Target Is Bringing Back a 175-Year-Old Trend for the Holidays (It’s Super Cozy!)

If you’re all about bringing the vintage vibes into your holiday decorating, then you need to check out Target’s new collection of mercury glass pieces. They’re super sparkly, warm, and cozy when lit up, and they look like they’ve been passed down for generations.

Mercury glass, which was first patented in 1849, was commonly called “poor man’s silver” because of its shiny, silvery finish. It doesn’t actually contain mercury, but is made using a process of blowing a double-walled glass object and then pouring silver colored metal between the two glass walls, creating that metallic finish.

However, as mercury glass gained popularity, cheaper ways of producing it became prevalent. Oftentimes the silver material within the lower-quality pieces would deteriorate, causing the cracking effect we now commonly associate with all mercury glass and which a lot of people now prefer the look of.

And that’s exactly what the pieces in Target’s Wondershop collection look like. They’re rustic and homey, and feel antique.

“This will be an adorable addition for my family’s holiday season!” one reviewer wrote about the mercury glass Wondershop house. “The gold metallic and warm lighting makes this piece super cozy. The size is perfect for either a side table or our mantle. I look forward to seeing this at Christmas.”

The collection includes a star, a house, and a whimsical snowman, all of which are lit from within and feature that iconic gold crackle finish.

“Beautiful and nostalgic. [Reminds me] of my grandmother’s decor,” another person wrote in their review.

Pick up a piece of Target’s take on mercury glass to add to your own Christmas decor collection. That nod to yesteryear will make your space feel a bit more warm and cozy.

Buy: Wondershop Lit Mercury Style Glass Star, $15; Wondershop Lit Mercury Style Glass House, $15; Wondershop Lit Mercury Style Glass Snowman, $15