Create a cozy and colorful holiday with these nostalgic '90s Christmas decorations.
8 Ways to Nail ’90s Holiday Decor This Christmas
Published on Nov. 21, 2024
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Colorful Decor
Christmas decorations in the ’90s were all about color! Traditional Christmas colors like red, green and gold were abundant, but all the other colors of the rainbow were included as well. Recreate the look by living by the more is more code: colorful lights, gaudy wrapping paper, and tree ornaments that didn’t follow a strict color scheme.
What Makes It ’90s: Before we started limiting our Christmas decor to white, metallics and neutrals, color was king in the ’90s.
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Poinsettias
Decorating with poinsettias will always be a classic Christmas staple, but they really shined in the ’90s. There was no such thing as too many poinsettias; we put them on the fireplace, the dining table, the front porch and even the tree (my mom had faux poinsettia floral picks that we used every year).
What Makes It ’90s: We didn’t overthink Christmas decor in the ’90s, and poinsettias were affordable and traditionally festive, which is why they’re still a great decor option.
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Extra Festive Table Settings
Just like all ’90s Christmas decorations, the table settings were adorned to the max. Matching plates, red and green glassware, large centerpieces, and layers upon layers of Christmas linens made for a very full and cheerful table that bordered on garish (and I mean that in the best way possible). You can use a little more restraint for your table this year but don’t hold back too much if you want that ’90s to feel.
What Makes It ’90s: Traditional red, green, and gold was the color scheme of choice for a ’90s Christmas dinner tablescape. Linen and glassware patterns like plaid, holly leaves, and reindeer were also popular.
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Quilted Stockings
Crafty country decor was big in the ’90s—think gingham, carved wood accessories, baskets, and faux ivy. The country style bled into Christmas decor as well, specifically quilted stockings. The stockings had the same look as a traditional quilted blanket with sewing marks and some kind of cute character on the front; mine had a teddy bear!
What Makes It ’90s: Eclectic, cozy decor has been rebranded these days as “cottage-core” or “vintage farmhouse,” but the ’90s country craft fair aesthetic will always be the real deal in my book.
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Figurine Ornaments
Ornaments shaped in different figurines are certainly not isolated to the 1990s, but they were popular during the decade and a great way to recreate a ’90s-style Christmas tree. Glass, plastic, and wood ornaments shaped in all sorts of different characters, animals, and classic Christmas objects filled the tree. No matching is needed!
What Makes It ’90s: These figurine ornaments often had a personalized element as well, labeled with the receiver’s first name or the year it was purchased.
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Mini Village
A mini Christmas village made up of ceramic houses, storefronts and miniature people is an iconic ’90s Christmas decoration. My grandpa would buy new additions for his village every year. The houses often have a bulb inside so the windows light up and look extra cozy at night.
What Makes It ’90s: The mini Christmas village actually originated in Germany in the 16th century, but it was a Christmas decor staple in the ’90s. And don’t forget the fake snow!
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@victoriasvineswreathco FLASH BACK TO THE 90’s!! Burgundy, navy and hunter green were in every home in the mid 90’s!! @AtHomeStores #90’s #christmasdecor #christmas #retrochristmas ♬ Dark fairy tale song like wonderland(1093965) – Beemyu
Burgundy and Hunter Green
Burgundy and hunter green are synonymous with the ’90s in both home design and Christmas decorations. The perfect example is the interior of Kevin’s house in the classic ’90s Christmas movie Home Alone. This ’90s colorway is having a comeback in Christmas decor, as shown in this tour of her local At Home store by @victoriasvineswreathco.
What Makes It ’90s: Many 1990s homes had burgundy accent walls and hunter green furniture. This color pairing works well for Christmas decor—a fun nod to the era with a sophisticated twist.
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@jessicandesigns 🎄 Follow along to see how I style these Christmas thrift finds! 90s nostalgic Christmas thrift edition. #thriftmas #christmas #90schristmas #vintagechristmas #thrift #thrifting #thriftfinds #thrifted #thriftedstyle ♬ Christmas – neozilla
’90s Thrift Store Finds
You can find an abundance of genuine ’90s Christmas decorations at your local thrift store. Watch as @jessicandesigns shows off her haul of candles, baskets, greenery and ornaments, all from the 1990s. Thrifting is a great way to recreate the ’90s on a budget, and you’ll be using the real thing instead of a knock-off.
What Makes It ’90s: The fun thing about ’90s thrifting is you don’t have to worry about perfectly coordinated pieces. The goal is for a mishmash of trinkets and baubles to create colorful and chaotic Christmas decor.
