Welcome to Day 6 of our 25 Days of Nostalgia Series!
Brace yourselves as we take yet another deep dive into the gloriously over-the-top, tacky, and chaotic world 80s & 90s Christmas decorations. Forget perfectly curated influencer displays—back then, we thrived on a kind of festive disarray that would make today’s minimalist decorators faint.
This was a time before meticulously curated Instagram displays took over, when ‘aesthetic’ wasn’t even in our vocabulary. Instead, we embraced the mayhem—homemade touches, mismatched ornaments, fairy lights that were basically hand-held heaters, and enough glitter to make the house look like a disco ball. (Oh, and let’s not forget those terrifying Christmas fire safety ads that made sure we never left our real trees unwatered.)
Christmas Decor of the 80’s & 90’s – How We Used to Decorate
It was a glorious mess that was somehow perfect—mainly because nobody cared about elegance or aesthetic. Let’s revisit the sights, sounds, and the beautiful clutter of those gloriously tacky Christmases of the 80s and 90s.
Table of Contents
Tinsel Mania
If there’s one thing that screams 80s and 90s Christmas, it’s tinsel. So. Much. Tinsel. And let’s not forget the lametta—those impossibly thin, shiny strands that would end up everywhere, from the tree to the cat. It wasn’t Christmas until everything was covered in lametta.
This classic retro Christmas decoration was a staple of the era, draped across trees, mantels, and doorways to create a glittering holiday vibe. Every year, families draped tinsel on anything that stood still long enough—from the Christmas tree to the mantelpiece, the door frames to the chandelier!
The shinier, the better, and there was no such thing as too much. It was an era where excess glitter was celebrated, and the strings of shiny tinsel in gold, silver, or every color imaginable would reflect the glow of Christmas lights, making the room look like a festive wonderland.
The Family Christmas Tree
The family Christmas tree was the centerpiece of every living room, and it was a labour of love. Forget about colour-coordinated ornaments or matching sets—back then, the Christmas tree was an eccentric mishmash of everything the family had collected, lovingly—or haphazardly—over the years. From homemade baubles crafted at school to random decorations collected over time, each item carried its own memories.
The tree was often topped off with a slightly wonky angel or a glittery star. The whole family gathered to decorate it together. Everyone had a role, from hanging the ornaments to making sure the lights worked, and inevitably there would be some sibling rivalry over who got to put the star on top (things really haven’t changed all that much).
Blinking Multi-Coloured Lights
Today’s LED fairy lights may be energy-efficient and aesthetically pleasing, but nothing beats the headache-inducing, multi-coloured blinking bulbs of the 80s and 90s. And then there were the Pickwick lights—those chunky, plastic lights that seemed to radiate enough heat to warm the entire room, but we loved them anyway.
These retro Christmas decorations brought a sense of fun and nostalgia that modern displays often lack.
These lights were big, bright, and what Christmas was made of. You’d see your parents pull out the tangled mess from the year before, praying to the Christmas gods that at least half of them still worked after being stuffed in the loft for a year.
Inevitably a whole bunch were broken, so you’d run down to Wooly’s with the old man, hoping that they still had some spares in stock and maybe grab him a quick xmas present too (but the tint was slightly off your current bulbs… and for any of my fellow neurodivergents out there, you know just how ANNOYING that was).
And let’s not forget the thrill of chasing patterns—those lights that blinked, flashed, or created random sequences. There was always that one bulb that, when it went out, took the whole set down, leading to hours of finding the culprit. But it was worth it for the magical, blinking rainbow that filled your home.
Paper Chains Galore
Who can forget paper chains? Making paper chains was a holiday ritual in itself, and we went all out—classrooms, homes, even the occasional pet got wrapped in them. You’d buy strips of colourful paper, loop them through each other, and secure them with glue or tape. Then you’d hang them from the ceiling, creating an interwoven pattern that would cross the entire room.
The joy of seeing your hand-crafted paper chains hung up was unmatched, and there was always the silent competition between siblings or classmates to see whose chain was the longest or most colourful. The effect was festive, playful, absolute trash, but pure nostalgia.
Related: Nostalgic 80’s and 90’s School Christmas Traditions
Window Stencils and Spray Snow
Windows weren’t exempt from the decorating frenzy. Spray snow was a staple—whether it was used to create a frosty effect along the bottom of the window or to fill in stencils of stars, bells, or Santa. The stencils were plastic, reusable, and honestly, a bit wonky after a few years, but we didn’t care. Spray snow made every home look like a winter wonderland, because you knew deep down that it probably wasn’t going to snow that year anyway!
While it was fun to use, it was an absolute nightmare to clean up. But as a kid, that wasn’t your problem—that was a job for the adults to deal with while hungover!
Hanging Cards on Strings
Christmas cards were a big deal in the 80s and 90s. People would send cards to friends, neighbours, family, and even co-workers. Instead of letting them pile up, families would display them by hanging them on strings, either across the wall or along a doorway. The cards added an extra festive touch to the house and were a reminder of all the people who were thinking of you during the season.
The strings would get more and more crowded as Christmas approached, and there was always that one card that would refuse to stay in place, no matter how many times you tried to fix it. I know i’d compete with my siblings as to who could get the most cards each year as we had our own seperate strings above our bed.
My sister always won and mine always seemed to fall on me in the middle of the night!
Inflatable and Animated Xmas Decorations
In the 90s, inflatable and animated decorations were mass imported and affordable. So whether it was a Santa that waved or a snowman that moved side to side, these novelties were peak festive tech at the time.
Placed in a prime spot by the front door or in the garden for maximum visibility, and they brought endless excitement to kids (and perhaps a little envy from the neighbours).
The downside? These decorations were often battery-operated, and there was nothing quite like the thrill of seeing them come to life. Sure, they were noisy, battery-hungry, and more temperamental than a Mum after her third bottle of wine, but for those few days they actually worked, they were the coolest decorations on the block.
Glass Baubles EVERYWHERE
Beautiful but fragile, these glass baubles were handed down from generation to generation—or shattered by the family cat. Each one seemed to hold a special memory, even if half of them ended up being replaced with cheap plastic alternatives.
Wrapping It Up Like a 90s Present
Decorating for Christmas in the 80s and 90s was all about family, a lot of glitter, and nightmares about the Christmas tree catching fire.
It was a time when tacky Christmas decorations—like inflatable Santas, glittery stars, and an overload of blinking lights—were celebrated with pride. It didn’t matter if the tree was lopsided enough to be a safety hazard or if the lights blinked unevenly enough to give you a headache—what mattered was the joy of coming together and turning the house into a sparkling festive circus.
It was messy, colourful, and full of heart, and it’s those imperfections that make the memories what they are today.
What are your favourite decorating memories from the 80s and 90s? Did you have a tree full of homemade baubles, or did you go all out with spray snow and blinking lights? Share your stories in the comments below, let’s keep the nostalgic spirit alive and don’t forget to join us tomorrow for Day 7 of our 25 Days of Nostalgia series!! 🎄✨
