Vintage Putz Houses
Explore the tradition of vintage putz houses and how to decorate with them.
Vintage miniature Christmas houses, called “putz” houses, are a favorite Christmas collectible. The name comes from the German word putzen: to decorate or adorn. The first putz villages were made from natural elements like twigs, stones and leaves. Now, Christmas scenes have become an elaborate decoration, displaying an entire village of people enjoying winter.
Collector and owner of Forest Knolls Vintage on Instagram, Amanda Upton has been growing her putz house collection for years. “One of my favorite childhood memories was setting up the old ceramic Christmas village with my sister and my mom and dad,” she says. “I loved adding the fake snow, the trees and seeing it all lit up.”
Most of her collection comes from estate and garage sales. When you find one putz house, there’s usually an entire collection hiding somewhere around. In her experience, most putz houses will range from $5 to $20 per piece, and they are usually more expensive in antiques stores.
Putz houses are a traditional but versatile vintage Christmas décor item. Being relatively inexpensive and widely produced, they are one of the most accessible vintage collectibles, while still being fun and unique. The beautiful vintage style is eye-catching while also leaving room to accessorize and decorate to your own style.
For more Christmas collectibles, read on about Collecting Vintage Christmas Ornaments. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to get your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!
