Show Me Christmas

I can’t believe it’s time to start thinking about Christmas again!  It’s the happiest time of the year.  However, it is only happy if you plan ahead.  You need to plan for decorating , gifts and holiday food. 

Holiday traditions can help you with your decorating.  It is always fun to add a few new hand blown glass ornaments to your heirloom collection.  Collectibles are truly an investment in a lifetime of memories.

For the avid collector these hand blown glass ornaments from Poland, make an ideal gift for Christmas.  Anyone who enjoys old world charm and tradition will delight in a special ornament as a gift at Christmas time.

The holiday food is always the easiest to plan for because it is always based on long standing traditions in your family.  You might try a new recipe, but if your family is like mine – they will say oh no what happened to my favorite pie etc. 

Do yourself a favor and start your plans soon, if you haven’t already – that way you can truly enjoy the approaching family time.

Happy Holidays!

Begin a collection of Christmas Treasures for the Bride and Groom with these beautiful hand blown glass ornaments imported from Poland.

Hand painted by the finest artisians, these works of art make an impressive shower or wedding gift for the newly weds. 

 The newly wed couple will treasure these ornaments for years to come and they will always be a remembrance of a happy new time in their lives.

The most beautiful wooden articles in the world come from the Erzgebirge region of Germany.  The earliest wooden products were simple ones, easily made.  But as time passed, the pieces became more sophisticated.  German smokers or smoking men and the smell of incense belong to the Erzgebirge Christmas just like the German nutcracker.  An important component in the development of the German smoker was the use of frankincense.  In the Christmas tradition, frankincense was next to gold and myrrh, one of the presents the three kings brought to the baby Jesus.

The nutcracker traditionally represented officers and other officials but the smokers represented everyday people such as miners, shephards, chimney sweepers and other traditional German occupations.  

Today, in the Erzgebirge Mountains, the tradition of creating beautiful wooden folk art is much unchanged from 100 years ago.  New models are devised each year, however the tradition of the Erzgebirge handcrafted product is the same. 

 Every Christmas tree needs a bird since it represents good fortune for the year ahead.  This tradition started when Christmas trees were brought in from the forest.  If you found a nest in the tree, it represented a sign of good luck.

We have  a wonderful collection of hand blown glass birds.  These feathered friends are an excellent addition to your ornament collection.

Many of these hand blown glass ornaments simply clip to a branch of your Christmas Tree and add an amazing tradition to your holiday experience.

When shopping for your baby’s first Christmas ornament, you should search for something with lasting appeal and representative of the magic and innocence of a newborn.  Common themes for babys first ornament include cherubs, teddy bears, manger scenes, and cribs.  It is also common to have the ornament engraved with the child’s name and the year of birth.  Though this is more difficult with glass ornaments, metal or ceramic ornaments should hold up to an engraving.

Whatever you choose to buy, make it special by giving it a place at the top of the tree where everyone can view it, and where it can hang in close proximity to your angel or star.

The pig is honored as a traditional Victorian holiday symbol representing good health, prosperity and happiness. The peppermint (pink) pig originated in Saratoga, New York.

Originally cast in hard candy similar to a festive pink candy cane, it came to represent even more. It stood for old-fashioned Yuletide, a wondrful time to share memories through the gathering of friends and relatives.

A hand blown glass ornament in the shape of Wilbur the Pink Pig is a wonderful addition to your Christmas tree for this holiday season!

Amongst glass ornaments, there are several different themes.  These can include etched glass ornaments, stained glass ornaments, and hand blown glass ornaments.  Each has its own unique style, and amongst these themes are specialty ornaments portraying different people, places, animals, or sometimes just artistic designs.  For younger children there are glass ornaments crafted in the images of dragons, angels, and fairytale creatures.  There are ornaments crafted to model specific professions; teachers, construction workers, mailmen, there’s something for almost everyone. 

A unique glass Christmas ornament is a treasure to bring out once a year or keep out year round.  However if you do intend to store yours, ensure its well padded and wrapped so it doesn’t break!

The glass ornaments that adorn our Christmas trees today have been adopted into our culture over time, but were originally conceived in Germany.  Shaped like fruits, nuts, and simple balls, the glass Christmas ornament can be traced to a man named Hans Greiner.  In 1847, in a German town called Lauscha famous for its glassworks, Greiner began producing glass ornaments.  These glass Christmas ornaments were called Glasschmuck in German, and Greiner first crafted them in the shapes of fruits and nuts.  The ornaments were a hit, and were soon being distributed all over Europe as Lauscha and Greiner grew more famous. 

Today glass Christmas ornaments are manufactured in China, Mexico, and the US, but all drew their original inspiration from the German glassworker.

The Christmas tree part of the traditional Christmas celebration in the United States originated in Germany—most of us have sung “O Tannenbaum” at one time or another.  There are other Christmas standbys that come from German Europe as well—the blown glass ornaments, for one, and the tinsel for another—not to mention the nutcrackers!

No matter where the glass balls that decorate much of your tree may have been made, the originals came from Germany.  In the late 16th century, the small German town of Lauscha became renowned for its glassblowing.  Glassmaking had been a part of the town as early as the 12th century.   Lauscha would also produce drinking glasses, flasks, bowls, beads, and even glass eyes.

Legend has it that the reflection from reflex or reflection ornaments will ward off evil spirits.   This brings good luck to the Christmas season.  So for good luck this Christmas season, be sure to add one to your tree!!  

These beautiful, handblown glass ornaments are a great addition to any Christmas tree.  Start with a few for good luck or do the whole tree!!