Tour a Vintage Decor Collector’s Classic Christmas Home

Fond memories from holidays long ago, even those well before his time, drove Vintage Holiday creator Leben Riebe to start a simple collection that would soon become a fun, festive obsession. “The Christmas I have in my mind is just that golden age of Christmas from the 1950s where Santa was really commercialized," Leben says. " You have all the bright, shiny ornaments, the multicolored lights and the full Christmas trees. The imagery is really rich and very hyper-Christmasy."

They say you always remember your first love, and in this case it's a handmade glass object found originally in Poland. “I started collecting vintage items [for] Christmas,” Leben says. “I had spent several Christmases trying out different styles and nothing really felt right ... until I came across a package of vintage Polish ornaments with the little indents and the teardrop shapes, and that just started everything.”

Leben's holiday flair stuns guests even before they reach the threshold of his Fort Worth, Texas, home. “When I bought this house, that was one of the first things I envisioned: Santa’s sleigh and reindeer in the front yard,” he says.

“I try to keep [the yard] a little refined," Leben continues. "But it’s Christmas, so it needs to be fun, and I’m OK with it being a little bit kitschy." In addition to Santa and his reindeer, green garland with classic white lights adorn every window. And if you like his retro Santa, see how Leben handmade the yard decor here.