The countdown to the year’s most magical day has officially began, which means that it’s time to start doing all the festive activities to get into the Christmas spirit.

The last few weeks my whole Instagram feed has been filled with Christmassy content and I noticed that there’s a new trend going on. It’s called a “Little Women Christmas”. Since I was meaning to reread the novel and to opt for more vintage decorations this year, I decided that it’s a sign for me explore this trend and share it in here.

So, what is a Little Women’s Christmas? Basically, it’s a new aesthetic inspired from the famous book and its movie adaptations, because for many people (including myself) it is considered a festive story. It’s about the nostalgic atmosphere of those older times, when life was slow and very simple, yet no less pleasant and desirable. People now try to recreate not only the decorations from the films, but the general lifestyle of the March family.

If the atmosphere of this story is close to your heart as well, and you’d love to feel yourself a character of Louisa May Alcott’s prominent work, here are some tips on how to have a Little Women’s Christmas.

Revisit the story

Well, in order to get into the spirit of a work, you have to get back to it, don’t you? As I said, I really want to read the book again, cause I read only once around 8 years ago and I was fascinated by it. It’s a lovely story that is not only cozy and engaging but deep and philosophical as well, raising a bunch of essential issues, like the the importance of family, of following your dreams, finding your life’s true purpose, being thankful and generous.

There are many adaptations of Little Women, I personally saw and enjoyed 3 of them: the 1994 which is considered a true classic, the 2017 mini series, consisting of only 3 episodes, and, of course, the 2020 movie, which brought a new wave of love and popularity for this story. So, there’s a lot to choose from, as they’re all really good.

Vintage Decorations

When you think of Christmas, decorations are one of the first things that come to mind. They are indeed important to create the right mood. Since Little Women is an old story, it’s only quite right to go for the vintage style. Here are a few things that will go well with this aesthetic:

• wreaths and garlands, either fake or real. The trick is to decorate them as simply as possible, using natural elements, like pinecones, mistletoes, berries, dried oranges etc. You can accompany these with some occasional toys but let the main focus be on the nature’s gifts. Add the garlands or wreaths to any place in your house that looks blank and lonely.
• bows, paper or linen chains and stars. These are easy to make but they’ll completely transform your whole space, giving them a vintage look.
• warmer and darker colors. Leave those bright saturated shades for next year and opt for more tranquil ones. I feel like the best combination for vintage Christmas is burgundy, khaki green and golden. Though other colors may work as well.
• lots of candles. I really love those fake candles lights that you put on the Christmas tree, it looks absolutely magical. And it transfers you back in time when people had no electricity and had to use candles or simple lamps.

Recycle and DIY

One of the things I adore about this trend is that, unlike many others, it doesn’t urge you to buy all those fancy and expensive decors that you probably won’t even want to use next year. On the contrary, it advises to make your own pieces, which may not be as perfect as those in stores, especially if you’re new with DIY-ing, but they’ll be closer to your heart. So, find anything old that you’ve been keeping and not using for years and give it a second life. I’m talking about old magazines, newspapers, notebooks or maybe even books that you’re not planning to read anymore; old Christmas toys; or clothes you’re not gonna wear again. And turn them into pretty garlands, Christmas ornaments or anything you’ll like to. You can buy some additional materials as well, if you’re planning to make something special, but I think it’s an interesting (and beneficial) challenge to make something out of the old stuff you have.

Artistic hobbies

Each of the four March sisters had a creative hobby. Jo was passionate about writing, Amy adored painting, Beth enjoyed playing the piano and knitting, while Meg loved acting and had an interest for fashion. These hobbies filled their slow and not so eventful days, making them more memorable and fun. I don’t say that you should write a book like Jo, or become a professional artist like Amy, but it’ll be fun to try out new hobbies or maybe brush off your skills of old and forgotten ones. Instead of spending a lot of time of social media or doing the endless Christmas shopping, you can do something more creative and enjoyable either by yourself or with your close people. Imagine how cool it’d be, for instance, to stage a play with your family on the Christmas day, or gift a knitted sweater or a scarf to your closes friend.

Spread kindness and generosity

If you remember Little Women well, you’ll probably remember that the book starts with four sisters whining about not having proper presents, as they thought that Christmas is only about the materialistic goods. Later they understand, that it’s actually about joy and kindness that they can share with everyone. That’s when they decide to buy presents for their mom and not for themselves and to share their traditional breakfast with a poor family. Soon they realized that the good thing made them much happier. The story also shows that whenever you do a selfless deed, you’ll always receive something in return, like the March family got a nice Christmas dinner by their wealthy neighbor. This was a very special moment that teaches all of us to be less selfish and think about others as well. So, in order to get into that spirit, think about the good things you can do for others this season

Handwritten letters and meaningful gifts

In the world where you can momentarily send a message to anyone via phone, handwritten notes have lost their value. But think about it: how would you feel if you received a long and meaningful letter from someone? I’m sure it will make your day 10 times better. Buying presents for your close people is nice, I enjoy it myself but sometimes we go for quantity over quality or choose some random gifts at the very last moment. So, if you’re planning on giving your close people gifts, do it right. It doesn’t have to be big or expensive, but it has to be thoughtful, showing the person that you actually know them well enough, and that you love and care about them. Isn’t that the point of presents in the first place? And don’t forget to add a lovely letter or at least a short handwritten note.

Heartwarming gatherings

The first edition of the novel ends with yet another Christmas, when the characters successfully cope with rough times and get all together to celebrate. Nothing fancy, just a group of close people who give each other the best gift – their presence and love. I know that some people hate the holiday visits and think of it as a duty and not something pleasant. But try to change your perspective and be thankful that you have people to see even on rare occasions. Remember, that people aren’t perfect and they can have their flaws and bad sides, and you can have some disagreements or different opinions about life. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t be there for each other, loving and accepting one another as you are. Try to make these gatherings count and just have fun with people who are now in your life.

I know that this post turned out quite long but I couldn’t make it shorter as it has all the important details of having a Little Women’s Christmas. Now, these aren’t some rules that you should follow, merely my own view on how to bring this story’s atmosphere to life.