This is actually a choice of three, as you can get both Mario and Yoshi too. But I have decided to go with the controller. It represents an interesting shift in Christmas celebrations. The average UK windowsill is today more likely to be adorned with a candlelit cottage than a nativity scene. Bob Ross. Yes, the man with the big hair and big canvases, known for his wonderful The Joy Of Painting show in the 1980s. It’s currently being repeated on BBC4 if you want to get acquainted or reacquainted with it. In short, there must be something here for you. I have my eye on at least three for our tree this year. And the range keeps on growing. (image credit: Florence and Belle)

Many of the designs currently selling well are shaped like houses from typical Scandinavia, where these little models are sold by design brands such as Broste Copenhagen and Ferm Living. Interest in Scandi style is a nod to the enduring legacy of the trend for hygge – the Danish sense of cosiness and comfort, often complemented by candlelight – which is something that many people crave, especially at Christmas. Of course, we have flagged up the Primal Scream Screamadelica decoration above, but you can choose from The Pixies and Teenager Fanclub through to Neu!, Lou Reed and Bowie. These handmade designs are great as a gift for a music lover too. Well, I featured a Mini, so it seems right that the other leading light of retro cars is featured too. Sadly, the Adidas City Series Christmas decorations were a short-lived thing, So we’ll have to settle for Converse instead. Choose from eight different guitars and colours, with each guitar cut and printed onto a hardboard with a gloss finish. Personalised too, so you can have a name printed onto it.

Best Christmas Decorations & Tree Ornaments 2023

Note that there are also some wonderful Beatles decorations by Christopher Radko too. On the downside, they aren’t easy to find in the UK (which isn’t an issue if you are reading this in the US) and they are quite pricey. The Museum of the Home holds an annual winter yard sale, where visitors can buy decorations from local makers. Patten says the popularity of ornaments is also influenced by the practical restrictions of the home being decorated. “Average home size is shrinking, especially for younger people and first-time buyers, so miniature houses are an easy way to look festive without having to rearrange all your furniture. This follows a trend in interest in miniatures which has been rising steadily for the past decade.”

Best of all, they come as a set of three, which puts them into the better value category of this rundown. Each one is unique and hand-finished and with the kind of kitsch appeal that will create a talking point. Last year I went for a robot. But this year’s sci-fi entry is this wonderful spaceship at John Lewis. Some are also available as keyrings if your tree is already filled to capacity, and some as baubles too. (image credit: Florence and Belle) Here is another icon. There’s no shortage of Bowie ornaments and decorations this year. So with that in mind, I’m featuring two.I don’t think it gets more retro than this one and if you love the 1980s/1990s and home taping, this is the ornament for you. This is a mini replica of the kind of record player you might expect to see in a bedroom in the 1960s. Think Dansette or a similar brand. For something so small, there really are some lovely details on this. Plenty of colours too. The same maker did some slightly different ones last year. But this year’s set is bigger and for me, better too.

Of course, whatever catches your eye depends largely on your musical taste, but all share one thing in common, which is the handmade nature of each one. All are painted peg dolls with attachments on the top to fix to a tree branch. (image credit: Florence and Belle) Kurt Adler used to do different decorations each year featuring the Fab Four, but the label hasn’t done any for a while now. However, you can still buy past decorations online if you hunt around. Patten says desire for the comforting and traditional often coincides with periods of social and economic upheaval. “This happened in the 1800s as a result of industrialisation and urbanisation. There was a revival of traditional Christmas customs … seen as a link to the ancient past and a constant that people could cling to in the changing world.” There’s a rustic nature to each design that makes them more appealing, and with each being hand-painted, you know you are getting something unique to you as well. (image credit: Florence and Belle)Four Miffy decorations, two large and two smaller, but all designed to be loved by anyone in your house who loves Miffy. We have at least one person who fits that bill in our home. Yes, a little bit kitsch, but I don’t see that as a bad thing when it comes to retro Christmas tree decorations. A set of five glass decorations, which apparently represent the treats the designer’s Nanny and Grandad use to give him as a child. The Battenberg one is a dream.