Christmas baubles are decorations made of glass, wood, or metal which are normally put around a Christmas tree during the festive season. They normally come in the form of simple round balls but they can also come in different shapes and designs.
Family collections often have a combination of commercial ornaments and decorations created by family members. Let’s take a look at the Christmas ornament’s history and a few unique designs I found.
History
During the early years of the 1800s, eatable fruits such as apples and nuts were used to adorn Christmas trees. This was mainly because these were the common items that would be seen growing on trees as talked about here.
Soon afterward, other types of fruits were also used on the trees together with small pieces of shiny metal foil and paper streamers. The concept of reflecting light in the room with the tree became popular.
The concept of using foods such as gingerbread or hard cookies was also seen in German homes where the trees were available. Some of these foods were baked in the shape of hearts, stars, fruits, angels, and bells.
As the concept of decorating Christmas trees during the holiday season began to spread, several countries started to include their own types of decorations. Some people in the US would tie long strands of popcorn or cranberries. Small gifts were also used for decoration which sometimes contained baskets that were intricately woven.
Creative baubles made of paper, lace or other types of materials were used in the UK to show the various talents and interests of their makers. Small cut outs of newspapers and magazine illustrations were also placed on the Christmas trees but they began to be excluded from the decorations as they made it harder to see the tree.
In the turn of the 20th century, Christmas and its celebrations were acknowledged by most people worldwide as a time to emphasize on the visible aspects of the holiday with a focus on children’s delights.
The various types of glass ornaments that came out of Germany began to expand as competitors in other countries emerged. However, these ornaments managed to retain their original handcraft even when they were mass produced.
Each of these ornaments had a feel of individuality as most of them were handcrafted by the people who followed the glassmaking traditions of their family generations. Now that you’ve got a good background of baubles (what a weird word to say) let’s move on to some modern day designs.
Interesting bauble designs
English rose garden
This bauble design is great for capturing the beauty of a traditional English garden. It is filled with artificial red and pink rosebuds, white berries, and lavender topped with a white satin ribbon hanger.
This clear acrylic shatterproof bauble will definitely create a significant impact on any type of tree, ceiling, or doorknob. Each bauble measures approximately 8cm in diameter and they also come in packs of four.
See it here on at Etsy.
Australian golden wattle
The golden wattle is a gorgeous national floral emblem that is great for decorating any type of Christmas tree. This acrylic shatterproof bauble has been filled with various synthetic flowers and leaves and can be hung on the tree with its gold and silver ribbon. Each bauble measures approximately 8cm in diameter and they are also available as individual baubles.
See it here on at Etsy.
Roses, pearls, and tree charms
These beautiful baubles have been filled with synthetic roses in two pastel tones along with strings of pale cream pearls. The toppings of painted wood Christmas tree charms in matching brown and yellow colors as well as a silver ribbon and bow hanger make them gorgeous.
Each bauble measures approximately 8cm in diameter. They are either sold separately or in a batch.
See it here on at Etsy