November 24, 2023Inspiration

Get Inspired with Christmas Tree Decorating Traditions

You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why— Christmastime is fast approaching! The first step to decorating any home for the holidays is, of course, the decorations. As you pull out your storage boxes and begin to deck the halls, choosing which Christmas ornaments to put on your family’s tree is an important decision every year.

Whether you and your family go the traditional glass ornament route or are looking to spruce up the look of your tree with modern personalized Christmas ornaments, we have it all. And, between diving into the fascinating history of decorating the tree and hearing why we love creating our ornament designs, we’re giving you an inside look into the Johnson Family holidays this year.

When and Where Did the Christmas Tree Originate?

Historically, holly and pine branches have been used as seasonal winter décor. But it wasn’t until the 16th century when a community in Germany decided to put up evergreen trees in their homes for the first time, that the practice of decorating a tree for Christmas emerged.

It’s a popular belief that Martin Luther, a famous Protestant reformer of the time, thought of the idea for the Christmas tree when walking through the forest one evening. With one glimpse of the brilliant stars twinkling above the branches, he was inspired to recapture the winter scene for his family, bringing in a tree and stringing up candles on each branch. Soon enough, this decoration trend spread to neighboring European countries, being adapted from house to house to represent the holidays each year.

The tradition solidified when a famous engraving of Queen Victoria and her family was crafted in 1848, inspiring millions to follow suit and do as the royals do. From there, America and other countries adopted it as a new holiday tradition. Whether you remember the fabulous tinsel trees of the ‘50s or decorating a freshly chopped tree with personalized Christmas ornaments every year, there’s no doubt that the Christmas tree is here to stay.

The History of Christmas Ornaments

Decorations at the time differed from the classic tree ornaments we know and love today. Instead, assorted gingerbread cookies, apples, flowers, tinsel, and more were strewn across the branches. In the mid-1800s, using glass Christmas ornaments became the popular way to style a Christmas tree, from hand-blown glass ornaments to ones with added paper and lace.

Christmas ornament-making became a tradition passed along through generations. As families immigrated to other countries, they took their skills with them, introducing beautiful Christmas ornaments to the rest of the world.

In Victorian England, Christmas ornaments were produced and exported, expanding the market of handmade glass ornaments worldwide. Other companies soon took interest, with brands such as Shiny Brite in the United States. Soon enough, ornaments of any and all designs were produced, from personalized Christmas ornaments with names and dates to charming depictions of holiday tales.

Our Family’s Christmas Tree Traditions

The traditions we carry out during the holidays make the season feel special. Whenever possible, we love gathering around the famous Johnson Family Christmas tree to hang our favorite Christmas ornaments and share memories of cherished times from Christmases past.

Anyone who has ever been to the Johnson house during the holiday season knows that our bigger-than-life tree is a holiday staple in our family, and trimming the tree is our favorite ornament tradition! With countless personalized Christmas ornaments in our collection, we have a lot to choose from each year.

Whether we’re drinking hot chocolate from our favorite mugs or putting up each personalized Christmas ornament before family dinner, trimming the tree is a new experience every year. As we pull out each Christmas ornament, both new and old, we have the chance to recount sweet and funny memories. Most years, we’re adding new personalized Christmas ornaments to the collection — with that comes even more familiarity and fun.

Now that our family has spread out across the South, we don’t always get the chance to gather at the Johnson house to trim the tree together. But with our family’s passion for celebrating Christmas and taking part in the age-old tradition of decorating a tree, we’re always there in spirit—or on video call!

Why We Love Designing Christmas Ornaments

Designing our famous Christmas ornaments is a cherished part of our job. We love creating stylish baubles that not only sparkle on a tree but commemorate important life milestones. This year, in particular, we had the chance to design new ornaments to celebrate Kyle and Warren’s baby girl and the upcoming birth of Logan and Ernest’s sweet baby. We love designing beautiful Christmas ornaments for the holiday season using inspiration from our family accomplishments and a love of celebrating even the smallest victories.

We believe that Christmas ornaments should reflect your entire year. Whether you’re celebrating becoming homeowners or your family is growing in size, we take pride in designing a wide range of milestone ornaments. The little things in life matter as much as the big, and we’ve designed personalized Christmas ornaments to help you celebrate both. With whimsical designs and vibrant colors, it’s an honor knowing our personalized Christmas ornaments can make a lasting impression in the family’s collections.

Types of Milestone Christmas Ornaments

Mix in festive Christmas ornaments with personalized Christmas ornaments to celebrate your personal achievements and passions:

How to Curate a Holiday Décor Collection

Every aspect of the holiday season, from baking cookies to unwrapping presents Christmas morning, happens in the heart of your home—so you may as well find seasonal décor you’ll love for years to come. Curating a collection of Christmas ornaments and other items that reflect your vision for your home is no easy feat. Start your holiday traditions and celebrate with an assortment of personalized Christmas ornaments and hand-picked decorations to reflect your style every year.

Matching your holiday décor can be fun, festive, and surprisingly easy at any scale—just start by choosing a color palette. Will you follow tradition and cover your home with red and green personalized Christmas ornaments? Or match your favorite vintage rainbow string lights and aim for a nostalgic assortment of colors? Maybe even a sophisticated and timeless white and gold combination? Change your dishes for the season and find beautiful ornaments, table linens, and more that pair together to create a cohesive look for your holiday gatherings.

Decorating with Traditional Red and Green Holiday Décor

When you think about Christmas décor, chances are that classic reds and greens pop into your mind—but why? They haven’t always been the preferred tree ornament and home décor color combination, so when did red and green become the official colors of Christmas? Believe it or not, there are multiple answers.

Historians have traced the use of reds and greens back to the ancient Roman winter solstice celebrations, where holly branches were used as seasonal décor. Holly is also associated with the crown Jesus wore on the crucifix, and whether you celebrate the religious side of the holiday or just decorate for festive fun, beautiful red berries and rich green leaves have become a staple at winter holidays.

A vibrant color palette has been used worldwide for Christmas celebrations for hundreds of years—but in 1931, everything changed. Surprisingly enough, everyone’s favorite soda company, Coca-Cola, created a popular ad depicting Santa in his famous red coat. Since then, brands, personalized Christmas ornament companies, and more have used bright red as the Christmas color.

Must-Have Red and Green Christmas Ornaments

With the occasional accent gold or pastel hue, these popular Christmas ornaments are designed with the timeless red and green combination everyone loves:

And so many more!

The Importance of Decorating with Religious Christmas Ornaments

For many families, Christmas is centered around commemorating the birth of the baby Jesus. Whether you’re preparing your children for their first nativity play at church or gathering friends around to celebrate the profound significance of the story this holiday season, decorating your tree with religious Christmas ornament sets is a way for your tree to reflect your cherished beliefs. Each personalized Christmas ornament features different aspects of the religious side of holiday celebrations, from Bible verses to lyrics of Christmas hymns and playful depictions of the three wise men and more.

Essential Religious Christmas Ornaments

Remember the reason for the season this year with our religious ornaments:

Make Your Christmas Tree Extra Special with Personalized Christmas Ornaments

Between choosing your festive color palette and finding the perfect tree skirt, the best way to make your holidays a one-of-a-kind experience is by finding personalized décor made just for you. With a simple addition of your name or the year to Christmas ornaments, they become more than just a decoration—they capture happy memories. From celebrating the newest addition to your family tree to immortalizing a favorite pet, each personalized Christmas ornament adds to the unique story of you.

Our Favorite Personalized Christmas Ornaments

Personalized Christmas ornaments come in all shapes, colors, and designs, giving you endless opportunities to make your Christmas tree ornament collection your own. Find an unforgettable gift for an engagement celebration or celebrate a personal achievement with one of our popular personalized Christmas ornaments:

What Is the Traditional Tree Topper?

When people first started decorating trees with Christmas ornaments, they would put a depiction of baby Jesus at the top as a reminder of what the story of Christmas was all about. That quickly evolved into tree toppers with stars or angels, symbolizing the nativity story where the Star of Bethlehem guided the three wise men to Mary and Jesus.

Selecting a tree topper (and deciding which lucky family member gets to put it on!) is the finishing touch for any tree. With sturdy wire and high-quality beads, our tree toppers let you carry on the tradition and tell the important story in your home during the holidays. Place a shining star at the top of your tree, whether you’re looking for a large silver topper or a small gold topper, and complete your Christmas décor with flair.

Christmas Tree Traditions Around the World

Personalized Christmas ornaments tell your family's story, but there are countless ways to fill in any blank spaces and make it your own. Get inspired with these seven worldly ways to elevate your Christmas tree inspired by tree-trimming traditions from countries around the globe:

France — uses real fruit, especially red apples.
Germany — real or electronic candles held up with wire on each branch.
Ukraine — sparkly spiderwebs and spiders represent good luck.
USA — popcorn and cranberries on a string.
Australia — as the holidays take place in their summer months, shells are commonly used.
Denmark —braided paper hearts of red and white hang from the tree.
Japan —handmade origami birds set on each branch.

The holidays are about much more than gathering together and exchanging presents. It’s a time of year when people of different ages and cultures are unified in celebrating together. From old traditions to new ones, decorating the tree with Christmas ornaments is an excuse to reflect on the year behind you and celebrate with your loved ones.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect personalized Christmas ornament for gifts this year or completing your collection with a shining star tree topper and stylish stockings, we design with you and your family in mind. After learning about the origins of everyone’s favorite holiday traditions and the popular types of Christmas ornaments every family should own, feel inspired to make your Christmas décor uniquely you this season. Tell your family's story with a collection of customized Christmas ornaments and celebrate this year in style.