Vintage Christmas decor has a huge collector market. And it’s understandable! I, myself, want to decorate more sustainably and am not a big fan of modern holiday decor. I want color, I want bright, I want shiny, I want Bing Crosby tap dancing with Danny Kaye 😉.

Over the years, I’ve amassed a good collection of vintage holiday decor, but I have a rule: I never spend more than $25 on anything. And if it’s more than $25, it wasn’t meant to be. Here’s how I’ve scored the best prices on vintage Christmas decor.

Do a little bit of research on what you like

First, do a little bit of research on what you like. (Maybe you like Putz houses or Shiny Brite ornaments or ceramic light up Christmas trees!) Learn about the history, what is rare/common and what the prices are like. This will help you to not over-pay when you come across decor in the wild.

Shop in the off-season

Sellers will take advantage of the fact that folks want decor NOW and mark their prices up. Some of the best Christmas decor I’ve found, I found in the middle of summer or in January, right after the holidays. Keep an eye-out for your favorite decor year-round.

In-person sales are generally the best price-wise

Vintage holiday decor can be found everywhere, but in my experience, in-person sales have the best prices. This decor is often fragile and hard to ship. I usually find the best stuff at yard sales, flea markets or antique malls.

Don’t be afraid to negotiate

I’m a vintage seller myself and I’m always up for negotiation when selling in-person. That being said, I never low-ball someone. It’s insulting and it’ll probably backfire. Usually, I’m happy to knock a few bucks off, but selling vintage is a JOB and we have to make our money too. Pro tip: having cash is a great negotiation tactic.

Don’t be off-put by missing lights or dirty items

Don’t be off-put by missing lights or dirty items. A lot of vintage holiday decor does have modern replacements. For example, there’s bulb replacements for vintage, ceramic Christmas trees. And most things can be easily cleaned.

Ask relatives

Ask relatives if they have any “old” Christmas stuff. Sometimes people don’t value vintage decor, but for some reason, it’s still in their attic. I know a few of my relatives have been happy to pass down ornaments to me. (SHINY BRITES FOREVER!!!!)

Do you love vintage Christmas decor too? I wanna hear from you in the comments. 👇