prop yours up in beautiful style care of this stylish pair of red and chrome 1920s candle holders this year? $22.99 for the pair from Mattie's Menagerie.



14. You'll be singing merrily on high with this timelessly lovely circa 1930s collection of classic Christmas carols. $8.00 from Vintage PDX.



15.What more fitting or festive accessory can a lad or chap adore himself with come the holiday season that a red tartan plaid bowtie like this handsome little 1950s/1960s clip-on version that works equally well for little and big fellows alike. $7.50 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



16. Holidays and appetizers go together like reindeer and a sleigh, so be sure you have plenty of darling little vintage cocktail forks like this fun red, white and mint green set (of twelve) on hand for all of your festive meals. $18.00 from Rosebud Originals.



17. Read all about what your favourite 1930s Hollywood stars were up to in this lovely Christmas 1938 edition of Film Weekly magazine. $7.95 from Atomic Dimestore.



18.Add a festive jolt of red to any holiday ensemble with this timelessly wonderful 1950 style red cinch stretch belt, which will keep on looking fabulous the whole year round. Available in modern ladies sizes petite (XS) to large. $12.95 from Blue Velvet Vintage.



19. Christmas just wouldn't be the same with out plate after plate of scrumptious holiday cookies, many of which we often bake using recipes that have been handed down for generations now. If you're looking to add some more varieties to your table come December, you'll definitely want to pick up this charming 1952 edition of the recipe booklet Aunt Jenny's Old Fashioned Christmas Cookies. $8.99 from Veiled Through Time.



20. Festoon your neck in festive colours and charming little bows care of this beautiful 1950s silver tone metal and red thermoset necklace and matching bow brooch set (click through for photos of the brooch). $35.00 for the pair from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



21. Come the winter holiday season, I love sporting green as much as I do crimson and would love to slip on one of these fantastic vintage reproduction gingham Olivia blouses from Heyday, which is all the more festive thanks to its blend of green and white. Pin your favourite holiday brooch on it and you've got an instant old school holiday look in no time (always a plus during the super busy weeks of December!). Available in modern ladies British sizes 10 to 18 (at the time of writing, some sizes were sold out). £45.00 from Heyday.



22. Kitsch, cute and charming, that's what this immensely darling set of vintage Lefton snowman and snowwoman salt and peppers shakers are. $8.00 from Whambo Vintage.



23.Ensure there's no risk of mismatched coloured lingerie and garments when you slide this alluringly lovely 1960s half slip under all of your favourite red skirts and dresses throughout the holiday season and all year round. Fits a 24-36 inch waist/38" hips. $20.00 from Better Dresses Vintage.



24. At the end of the holiday season, ensure all those beautiful cards you received and wish to save for future years and safe and sound thanks to this timelessly sweet 1950s Christmas metal Christmas card tin. $12.00 from My Crowded Little Nest.



25. File this 1950s stocking coin purse under the heading of "definitely unique", then hang it up by your chimney with care and wait for good, old St. Nick to reward the fact that you've surely been on your best behaviour all year long. :) $15.00 from Bitter Sweet Vintage.

{Please click on a specific item, or the link in the description below it, to be taken to its respective listing.}

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Admit it, by about the 17th entry you were starting to hum your favourite vintage Christmas song! :) Okay, well, I was at least and by the 22nd, had you asked me to start preparing a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, I would have gladly done so.

Just as it pays to purchase a winter coat or boots in the summer, so is a great idea to start stocking up (get it :D) on Christmas decorations, clothing and accessories - not to mention gifts for your nearest and dearest - now, when considerably fewer folks in general are doing the same thing. Plus, as it's the off-season, there's always the chance that some such items will be lower priced now than when the sound of reindeer hooves echo on the rooftop again (and that, after all, is in keeping with the spirit, the festive spirit in this case, of this very wallet friendly monthly post series).

Early though it may be, it's never too soon to save some money and stretch your budget dollars a little further, especially when it comes to the holiday season, which as we all know, has the pesky habit of costing more and more each year!

While I'm not even remotely close to ready to trade my beach towel for a tree skirt or my fruit salad for baked apples yet, but I don't mind thinking about Christmas, at least a little here and there in the slightest and had a blast putting this cheerful Christmas post together over the last few days, just as I hope you did while reading it.

Here's to the next five months and all the fun, turning over the the seasons, and eventual Christmas merriment - and thrifty shopping - they'll hold in store for us!

*PS*

In the mood for an early Christmas present of the vintage nature yourself this year? Then you absolutely must enter the fantastic giveaway for a $50.00 gift certificate from The Best Vintage Clothing that I'm holding at the moment. It wraps up in just two days, so now is definitely the time to enter!