12 Days of Christmas: Vintage Decorating Ideas from Christmas to Epiphany

The 12 Days of Christmas don’t begin before Christmas Day. They actually start on December 25 and continue through January 5, leading up to Epiphany on January 6. And while the presents may be unwrapped and the celebrations winding down, there’s no reason to put away all those favorite Christmas decorations just yet.

This is when I especially love decorating with vintage finds that feel just as fitting in January as they do in December. Think old-fashioned ice skates, wooden snowshoes, bare evergreen trees, winter whites, and a few favorite holiday traditions. These 12 Days of Christmas decorating ideas celebrate the simple pleasure of keeping a little Christmas around while making room for the winter season ahead.

12 Days of Christmas Decorating Ideas to Try at Home

These 12 vintage decorating ideas are all about making the most of what you already have. Leave the lights on a favorite Christmas tree, give an old-fashioned find a new spot on the porch, or keep a few seasonal touches in place as January arrives. Sometimes it’s the simplest changes that give your home a fresh winter look without packing away everything you loved about Christmas.

Day 1: Give Vintage Ice Skates a Fresh Winter Look

Vintage ice skates are among my favorite old-fashioned finds to decorate with throughout the winter. Once Christmas is over, simply remove the holiday bows and give them a fresh look with a colorful wool scarf or playful pom-poms. Hang them on a bedpost, from an entryway bench, or on an evergreen wreath for a little old-fashioned winter character.

My favorite pair happens to be blue with soft fur trim, an eBay find that readers still ask me about every year! But traditional white or black skates work just as well, especially when you let their worn leather and vintage details take center stage.

For more creative ways to style them throughout the season, explore my 14 Vintage Ice Skates Decoration Ideas: Too Pretty to Put Away guide.

Day 2: Bring Vintage Snowshoes Indoors for Winter

Vintage snowshoes are another winter decorating staple, especially if you love that old-fashioned ski lodge look. Once the Christmas ribbons and greenery come down, their weathered wooden frames and woven details are more than enough to stand on their own.

In our entryway, I displayed a pair beneath a painting I found, above an antique church pew layered with a Vermont blanket. It’s one of my favorite winter combinations, bringing together a few collected pieces that feel right at home in the mountains.

Try hanging snowshoes on a wall, displaying them on your front door, or leaning a pair in an empty corner. For more inspiration, explore my Antique Snowshoes for Decoration: Seasonal Vintage Styling Ideas for Your Home guide.

Day 3: Decorate Vintage Demijohns with Scandinavian-Inspired Winter Style

Vintage demijohn bottles make wonderful winter decorations, especially when filled with fresh evergreens, red berries, and pinecones. Wrap them in a Scandinavian-inspired DIY covering, and you have a festive display that carries a little holiday spirit into the New Year.

Try grouping a few on the front porch, displaying one on an entryway table, or pairing them with other vintage finds on a side table. They’re a lovely reminder of Christmas without looking overly holiday-themed.

See how I created these decorative bottle coverings in my The Bottle Project DIY of a Winter Swedish Home tutorial.

Day 4: Decorate with Vintage Oil Lamps for Winter

Vintage oil lamps bring such a warm and inviting feel to a home this time of year. I love using them on a windowsill, coffee table, or dining table, where their old-fashioned charm adds a cozy glow and a collected look all winter long.

They’re beautiful on their own, but they’re also incredibly versatile. Group a few together for a simple seasonal display, or get creative and use them in a new way as flower vases for a centerpiece or tabletop arrangement.

For more styling inspiration, explore my Vintage Oil Lamps Decorating Guide and see how I’ve also used them as flower vases.

Day 5: Refresh Your Home with Winter White Decor

Winter white is one of my favorite decorating styles after Christmas. Once the holiday decorations come down, there’s something refreshing about bringing in soft whites and natural textures, giving your rooms a fresh look without starting all over.

Think chunky knit pillows, neutral baskets, candles, and warm blankets layered together. I especially love adding a little color with an embroidered pillow or favorite vintage accessory. It’s a simple way to make a room feel like a warm hug during the colder months.

Explore my 10 Easy Winter White Decorating Ideas for more inspiration to refresh your home after Christmas.

Day 6: Simplify Your Christmas Tree for the Days After Christmas

One of my favorite ways to stretch the life of a Christmas tree is to take the decorations off and enjoy it in a new way. If you have an artificial tree, leave it standing with just the lights for a simpler look after Christmas. And if you have a real tree that’s starting to shed its needles indoors, consider moving it outside to the porch.

I’ve always loved the look of a bare Christmas tree on the porch, especially with snow gathering on its branches. It reminds me of an old-fashioned holiday movie and gives the tree one last moment in the spotlight. You can even tuck it beside a crate of evergreen branches or add bird-friendly decorations to attract winter birds.

Whether you leave your tree glowing indoors or give it a new spot outside, it’s a simple way to enjoy your Christmas tree a little longer. See how I styled ours, with Ella keeping watch, in my Winter Porch Decor with Snowy New England Style on Full Display post.

Day 7: Add a Splash of Winter Color with Winterberries

Once the holidays are over and the greenery begins to fade, I love the simplicity of bright red winterberries against the snow. With their leaves gone and just clusters of berries remaining, they’re one of nature’s prettiest ways to bring color into the winter months.

Hang a small basket of winterberries from a doorknob, arrange a few branches in a vintage trophy on a bookshelf, or fill an old crock or vase for a winter display on your hutch or coffee table. Add a few evergreen sprigs if you like, or let the berries stand on their own.

I’ve planted two winterberry bushes in Vermont, and we have a mature one at our home in Maine. They’re among my favorite things to gather and decorate with long after Christmas.

For more seasonal inspiration, explore my A Snowy New England Christmas Decorating Guide: Snowshoes and All.

Day 8: Make DIY Ice Lanterns for Snowy Winter Nights

A cold winter day is the perfect excuse to make a few DIY ice lanterns! These frozen globe luminaries are such a fun project for all ages, and they’re an easy way to add a little sparkle to your outdoor winter decorating long after Christmas.

Tuck them into snowbanks, line a snowy walkway, or scatter a few around the porch. I love using small remote-controlled LED lights inside mine so I can turn them on with a click and watch them glow against the snow. They’re especially pretty after dark!

See how to make your own in my DIY Ice Lanterns: Winter Globe Luminaries Tutorial.

Day 9: Style a Vintage Beverage Cart for Winter Gatherings

Just because Christmas is over doesn’t mean the entertaining has to end! A vintage beverage cart is one of my favorite ways to bring a little old-fashioned ski lodge style into the winter months, whether you’re gathering around the fireplace or enjoying an après-ski afternoon outdoors.

I love styling my vintage Parisian bar cart with collected glassware, silver ice buckets, and a few seasonal touches. Indoors, it makes a wonderful cocktail or tea station, while outside, it’s perfect for serving hot chocolate and marshmallows on a snowy afternoon.

See how I styled mine both indoors and out in my Vintage Bar Cart Ideas That Go Beyond Cocktails: Hot Cocoa, Tea, and Seasonal Styling guide.

Day 10: Fill Blue-and-White Chinoiserie Pots with Winter Evergreens

After all the Christmas reds and ribbons come down, I love bringing out my favorite blue-and-white chinoiserie pots and filling them with fresh evergreen clippings. The combination of blue, white, and green feels so refreshing, especially against a snowy winter backdrop.

Gather a few pine, cedar, or fir branches and arrange them in your favorite blue-and-white planters, vintage crocks, or pitchers. Place them on the front porch, beside an entryway door, or even on a table indoors. No ornaments or Christmas bows needed, just simple greenery and a favorite collected piece.

See how I styled mine in my Blue-and-White Chinoiserie Pots with Evergreens post.

Day 11: Give Your Bookshelves a New Year’s Refresh with Vintage Clock Faces

One of my favorite ways to welcome the New Year is to give my Christmas bookshelves a little refresh without starting all over. I kept the green wreaths and blue ribbons hanging from my shelves, then added vintage clock faces for a playful nod to the countdown to midnight.

It’s such a simple way to change things up between Christmas and New Year’s. Try tying old clock faces onto evergreen wreaths, leaning them against books, or tucking them into a favorite shelf display. You can keep the greenery you already love while giving it a fresh look for the days ahead.

See how I styled mine in Christmas Bookshelf Decor: How to Style Eclectic Shelves Where Stories, Greenery, and Snowflakes Meet.

Day 12: Decorate with a Vintage Wagon Wheel for Winter

An old wooden wagon wheel is one of those vintage finds that looks right at home in a snowy New England landscape. Ours came with our Vermont home and has spent years leaning against our split-rail fence, dressed with a burgundy ribbon for Christmas.

Once the holidays are over, simply remove the bow and let the weathered wood take center stage. I recently gave ours a fresh coat of rustic red stain, and I especially love how the color stands out against the winter snow. Whether left naturally aged or given a colorful makeover, an old wagon wheel is a wonderful way to add a little farmhouse history to your outdoor winter decor.

See how I transformed ours in my Old Wagon Wheel Decor: Weathered, Black, or Red? post.

Celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas and Welcome Winter

Just because Christmas Day has passed doesn’t mean all your favorite decorations need to disappear. From vintage ice skates and glowing ice lanterns to bare evergreen trees and old-fashioned oil lamps, there are so many ways to enjoy the pieces you love throughout the winter months.

I hope these 12 Days of Christmas decorating ideas inspire you to keep a few favorite finds on display, try something new, and enjoy the winter season in your own style.

Which winter decorating idea is your favorite? I’d love to hear in the comments! And don’t forget to save this post to Pinterest for inspiration when you’re ready to give your home a fresh look after Christmas.

For even more seasonal inspiration, explore these reader-favorite vintage winter decorating ideas, filled with creative ways to make the most of your favorite finds all winter long.

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