The 1960s were pure magic when it came to holiday décor. While the world was spinning Beatles records and landing on the moon, living rooms across America were glowing with some of the boldest, brightest, and most whimsical Christmas trees we’ve ever seen. If you love mid-century modern vibes or just want to bring a splash of retro joy to your holidays, these nine iconic 1960s Christmas tree looks deserve a comeback.

Let’s travel back in time and rediscover the trees that defined a decade.

1. The Sputnik Silver Aluminum Tree

Nothing screams “Space Age Christmas” like a gleaming aluminum Christmas tree. Brands like Evergleam and Sparkler made these tinsel-free wonders in silver, pink, and even gold. Paired with a rotating color wheel that bathed the branches in red, blue, green, and yellow, the effect was hypnotic.

Pro tip: These trees were marketed as “fireproof” and “permanent”—a huge selling point after years of real trees catching fire from bubble lights. Today, original 6-foot aluminum trees can fetch $500–$2,000 on eBay.

2. The Bubble Light Fantasy Tree

Bubble lights—those mesmerizing glass tubes filled with methylene chloride that bubbled when heated—reached peak popularity in the ’60s. Families loaded their trees with dozens of NOMA bubble lite strings, creating a lava-lamp effect right on the branches. Combine them with satin ball ornaments in turquoise, hot pink, and lime green, and you had pure 1960s Christmas tree glamour.

3. The Atomic Ornament Overload Tree

Shiny Brite ornaments went bold in the 1960s. Think oversized atomic shapes—teardrops, diamonds, and indented “reflectors” in metallic jewel tones. Many trees were so packed with ornaments that you could barely see the branches underneath. This “more is more” philosophy still inspires maximalist decorators today.

4. The Pink Flocked Fantasy

Flocking wasn’t new, but hot-pink flocked trees? That was pure 1960s bravado. Department stores like Sears sold flocking kits so you could spray your tree Pepto-Bismol pink or icy blue at home. Top it with a ceramic angel in a satin gown and you had a pastel dream straight out of a Palm Springs postcard.

5. The Tinsel Avalanche Tree

If you didn’t have at least five boxes of icicles (those thin strips of lead or later aluminum foil), were you even decorating in the 1960s? The rule was simple: drape each strand individually for maximum sparkle. By Christmas morning, the carpet looked like a glitter bomb had exploded.

6. The Feather Tree Revival (with a Mod Twist)

While feather trees were originally Victorian, the 1960s gave them a makeover with dyed goose feathers in electric blue, chartreuse, and magenta. Smaller tabletop versions were huge in modern ranch houses that couldn’t accommodate a full 9-footer.

7. The Ceramic Christmas Tree Takeover

Okay, it’s not technically on the tree, but every 1960s living room needed the matching ceramic tree on the console table. Those hand-painted Atlantic Mold trees with plastic “flames” in every hole were often made in church basements and gifted to grandmothers everywhere. Bonus points if yours still works!

Want to make your own? Check out our guide: How to Paint and Light a Vintage-Style Ceramic Christmas Tree

8. The All-White “Winter Wonderland” Tree

Inspired by Scandinavian design and the popularity of flocked trees, the all-white 1960s Christmas tree was elegant minimalism at its finest. White spray paint, white flocking, white doves, white satin balls, and white fairy lights created a snowy fantasy that felt both modern and timeless.

9. The DIY Pom-Pom and Felt Ornament Tree

Crafty moms went wild with Styrofoam balls wrapped in yarn, felt sequin kits, and bead-and-pin ornaments. These handmade treasures often outlasted store-bought décor and became cherished family heirlooms. Many of today’s vintage ornament sellers on Etsy are cashing in on 1960s originals.

How to Recreate an Authentic 1960s Christmas Tree Today

Ready to channel that retro magic? Here’s your cheat sheet:

• Start with a sparse-branch artificial tree (aluminum if you can find one, or a silver tinsel tree as backup)
• Skip the pine scent—1960s trees were proudly fake and smelled faintly of plastic (we won’t judge if you add a pine candle)
• Load up on Shiny Brite ornaments in jewel tones and pastels—check thrift stores or Replacements.com
• Add at least one string of bubble lights and a color wheel if you’re going full aluminum
• Heavy on the tinsel, light on the garland
• Finish with a starburst or atomic Sputnik tree topper

Still hunting for the perfect retro pieces? Dive into our curated list: Where to Buy Authentic 1960s Christmas Ornaments in 2025

Why the 1960s Christmas Tree Aesthetic Still Captivates Us

There’s something fearless about 1960s holiday décor. While today we often chase “tasteful” and “timeless,” the ’60s said: why be subtle when you can be spectacular? Pink trees. Bubbling lights. Enough tinsel to blind your neighbors. It was joy without apology.

In a world of beige minimalist trees and LED efficiency, the 1960s Christmas tree reminds us that holidays are allowed to be loud, colorful, and a little over-the-top.

So this year, dare to go bold. Hang the bubble lights. Dig out the pink flocking. Let your tree scream 1960s glamour. Because some decades just knew how to celebrate—and the ’60s definitely knew how to sparkle.

Which of these nine 1960s Christmas tree styles is your favorite? Drop a comment below and tell us if you’re bringing any of them back this year!

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9 Unforgettable 1960s Christmas Tree Styles That Still Steal the Show Today

The 1960s were pure magic when it came to holiday décor. While the world was spinning Beatles records and landing on the moon, living rooms across America were glowing with some of the boldest, brightest, and most whimsical 1960s Christmas tree looks we’ve ever seen. If you love mid-century modern vibes or just want to bring a splash of retro joy to your holidays, these nine iconic styles deserve a comeback.

Let’s travel back in time and rediscover the trees that defined a decade.

1. The Sputnik Silver Aluminum Tree

Nothing screams “Space Age Christmas” like a gleaming aluminum Christmas tree. Brands like Evergleam and Sparkler made these tinsel-free wonders in silver, pink, and even gold. Paired with a rotating color wheel that bathed the branches in red, blue, green, and yellow, the effect was hypnotic.

2. The Bubble Light Fantasy Tree

Bubble lights reached peak popularity in the ’60s. Families loaded their trees with dozens of NOMA bubble lite strings, creating a lava-lamp effect right on the branches. Combine them with satin ball ornaments in turquoise, hot pink, and lime green, and you had pure 1960s Christmas tree glamour.

3. The Atomic Ornament Overload Tree

Shiny Brite ornaments went bold in the 1960s. Think oversized atomic shapes in metallic jewel tones. Many trees were so packed you could barely see the branches underneath.

4. The Pink Flocked Fantasy

Hot-pink flocked trees were pure 1960s bravado. Department stores sold flocking kits so you could spray your tree Pepto-Bismol pink at home. See our full guide: How to Flock a Christmas Tree Like It’s 1965

5. The Tinsel Avalanche Tree

If you didn’t have at least five boxes of icicles, were you even decorating in the 1960s? The rule: drape each strand individually for maximum sparkle. Still the best way — read why in The Correct Way to Hang Christmas Tinsel

6. The Feather Tree Revival (with a Mod Twist)

The 1960s gave Victorian feather trees a makeover with dyed goose feathers in electric blue and magenta. Love the look? We found the best modern versions here: Best Modern Feather Christmas Trees 2025

7. The Ceramic Christmas Tree Takeover

Every 1960s living room needed the matching ceramic Christmas tree on the console table. Those hand-painted Atlantic Mold trees with plastic “flames” are hotter than ever.

Want to make your own? → How to Paint and Light a Vintage-Style Ceramic Christmas Tree

8. The All-White “Winter Wonderland” Tree

Inspired by Scandinavian design, the all-white 1960s Christmas tree was elegant minimalism. White flocking, white doves, white fairy lights — perfection. Get the exact palette in our 1960s White Christmas Decor Guide

9. The DIY Pom-Pom and Felt Ornament Tree

Crafty moms went wild with Styrofoam balls wrapped in yarn and vintage sequin ornament kits. These handmade treasures are now some of the most sought-after vintage ornaments on Etsy.

How to Recreate an Authentic 1960s Christmas Tree Today

Ready to channel that retro magic? Start with a sparse-branch artificial tree (aluminum if you can find one). Load up on jewel-tone Shiny Brites, add bubble lights, and finish with a Sputnik tree topper.

Full shopping list + sources: Where to Buy Authentic 1960s Christmas Ornaments in 2025