{{Short description|Decoration typically placed on a Christmas tree}} [[File:Christmas market, Strasbourg (5226808667).jpg|thumb|Glass ornaments]] [[File:Weihnachtsbaum mit Kugel und Kerzen 2013.jpg|thumb|Christmas tree lights and Christmas bulb]] [[File:00516 Lebkuchen Weihnachts Sanok 2012.JPG|thumb|[[Pryanik|Piernik]] ornaments in Poland]]
'''Christmas ornaments''', '''baubles''', '''globes''', "Christmas bulbs", or "Christmas bubbles" are [[wiktionary:decoration|decoration]] items, usually to decorate [[Christmas tree]]s. These decorations may be [[Weaving|woven]], [[Glassblowing|blown]] ([[Glassblowing|glass]] or [[Blow molding|plastic]]), [[Molding (process)|molded]] ([[Ceramic art|ceramic]] or [[metal]]), [[Carving|carved]] from [[wood]] or expanded [[polystyrene]], or made by other techniques.
Ornaments are available in a variety of geometric shapes and image depictions. Ornaments are almost always reused year after year rather than purchased annually, and family collections often contain a combination of commercially produced ornaments and decorations created by family members. Such collections are often passed on and augmented from generation to generation. Festive figures and images are commonly preferred.
[[Lucretia P. Hale]]'s story "The Peterkins' Christmas-Tree"<ref>{{cite book |last=Hale |first=Lucretia Peabody |author-link=Lucretia Peabody Hale |title=The Peterkin Papers |location=Boston and New York |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |orig-date=1886 |date=1914 |edition=2 |oclc=700316448 |pages=63–71 |url=https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/hale/papers/papers.html#tree |access-date=2 January 2025 |via=The Online Books Page}}</ref> offers a short catalog of the sorts of ornaments used in the 1870s: {{quote|There was every kind of gilt hanging-thing, from gilt pea-pods to butterflies on springs. There were shining flags and lanterns, and bird-cages, and nests with birds sitting on them, baskets of fruit, gilt apples, and bunches of grapes.}}
The modern-day mold-blown colored glass Christmas ornament was invented in the small [[Germany|German]] town of [[Lauscha]] in the mid-16th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://german.about.com/library/blcmas_ornam.htm|title=Learning and Teaching German|access-date=21 December 2017|archive-date=10 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910081337/http://german.about.com/library/blcmas_ornam.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== History ==
=== Invention === [[File:FeriaEsfera2016 085.jpg|thumb|Blown glass baubles for sale in [[Tlalpujahua]], Michoacán, Mexico. The town is known for its production of Christmas ornaments.<ref>{{cite web|title=Soplos de vidrio|language=es|url=http://www.ngenespanol.com/traveler/lugares/15/12/22/soplos-de-vidrio|publisher=National Geographic en Español|access-date=15 December 2016|quote=En la actualidad hay cerca de 200 talleres que elaboran al año más de 100 millones de piezas.}}</ref>]] [[File:Arbol de navidad con adornos de personajes.jpg|thumb|right|upright|A fully decorated Christmas tree]]
The first decorated trees were adorned with apples,<ref>{{cite web |title=The History of Christmas Trees |url=https://realchristmastrees.org/education/history-of-christmas-trees/ |website=National Christmas Tree Association |date=29 July 2019 |access-date=11 July 2024}}</ref> white [[candy cane]]s, and [[Pastry|pastries]] in the shapes of stars, hearts and flowers. [[Glass]] baubles were first made in [[Lauscha]], [[Germany]], by Hans Greiner, who produced garlands of glass beads and [[tin]] figures that could be hung on trees. The popularity of these decorations grew into the production of glass figures made by highly skilled [[artisan]]s with [[clay]] molds.
The artisans heated a glass tube over a flame, then inserted the tube into a clay mold, blowing the heated glass to expand into the shape of the mold. The original ornaments were only in the shape of fruits and nuts.
After the glass cooled, a [[silver nitrate]] solution was swirled into it, a silvering technique developed in the 1850s by [[Justus von Liebig]]. After the nitrate solution dried, the ornament was hand-painted and topped with a cap and hook.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite book |last=Collins |first=Ace |title=Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |publisher=Zondervan |year=2003 |isbn=0-310-24880-9 |url=https://archive.org/details/storiesbehindgre00coll/page/n7/mode/2up |access-date=2 January 2025 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
=== Export === Other glassblowers in Lauscha recognised the growing popularity of Christmas baubles and began producing them in various designs. Soon, the whole of Germany started to buy Christmas glassware from Lauscha. On Christmas Eve 1832, a young [[Queen Victoria|Victoria]] wrote about her delight at having a tree, hung with [[Christmas lights (holiday decoration)|lights]], ornaments, and [[presents]] placed round it.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Girlhood of Queen Victoria: a Selection from Her Majesty's Diaries |editor=Viscount Esher |editor-link=Reginald Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher |location=London |publisher=John Murray |year=1912 |oclc=30724224 |page=61 |url=https://archive.org/details/girlhoodofqueenv01vict |access-date=2 January 2025 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> In the 1840s, after a picture of Victoria's Christmas tree was shown in a London newspaper decorated with glass ornaments and baubles from her husband [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]]'s native Germany, Lauscha began exporting its products throughout Europe.
In the 1880s, American [[Franklin Winfield Woolworth|F. W. Woolworth]] discovered Lauscha's baubles during a visit to Germany. He made a fortune by importing the German glass ornaments to the United States.
=== Mass production === William DeMuth created the first American-made glass ornaments in New York in 1870. In 1880, [[F. W. Woolworth Company|Woolworth's]] began selling Lauscha glass ornaments. Other stores began selling Christmas ornaments by the late 19th century and by 1910, Woolworth's had gone national with over 1000 stores bringing Christmas ornaments across America. New suppliers popped up everywhere including [[Dresden]] die-cut fiberboard ornaments which were popular among families with small children.
By the 20th century, Woolworth's had imported 200,000 ornaments and topped $25 million in sales from Christmas decorations alone. As of 2009, the Christmas decoration industry ranks second to gifts in seasonal sales.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
Many silver companies, such as [[Gorham Manufacturing Company|Gorham]], Wallace, [[Towle Silversmiths|Towle]], [[Lunt Silversmiths|Lunt]] and [[Reed & Barton]], began manufacturing silver Christmas ornaments in 1970 and 1971.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Robinson |first1=Ruth |title=DATED ORNAMENTS ON COLLECTORS' LIST |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/12/nyregion/dated-ornaments-on-collectors-list.html |access-date=15 September 2018 |work=New York Times |date=12 December 1982 |language=en}}</ref>
In 1973, [[Hallmark Cards]] started manufacturing Christmas ornaments. The first collection included 18 ornaments, including six glass ball ornaments.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Andersen |first1=Erin |title=Lincoln Journal Star at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/297774397 |url-access=subscription |access-date=15 September 2018 |work=Newspapers.com |date=21 December 1998 |language=en}}</ref> The Hallmark Keepsake Ornament collection is dated and available for just one year. By 1998, 11 million American households collected Hallmark ornaments, and 250,000 people were member of the Keepsake Ornament Collector's Club.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Andersen |first1=Erin |title=Lincoln Journal Star at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/297774435 |url-access=subscription |access-date=15 September 2018 |work=Newspapers.com |issue=17 |date=21 December 1998 |language=en}}</ref> There were as many as 400 local Keepsake Ornament Collector's Club chapters in the US.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Barrs |first1=Jennifer |title=Collecting Memories: Ornament collectors begin the hunt early |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/340350027/ |access-date=15 September 2018 |work=The Tampa Tribune at Newspapers.com |date=23 Jul 1998 |language=en}}</ref> One noted Christmas ornament authority is [[Clara Johnson Scroggins]] who has written extensively on the topic and has one of the largest private collections of Christmas ornaments.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lignitz |first1=Amy |title=Decorating the Christmas Tree is Big Business |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=15 December 1994 |page=10}}</ref>
In 1996, the ornament industry generated $2.4 billion in total annual sales, an increase of 25% over the previous year. Industry experts estimated more than 22 million US households collected Christmas ornaments, and that 75% of those households collected Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last1=Jones |editor-first1=John Philip |title=How to Use Advertising to Build Strong Brands |date=1999 |location=Thousand Oaks |publisher=SAGE |isbn=0-7619-1243-6 |page=259 |last=Slater |first=Jan S. |chapter=The Case for Collectible Brands |url=https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/how-to-use-advertising-to-build-strong-brands/book9282 |access-date=2 January 2025}}</ref>
=== Post–World War II === [[File:Christmas ornament - teddy bear.JPG|thumb|upright|A [[teddy bear]] bauble purchased in England in 1959]]
After World War II, the [[Volkskammer|East German government]] turned most of Lauscha's glassworks into [[state-owned]] entities, and production of baubles in Lauscha ceased. After the [[Fall of the Berlin Wall|Berlin Wall came down]], most of the firms were reestablished as private companies. As of 2009, there are still about 20 small glass-blowing firms active in Lauscha that produce baubles. One of the producers is Krebs Glas Lauscha, part of the Krebs family, which is now one of the largest producers of glass ornaments worldwide.
== Modern baubles == Although glass baubles are still produced, as expensive good-quality ornaments often found at markets, baubles are now frequently made from plastic and available worldwide in a massive variety of shapes, colours and designs. Since the 19th century, there are a large number of manufacturers producing sophisticated Christmas glass ornaments in Poland, which produce "''[[:pl:bombka|bombka]]''" or the plural form "''bombki''"; Poland is the largest producer of glass bombe (bauble) ornaments that are exported to many countries all over the world, mainly to the United States, Japan, Australia, Sweden, Norway, France, the UK, and millions of glass-blown Christmas ornaments are made year-round in [[Tlalpujahua]], Michoacan, Mexico, and exported to Spain, New Zealand and France. They are also made in Chignahuapan, Puebla, Mexico.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.visitmexico.com/en/actividades-principales/michoacan/admire-the-skill-of-the-hands-of-tlalpujahua |title=Admire the skill of the hands of Tlalpujahua |publisher=Visit Mexico |access-date=12 December 2018 |archive-date=16 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216031721/https://www.visitmexico.com/en/actividades-principales/michoacan/admire-the-skill-of-the-hands-of-tlalpujahua |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Handcrafted == Handcrafted Christmas ornaments have become a staple of craft fairs, and many smaller online businesses owe much of their success to both the internet and the growth of craft stores. [[Sugar cookie]]s, popcorn balls, [[gingerbread]] and many types of [[List of cookies|cookies]] can be used as ornaments.<ref>{{cite news |title=Homemade ornaments for the family Christmas tree |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1985/1204/hfchris.html |access-date=4 August 2020 |date=December 4, 1985}}</ref>
==Manufacture of handmade glass ornaments== <gallery>
File:Design of a glass christmas ornament.jpg|Design of a glass Christmas ornament File:Sculpturing to produce a mould for a christmas glass ornament.jpg|Sculpturing to produce a mould for a Christmas glass ornament File:Blowing Glass ornament fabrication Lauscha.jpg|Blowing glass ornament fabrication File:Silvering of glass ornaments Lauscha.jpg|Silvering of glass ornaments File:Painting of a Glass christmas ornament.jpg|Painting of a glass Christmas ornament </gallery>
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==Types== <gallery mode="packed" heights="111" caption="Christmas tree ornaments"> File:Christmas bauble.jpg|Bauble, or ball ornament File:Blue Christmas ornament.jpg|Blue glass ornament File:2006 Blue Room Christmas tree - closeup of ornamentation.jpg|Imitation tree snow File:Christmas ornament snowman lights .JPG|Glass snowman ornament File:Christmas Tree Ornament 2006 - 146F.jpg|Red and gold ornamented bauble File:Christmas-Angel-Decoration.jpg|Angel decoration File:Christmas baubles 08 - 01.JPG|Glass Fabergé egg as a decoration. File:Christmas Bears.jpg|Bear ornament File:Christmas tree decorations, Brisbane, 2020, 02.jpg|Polish folk Straw ornaments File:Crochet Xmas ornaments.jpg|[[Crochet]] ornaments File:Welsh Christmas (31768276526).jpg|Cloth ornament File:End the commercialisation of Christmas (6556334049).jpg|Angel as tree top decoration File:Pre-1939 Polish XMAS ornament 03a.JPG|Pre-1939 Polish snowman ornament File:Christmas owl 08 01.JPG|Glass owl ornament File:See through painted Christmas bauble on stand.jpg|Hand-painted glass bauble File:Bombki ze wstazek.jpg|Polish ''bombki'' baubles made with ribbons File:Popcorn garland on Christmas tree.jpg|Popcorn garland on Christmas tree File:Stringing lights on Christmas tree.jpg|Stringing lights on Christmas tree File:Wraxall 2014 MMB 07 Christmas Tree.jpg|Christmas tree with [[tinsel]] garland. File:Christmas ornament 1943.jpg|Christmas tree with [[Tinsel#Figurative_use|tinsel lametta]] (long narrow strips) </gallery>
== See also == * [[Christmas tree]] * [[Pleated Christmas hearts]] * [[Snow baby]] * [[Tree-topper]] * [[Witch ball]]
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
==Further reading== * Brenner, Robert. "[https://mkifriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/mkiwint03.pdf German glass ornaments in America]". ''Max Kade Institute Friends Newsletter'', vol. 12, no. 4 (Winter 2003): 1,12.
== External links == *{{Commons category-inline|Christmas tree ornaments}}
{{Christmas trees}} {{Christmas}} {{Ornaments}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christmas Ornament}} [[Category:Christmas decorations|Ornament]] [[Category:Christmas trees|Ornament]] [[Category:Christmas in Germany|Ornament]]