Where was the Christmas bauble invented?

The first glass Christmas bauble was made in Lauscha in the Thuringian Forest in 1848.

What makes Lauscha Christmas ornaments special?

Lauscha Christmas ornaments stand for traditional production from mouth-blown glass, hand-silvering and elaborate hand-painting.

Why are mouth-blown Christmas ornaments so special?

Mouth-blown glass Christmas ornaments are made using traditional handcrafting techniques. This makes every piece an individual unique item with special character and high craftsmanship quality.

Is every item unique?

Yes, small individual differences occur through handcrafted production. This makes every Christmas ornament a special one-of-a-kind piece.

Are your Christmas ornaments made in Germany?

Yes. Our glass Christmas ornaments are made in our workshop in Lauscha in the Thuringian Forest. Every piece is mouth-blown, hand-silvered and hand-painted.

How long has glass Christmas ornament production existed in Lauscha?

The tradition of glass Christmas ornaments began in Lauscha in 1848. Since then, this craft has been passed down from generation to generation.

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Christmas tree ornaments made of glass from Lauscha Thüringen

Our glass Christmas ornaments have been handcrafted in Germany for over 150 years using traditional techniques and methods. The story of Mr. Willi Greiner-Mai, the current owner, is also the story of the glassblowing tradition in the Thuringian Forest. All of his ancestors were master glassmakers. The family history can be traced back without interruption to the year 1425. Since the invention of the glass Christmas bauble (first mentioned in 1848), the family has now been producing glass Christmas ornaments all year round in the 6th generation for the most beautiful celebration of the year – Christmas.

Production:

The glassblower heats simple transparent glass tubes over a flame to approximately 1300 °C. By continuously rotating and blowing, he shapes the hot glass into balls and bells. Whether all pieces achieve the same size and shape depends on the skill of the glassblower. If figurines are to be created, we use our historic ceramic molds dating back to the “Golden Years” between 1870 and 1920. The Christmas ornaments are then silvered by hand on the inside. This requires a great deal of experience and craftsmanship from our employees, as the reflective surface must shine evenly. Only then can the ornaments later radiate in their beautiful colors. After silvering, the glass ornaments, still attached to their glass stem, are hand-dipped into the desired color and then hung upside down to dry. Afterwards, our skilled and dedicated artisans carefully decorate the glass ornaments (baubles, bells, etc.) by hand, transforming them into a unique one-of-a-kind piece. They lovingly paint each item using high-quality colors (mixed according to old family recipes) and then apply premium glitter. For example, a Santa Claus ornament may pass through the hands of a painter up to ten times before it finally sparkles and shines on a Christmas tree. Afterwards, the glass stem is cut off by hand, the metal cap is attached, and each individual piece is carefully packed into specially designed boxes. Securely packaged against breakage, we ship our Christmas ornaments to customers around the world for the most wonderful celebration of all – Christmas.