New Nostalgia

Nostalgia can take many forms. It used to imply the presence of Victorian-style candle-lit trees and serious Santas in long robes. Recently, a newer nostalgia has crept into holiday design. Imagine that, forgotten in a corner of the attic, you found a treasure trove of Christmas decorations from just after World War II. Tarnished silver bowls, bottle-brush trees, slightly-worn glass beads and baubles in cheery turquoise, pink and soft red. Here is a lovely interpretation of that look at Tinsel Trading Company, one of my favorite shops in New York City. This style is growing on me. It looks much more inviting in this tableau than it looked to me fifty years ago, where it struggled to complement my grandparents' Danish Modern furniture.