Quick Hacks That Will Have Your Vintage Ceramic Christmas Tree Ready For The Holiday
While some might consider them to be the kind of tacky Christmas decor that's the latest holiday trend taking over TikTok, vintage ceramic Christmas trees have legions of nostalgia-loving fans. You may have inherited one from grandma, splashed out for one on eBay, or scored one in the wilds of a thrift shop. In any scenario, there's a good chance that your tree may need a repair (or two). This piece of decor is considered by some as 2024's most popular holiday decoration of yesteryear — with knockoffs appearing on store shelves this season and molds available to paint your own at craft workshops. However, if yours is looking a little sad, there are quick hacks that will get the Christmas tree in fine form (or close to it) in time for the holiday, whether you're giving it new shine with a cotton swab or replacing a bad Christmas light bulb.
The reason your vintage ceramic Christmas tree might need some TLC is because these timepieces are delicate and old. Ceramic Christmas trees first started being manufactured in the 1940s, handmade with built-in lights. In the late 1950s, companies began mass producing the trees from molds, where one bulb at the electrified base illuminated plastic nubs twisted or inserted into holes in the branches. Most came out of the 1960s and '70s, painted and decorated by enthusiasts at craft shops and then fired in a kiln. The practice of signing and dating the clay on the bottom, sometimes with a short heartfelt message, makes it easier to identify the tree's origin.
Whether it's the tree, base, or lights, there's a repair for that
For trees with decades of grime, use cotton swabs to clean away the dirt with rubbing alcohol. However, if you're missing a few bulbs, which are the plastic pieces illuminated from inside the tree by one electrified bulb, you can find replacements! Although these nubs can easily fall out of a tree's holes, newly manufactured replacement bulbs come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and are sold online at affordable prices. A package of Brightown's 105 bulbs in the flame style (with a bonus topper) costs $9.99 on Amazon. Costlier vintage bulbs are usually for sale on eBay and Etsy. If you're trying to match original bulbs, measure the width of their stems so they fit snugly into your tree. When replacing bulbs, you might want to hot glue them to the holes to avoid losing any in the future.
Ceramic trees come in two parts, including the base the tree sits atop. If it breaks, don't throw it out! You can use an old, pretty glass bowl to replace the tree's base and make it look brand new once again. Turn it upside down and place a remote-controlled LED puck light on top. With the right width, the top will fit over it. For those with patience and time who want to put a shattered tree back together — top, base, or both — Christmas miracles have happened using superglue or epoxy, resin, painters tape, sandpaper, and a bit of paint.