Creative Holidays

Vintage Christmas Ads from our Favourite Department Stores

CREATIVE HOLIDAYS Vintage Christmas Ads from our Favourite Department Stores | Alex Inspired

Nothing says nostalgia like Vintage Christmas Ads! Especially when it’s from a favourite childhood department store.  I’m guilty when it comes to anything Eaton’s related – gimmie, gimmie, gimmie.

Every year, my sister-in-law (Glittering Ambition) and I get together with a few girl friends and do a Holiday Christmas House Tour.

This tradition started with myself, Christie and our friend Teresa when the Thunder Bay Art Gallery did their tour of homes. The first few years were fantastic, but the next few started to dwindle and the house tours were lack luster and uninspiring.

We decided the following Christmas we’d do our own tour of each other’s houses! Our touring group has grown from 3 women to about 7.

Throughout our years of house tours, we have become a bit over the top (in a good way) and started giving each other loot bags. This year for my loot bag to the girls, I decided to utilize vintage Christmas ads from our favourite department stores, depending on where everyone lived.

If you were from Port Arthur, you’d most likely get an Eaton’s, Zellers or Marshall-Wells ad. If you were from Fort William, Chapples all the way!

I headed to Brodie Street Library and sifted through the microfiche. I chose years ranging from 1939-1944 November to December, utilizing both the Fort William Daily Times Journal and the Port Arthur Daily News.

Vintage Christmas Ads from Zellers | Alex Inspired

I purchased 5×7 white frames from Michael’s craft store, and had the ads printed at Rainbow Printers on a gorgeous shimmery stock called “bear grass”. Thanks Ricky for your help!

Here’s how the Vintage Christmas Ads turned out!

Vintage Christmas Ads from Eaton's Department Store | Alex Inspired

Vintage Chapples Department Store Advertisement | Alex Inspired

Toyland advertisement from Chapples Department Store | Alex Inspired

Chapples Vintage Christmas Department Store Advertising | Alex Inspired

As my gift to my awesome readers, I have included the vintage christmas 5×7 ads to download and print.

Hope you’ve had an amazing Christmas, and I can’t wait to write some more creative posts in 2018.

Cheers and love,
Alex Inspired

Holding Christmas Drink - Merry Christmas and Cheers from Alex Inspired

ps. This awesome drink was made by Glittering Ambition. It’s a Christmas Paralyzer featuring a skewered ferrero rocher and mint chocolate stir stick. deee-licious! 


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6 Comments

  • Reply Roman December 26, 2017 at 3:24 pm

    I love vintage add too, it always reminds me of those good old, honest times…
    “Gifts from Chapples”? hm, didn’t know that store. Did they also sell blessings?
    Oh, and that drink looks delicious Alex!
    Happy Holidays, cheers

    • Reply alex December 26, 2017 at 4:29 pm

      Lol oh Prince Romanski, you always have me laughing. Merry Christmas!

  • Reply SheilaDemerah December 26, 2017 at 11:15 pm

    Happy Christmas and best of the New Year to you and your family Alex, Love the vintage ad idea. Might use it for gifts for friends next year,,???

    • Reply alex December 27, 2017 at 3:08 pm

      Aw merry Christmas and happy New Year Sheila!!! Xoxoxo

  • Reply Ann B December 27, 2017 at 5:13 pm

    What a nifty idea!

    • Reply alex December 27, 2017 at 9:28 pm

      Thanks Ann! I hope you have a great New Year!

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