This afternoon, we were decorating the trees and the house for Christmas. Its a holiday tradition for us that involves both unpacking decorations and also adding in those that we have purchased during the year. In the weeks leading up to the holidays, we have been out hitting the antique shops and malls in Montana. Of course, the girls have their own collections. Jane is very into photography, so she is busy accumulating cameras. Mary loves cooking, so eggbeaters and potato ricers are on her short list. Kim likes her bling, especially if they are garnets, so an Edwardian era ring will be her gift. Beyond hunting for presents, we always look for holiday decorations. Antique and vintage decorations remain one of the best bargains in collecting--and one that you can enjoy every year as part of your own holiday traditions. They come out in droves beginning around Thanksgiving, although there are booths in antique malls and private shops that handle ornaments year-round. I always look with a bit of sadness at young couples running out to the big box store to buy some molded plastic decorations for their first tree. Sure, the tree will have the right look, but none of the substance that comes from classic (and new) glass ornaments that have a bit of history. Our tree features ornaments found from shops all over the country. A big batch came from a favorite antiques co-op just outside of Little Italy in Baltimore. A second group of ornaments was found on a hot August day at Adamstown. Some early single ornaments have come from various antique-hunting jaunts, including two found about a week ago. They were early 20th century ornaments that came out of dealers basket full of mixed ornaments. And our favorite was the lucky discovery of a big collection of clip-on bird ornaments that came from a flea market in Albuquerque. The old ornaments mesh with the ones that the girls have selected every year for their trees, something that with the abundance of holiday shops and year-round holiday decorations that they have found in a host of locations across the country throughout the year. So as you read this article, I encourage you to hunt for those holiday decorations, not as an investment, but from the heart, and see how it fits into your home. I would add as well that all manner of holiday decorations are great collectibles. Bottle trees, toy trains, crche sets and other items can be found. Whether singly or en masse, they are wonderful additions to your home and to building traditions. So as the new year rolls and things hopefully begin to improve in the near future, start off by checking out the internet or local shops for holiday decorations. Make some lemonade out of lemons, and celebrate the joys of Christmas to come in 2021. Peter Seibert, a native Pennsylvanian, grew up in the antiques business and remains closely tied to auction houses, collectors, and dealers. Professionally, he has served as a museum director and public historian in Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Virginia, and Wyoming. He holds a Master of Arts in American Studies from Penn State and has authored two books and numerous articles on decorative arts, interior design, and history.