The History of the Christmas Bauble

The holiday season is a time when we all look forward to adorning our Christmas trees with the most beautiful and unique ornaments. With a fascinating history and an important and established present, Christmas photo ornaments and decorative baubles are worth getting to know.

What better way to understand their significance than by delving into the history and manufacturing process of the Christmas bauble? From the origins of baubles as simple fruit decorations, to their innovative modern-day variations, this blog will explore the evolution of this cherished holiday tradition.

What is the History of the Christmas Bauble?

The history of decorative baubles or ornaments dates back to 16th-century Germany, where it was a tradition to decorate fir trees with apples, nuts, and other fruits during the holiday season. These decorations served as a reminder that spring and warmer weather would come again. 

These traditions soon began to spread across the globe. In the US, it’s believed that the adoption of this tradition can be traced back to a picture of Queen Victoria and her family sitting around a decorated tree that was taken in 1842. However, they took Christmas decorations a step further by adding strings of popcorn and foil to their trees. 

When Were Christmas Baubles Invented?

Christmas baubles can also be traced back to Germany. In the 1600s, a man named Hans Greiner began creating decorative glass beads that could be hung up on trees. This soon became popular, and designers began experimenting, creating glass decorations shaped like fruit and nuts. Eventually, people began adding silver nitrate to these decorations as well, which were then painted and topped with a hook. 

In the US, entrepreneur F.W. Woolworth saw the potential in these decorations. In 1870, the first glass Christmas ornament (as it’s called in the US) was brought to market, and by the early 1900s, these decorations were being sold across the country. 

At first, these decorations were made by blowing into a mould and then painting or decorating them by hand. However, with the rise of mass production in the 1910s and 1920s, they soon became widely accessible, and manufacturers were able to produce glass baubles in a wide range of colours and designs. 

During World War II, the production of glass ornaments was halted due to shortages of materials and labour. However, after the war, the tradition of decorating Christmas trees with ornaments thankfully continued, and new types of baubles were introduced, including plastic and metal.

The Christmas Baubles of Today

Today, decorative baubles are an essential part of Christmas tree decorations, and they come in a wide variety of styles and designs, ranging from traditional to modern and from handmade to mass-produced. They also now come in a wide range of materials, colours, sizes and designs - you can even get customisable photo baubles. 

What is a Photo Bauble?

A photo bauble is a type of decorative Christmas ornament that features a photograph or image, usually of a loved one, a happy memory, or a furry friend - they also make for a particularly special baby's first Christmas bauble. These photo ornaments offer a unique opportunity for you to add a special touch to your holiday decor or gift-giving.

Personalised Christmas baubles are typically made of lightweight, shatterproof materials like acrylic, with a clear section where the photo is inserted. The photo can be easily swapped out, allowing for different images to be displayed year after year.

Our personalised photo baubles come in a range of sizes and shapes, from traditional spherical ornaments to star-shaped designs. We also offer a wide range of materials, from glass ornaments to wooden ornaments. They can be hung on a Christmas tree, displayed on a wreath, or used as decoration on a gift package.

Photo baubles are a wonderful way to cherish and celebrate memories, and they make for a thoughtful and heartfelt gift for friends and family.

How are Christmas Photo Ornaments Manufactured?

Adventa is unique in the way we manufacture Christmas Ornaments.  The main process is fairly common – injection moulding. The mould tools have to be carefully maintained to retain a high gloss polish, which enables the excellent clarity of the clear components. 

Also, the high level of unique automation we have perfected over decades ensures that the product comes off the production line without blemishes. Due to the unique design we have developed, we protect it by registering the design. Additionally, we have very high quality control standards that ensure the parts of made well and fit together perfectly. 

TL;DR - Photo Baubles and Christmas Photo Ornaments

Photo baubles are festive and beautiful and allow you to celebrate your life and your loved ones as well as the festive season. Perfect for trees, wreaths and gifts, our Christmas ornaments offer a wide range of uses. And because we value your time, we even offer retail-packed baubles so that you can have these lovely ornaments on your shelves without hassle.

To find out more about our product range, or to ask any questions you might have, get in touch with us at +44 (0) 1686 625 100.