Wow Your Host with Timeless Vintage Finds
by Barbara Miller Beem
Sponsored
Welcome back to The Charm, a monthly look at how to use old things in new ways. And while we’re on the topic of old things, you don’t need me to point out that your jack-o’-lanterns are getting furrier by the day. Halloween costumes that were once so important are now lying in a forgotten, crumpled heap. Then there’s that bowl of leftover mini chocolate candy bars that is calling your name. At the same time, “the most wonderful time of the year” (as the song goes) is just around the corner.
Pimpernel has been making cork-backed coasters and placemats for nearly 100 years. A keen eye can still pick up vintage coasters such as these.
Wonderful, yes. But with apologies to Andy Williams, for many of us, the next two months are also the busiest time of the year, beginning with the days leading up to Thanksgiving and then taking us into the New Year. What follows are nearly two full months of activities that include, but are not limited to, shopping for gifts and decking the halls. And then there are the parties.
If you’re hosting this season, there is a lot to consider: the time and date of your soirée, the guest list, and the menu—not to mention freshening up your home. Even if you’re a guest and not a host, though, parties require some thought beforehand. Be it a holiday open house, a stylish cocktail hour, or a midnight supper, there are certain expectations for guests, all of which begin with making a memorable entrance.
I think it’s safe to say that we’ve come to the point where no one lands at someone’s doorstep empty-handed. Of course, no one is expecting their guests to bear gifts of gold, frankincense, or myrrh. But maybe the time has come to go beyond the traditional standbys.
Showing up with a bunch of cellophane-wrapped flowers from the local supermarket requires the recipient to drop everything and arrange the bouquet in a water-filled vase. Not good. And as for a bottle of wine, unless you’ve been asked beforehand, the selection of adult beverages has probably already been taken care of.
We can do better. Think vintage to make your next host/hostess gift truly special. And by embracing the idea that “the second time’s the charm,” there might even be an excuse for making an otherwise unplanned visit to your favorite thrift shop or antique mall.
A sprig or two from the garden captures the holiday spirit when displayed in a small Waterford vase.
Skip the trip to the flower counter and concentrate on the container. Thrift shops are
teeming with reasonably priced pressed glass vases. On a good day, you might even find something made of milk glass. Better yet, shop your home. Maybe it’s time to part with a few pieces in your personal collection of Waterford crystal—small vases that have become permanent fixtures in your china cabinet. Clip a few sprigs of holly or a pine branch or two from your garden to add a festive seasonal touch.
If the party is a potluck affair, make the dish on which you deliver your culinary specialty a gift in itself. Homemade breads just seem to taste better when nesting in an old basket, tucked within a vintage towel. Similarly, don’t overlook the fact that pieces of fine china—plates and bowls—can be picked up for just a few dollars if you know where to look (and I’m sure you do!). Just be sure to say, “keep the dish.”
Upgrade a gift of candy by presenting
it in a mid-century tin.
If your gift is candy, consider presenting it in a vintage tin container. Similarly, a tin tea caddy can transform a selection of favorite teabags into something special, lasting long after the last cup of tea has been steeped. If little guest soaps are your go-to gift, a previously loved bowl—perhaps a berry dish or a glass sugar bowl—can elevate an otherwise modest gift. And instead of a gift of paper hand towels, think hand-stitched linens from another time. Other ideas include vintage coasters, which might well be put to use immediately. Coming to my home? Anything in the Spode Christmas Tree pattern will be graciously accepted.
Why let hand stitched hand towels such as these sit in the closet?
Sponsored
In the end, take advantage of an opportunity to share with your friends not only your love of old things, but also maybe some of your vintage treasures. Giving old things a second chance is a start toward keeping single-use items out of landfills. And with careful shopping, you might uncover treasures that are not just ecologically sound but economical as well. Finally, for those who are thinking about someday thinning out their own collections, this might be the perfect opportunity to pique the interest of a new collector. Remember that the holidays provide the perfect setting to showcase the timeless beauty of old things while at the same time serving a gracious purpose. And for this, we collectors can all give thanks.
