Christmas Ornaments Guide

Do you find it a stress and strain getting organized for Christmas? I know that each year I have more to do and it seems less time to do it in! I hear all the good advice out there about starting early, being prepared, making lists, and although I don’t ever start early enough, and I have loads of lists.I never feel in control, but somehow it all comes together on the day so to speak.  I think the most important thing is to remember to have fun with it all.

My favorite part of getting ready for Christmas is decorating the house and yard. It’s such a fun part of the whole process. I love choosing a theme for the house and extending that into the garden. This year I think I will be looking at Angels, So we will have angel ornaments throughout the house and angels suspended in the yard. There are many different kinds of angels Christmas ornaments available. There are metallic angels, country style angels, glass angel ornaments , hand painted angels, you can even get your children to make their own paper angels. That was always a good pastime near Christmas when I was little. I can add angels to napkin holders and scatter sequin angels on the table. Now I’m starting to warm up to this theme, I can have angel themed bonbons or Christmas crackers, with angel chocolates inside! Shall we buy Christmas toys to match our theme? Of course there would have to be a Christmas Angel on the top of the tree!

I have recently discovered wall quotes - where you have some words or a saying made up on a vinyl sheet and stick it on the wall. These can be used on walls, or cars anywhere that vinyl can attach to. It would be stylish to have a line from a Christmas carol made up and used as Christmas Décor for you entrance hall. It doesn’t have to be just words it can be wall art and it can be removed after Christmas. Great for adding to the Christmas feeling.

Remember that you can decorate anywhere and everywhere in the house at Christmas, involve the children they love to be a part of the festive occassion- give then a special job to do and let them get on with it.

What theme will you choose for your Christmas décor? I can think of others that would be fun, Santas, elves, snowmen, maybe a color theme, or all natural with holly. Be sure to have lots of fun choosing, preparing and decorating. So get your lists ready, plan, shop and remember that in the end it’s about being with family - and of course the Christmas presents under the tree!

There are many ways of dressing your Christmas tree, some people choose themes for their decor and co-ordinate their ornaments with that theme. Other just go with the favorites and maybe add some new ornaments each year. Whichever way you choose to decorate your house at Christmas you will almost certainly have glass Christmas  tree ornaments as part of your collection. Some of us have vintage glass Christmas ornaments, but most will have some form be it an icicle or an old bauble or possibly even a German hand painted glass Christmas ornament. Glass is so lovely for the tree it glistens and reflect the lights so well and it always looks great with the string lights draped around the tree.

Interestingly glass ornaments have been part of the Christmas tradition for many many years. Although these days most Christmas ornament balls are made of plastic. Glass came to be used during the 1840s when glass makers began experimenting with glass shapes. At first balls were hand blown into the bauble shape, later they blew the glass into molds to make all sorts of different shapes. The mold would be made of clay and have lots of painstaking details added to it, the glass would be heated in a tubular form.When the glass was at the proper temperature then the heated section of the tube would be placed through the mold and blown until the glass filled the mold, when removed the glass would be the same shape as the mold.  Around this time it was discovered a silvering technique that allow the glass to appear solid and reflective. When the shaped glass be it bauble or molded shape had cooled slightly the silver nitrate would be added to it until it coated the inside of the glass. Thus the original glass ball. Then after the glass had cooled it would be hand painted to be a Santa or teddy bear etc.

The most prized glass ornaments today are made of lead crystal. Lead crystal is glass that has be altered by adding lead oxide to it, this make the glass harder, so it can be machined to make facets. It is the facets that make the reflections that make crystal so appealing. Swarovski was one of the leading proponents of this type of crystal and it still so today. The star is the most popular form of crystal Christmas ornament and Waterford and Swarovski make annual editions of them every year. Most of the large crystal making companies produce ranges just for Christmas and many of them are collectors items and appreciate in value each year.

In the arts and crafts world clear glass Christmas ornaments are also a novelty especially if they are decorated with gold, this makes them especially opulent, but fragile, not for the children to handle.

There are many large companies that make  glass Christmas ornaments  including Swarovski, Waterford, Orrefors, Kosta Boda, Lalique, Baccarrat, Stuart and Nambe.

So if you haven’t already go and get a glass Christmas ornament for your tree this year.