Decorating with Holiday Ornaments began in 1500's

The definition of Christmas tree ornaments comes to us from the route word ornament which is defined as an accessory used to beautify, enrich, or improve the appearance or general effect of an object. To decorate a tree with a Christmas ornament is an adornment or embellishment. They are ornamental by nature and lend beauty or attractiveness to the Christmas trees.
German families adopted the custom of decorating a wooden pyramid with greenery and other objects in place of the Paradise tree. In Bavaria, Paradise was the term used for the Christmas tree for ornaments. In Latvia around 1510 a fir tree was decorated with roses which was associated with the Virgin Mary. In 1605 a tree in Strasbourg was brought in doors and decorated with paper roses, wafers, nuts, lighted candles, and sweets on trees. Later decorations included painted eggshells, cookies, and candies. Select here to view our Gingerbread Ornaments.

Until the mid 1800’s trees were decorated with edibles such as cookies, chains of popcorn, raisins, nuts, and pretzels. The tops of trees held flags, angels or stars. By the 19th century toys, bells, garlands and paper decorations were being included as decorations.
Germany provided the world with the bulk of its ornament production. Nuremberg in Bavaria produced metal decorations for export. Unique ornaments such as butterflies, stars, miniature musical instruments and icicles of silver foil were produced. Dresden and Leipzig Germany produced embossed paper or cardboard decorations known as Dresdens and angel hair. From the Thuringian mountains and Lauscha in Eastern Germany the creation of delicate blown glass ornaments began.