Christmas decorations: types, materials and tips for choosing

The tradition of decorating a Christmas tree with toys originated in ancient times. Over the years, the fashion for toys has changed, the materials have become more reliable and safe, but the desire to dress up a fluffy forest beauty has remained unchanged.

It is believed that for the first time they began to decorate the Christmas tree before the New Year in Germany. It was there that at the beginning of the 16th century, the well-known Martin Luther walked through the forest on the eve of Christmas and stopped to admire the sky. The shining of the twinkling stars surprised the German theologian: it seemed to him that the branches of all the trees were literally strewn with flowers and flickering lights. When the reformer returned to his home, he put a Christmas tree in a barrel in the room, decorated it with small candles, and crowned the top of his head with an eight-pointed star in memory of the very light that showed the Magi the way to the place where the baby Jesus was born.

By the beginning of the 19th century, decorating the Christmas tree began in other European countries, and the tradition also reached the shores of America. At first, the branches were decorated with candles and sweet fruits, and already in the 20th century, decorative elements made of cotton wool, as well as cardboard, clay, wax and glass, became fashionable.

In our country, the tradition of putting up a New Year tree was introduced by Peter the Great. Even when he was very young, he spent a lot of time with his relatives from Germany and noticed a small spruce there, decorated with sweets and oranges. The future ruler liked this idea so much that as soon as he became emperor, he immediately issued a special decree to celebrate the New Year in the same way as in the countries of the Old World.

Germany was also the first country to start making Christmas tree decorations. It was from there that the products were delivered to pre-revolutionary Russia, and at that time they were available only to a select few: jewelry was sold only in very rich galleries in Moscow and St. Petersburg. By the way, buying a glass thing for a Russian at that time was the same as buying a car for a modern inhabitant of our country. Porcelain figurines and glass products were very popular then. They served as a measure of luxury, wealth and high origin, but the balls were then too heavy, since they began to produce thin glass only towards the end of the 20th century.

However, for several years there was a ban on New Year's celebrations in the country, which was completely lifted only in 1935. It was then that they began to produce decorations for fluffy pines everywhere. However, in those difficult years in the Soviet Union there was not enough raw materials for the manufacture of such expensive jewelry, so they preferred cotton wool products made in the best Soviet traditions.The very first decorative elements depicted the main attributes of the Soviet state: sickle, hammer, flag. And a little later, decorations appeared, depicting athletes, pioneers and polar explorers. Over time, a peaceful life improved, people began to forget about the nightmares of the war period, so the toys became kinder. Images of wizards and small forest animals appeared in large quantities on the shelves. Vegetables, berries and fruits were popular, as well as multi-colored dolls that symbolized the friendship of peoples in the fraternal republics.

In the 60s, products made of glass beads in the form of cones, as well as icicles and beads, became fashionable, since the 70s, products-balls became popular, and in the early 90s, domestic production mastered the production of plastic and foam rubber jewelry. Since then, the fashion for New Year's decorations has repeatedly changed, new decors, designs and materials used have appeared, so nowadays you can find a wide selection of any New Year's decorations on the shelves: from retro to trendy hi-tech.

Christmas toys are divided into two main types: Christmas garlands and Christmas tree figures. The New Year's garland is recognized as an adornment, without which not a single New Year's holiday can do. They can be luminous. Such products have several modes of operation and can shine with a variety of shades of New Year's lights. However, there are other types of garland: it is made of paper, foil, tinsel and glass beads.

Christmas decorations are produced in a wide variety of decors: angels, animals, birds, cones, icicles, cute animals or simple pyramids. And, of course, no Christmas tree is complete without sparkling balls, which have been loved by consumers all over the world for many decades.

Christmas balls differ from each other in design and material. In previous years, they were mainly made of glass, but recently this dangerous and easily breakable material has been replaced by plastic products. They are not as beautiful as glass ones, but for families with small children and pets, they should be chosen. Plastic is a durable material that does not break, and even if it cracks, it will not be able to damage a child or a beloved pet.

During the Soviet era, papier-mâché toys were widely used. This material is a dense substance that is obtained by crushing paper pulp and mixing it with an adhesive component, gypsum or chalk. In the Soviet Union, such toys were produced by hand, and the production was quite laborious and took a lot of time: obtaining the raw material, molding, putty and primer, and then finishing sanding and painting, and between each stage it was assumed mandatory drying at a temperature of 40 to 65 degrees ... At the final stage, the toys were covered with a layer of berthollet salt, which made the surface very smooth and shimmery.

The assortment of jewelry produced at that time consisted mostly of toys depicting animals, as well as figurines of the main storytellers of the New Year's holiday: Santa Claus and his granddaughter Snegurochka. By the way, these toys are quite highly prized by collectors, so if you find such items in your grandmother's chest, you can try to sell them very profitably. Like all other antiques, they have quite a rather big price.

More primitive and affordable toys can be called cardboard. - these are images that are cut out of convex thick cardboard, glued together and covered with silver or gold paint on top.Such toys have now lost their relevance, and in times of total shortage they enjoyed great love of our compatriots, because at that time they were available, and most importantly - cheap. They could be found in every store and even ordered through the mail, because catalogs of top models were printed in many Soviet magazines and newspapers.

Most often they depicted birds and animals, as well as stars, bells and snowflakes. Now most of the users give the palm to plastic jewelry - these are cheap toys, but at the same time attractive and safe. However, toxic materials are often used as raw materials, so toys should only be purchased from trusted manufacturers and be sure to require a certificate of conformity and a hygienic certificate from the seller.

The very first decorations from this material were made in the form of balls, beads, as well as icicles and cones. They were much more massive than the current ones, since at that time they were made of rather thick mirror glass. Over time, the technology of making toys from glass has improved, and today you can buy very thin and graceful models that will become a real decoration of the main New Year's tree.

It should be noted that glass models are much more expensive than plastic ones, but they look more impressive. Glass has a very interesting play of light and colors, as well as a melodic chime that occurs whenever toys accidentally collide with each other. All this creates an atmosphere of mystery and a premonition of magic, which is so necessary for both children and adults. The only disadvantage of Christmas tree decorations made of glass is considered to be their fragility, however, if children do not touch them, then with careful storage they can delight their owners for many years.

Fans of eco-style and country music will love toys made of wood and textiles. They bring a feeling of warmth and comfort to the house, they are very attractive and practical, they retain their appearance and consumer characteristics for many years. It is better to use such products in combination with glass or plastic, but so that they are matched to the main ones - only then they will emphasize the concept of New Year's decor and place the right accents.

Some people prefer edible decorations. To create an atmosphere, the New Year tree is often decorated with orange circles and chocolate figurines. The choice is great, so in every store that sells Christmas tree decorations, you can buy products that will not only be affordable, but also stylish, beautiful and atmospheric.

In the old days, candy, gingerbread houses and cotton wool were most often used instead of Christmas tree decorations. A little later, drawings made on glossy paper came into fashion.

Today, jewelry designs are more diverse, but there are a number of models that have remained popular for a very long time.

• New Year's angels. This jewelry has been in use for over a hundred years. For the first time such a toy was created in 1880, and since then, images of angels have always been present in festive decorations, especially in those families where not only the New Year itself is revered, but also Christmas.

• Balls - this is an adornment that has been, is, and probably will be for many decades at the peak of popularity. For the first time, such jewelry was made by German craftsmen, but soon the fashion for them captured Europe, and from there moved to Russia and America. A Christmas tree without balls is a rarity these days, most often these figures become the main decorative element, and all the rest are already included, emphasizing and shading the color and style of the decorations.

• Tinsel - another indispensable attribute of New Year's decoration.Initially it was made from silver, but soon in Germany they created a formula for its substitute, which became more popular. The fact is that jewelry made of natural silver fade over time, but the appearance and shine of tinsel remains unchanged for many years.

• Christmas candles. This jewelry was the very first in history, but over time its relevance has not changed at all. Candles create a magical atmosphere filled with coziness, warmth and a premonition of a fairy tale. Of course, no one uses real candles now, as it is quite dangerous, as it often leads to fires, but candle-shaped toys and flickering jewelry are in high demand among residents all over the world. They seem to symbolize joy, light and are considered an indispensable attribute of the New Year and Christmas.

The design of toys can be anything. Recently, symbols of the years according to the horoscope and ultra-fashionable abstract figures have been very popular, and they are produced in a variety of colors and shades. The tree can be decorated in silver-blue tones, you can give preference to red colors that harmonize optimally with gold, and snow-white decors are also popular. The scope for imagination is endless, but at the same time it is important to think over in advance all the New Year's atmosphere to the smallest detail, so that the tree becomes strong, luxurious, but very cozy.

Everyone wants their New Year tree to be not only elegant, but also stylish. This creates a unique aura in the house, emphasizes the features of the interior and design concept. Recently, vintage retro decors are very popular. In this case, the Christmas tree is decorated with bright multi-colored balls, and they are also supplemented with images of fairy-tale characters, animals or clocks. All this seems to immerse you in the memories of a happy childhood. Jewelry inherited from grandmothers and mothers will look very good, however, if you wish, you can buy artificially aged ones. Typically, these are homemade fabric products (the so-called attic toys), as well as styrofoam decorations in the form of icicles, balls and snowflakes.

The final touch, without which the image will not be complete, will be the figures of Santa Claus with the Snow Maiden, a red star on top and an abundance of rain. Eco-style is gaining more and more popularity, especially among lovers of a healthy lifestyle, who try to use only the safest materials in everything. In this case, you can decorate the tree with nuts, small apples, oranges and miniature chocolate figurines. Cones painted with gouache look very stylish.

The room, decorated in a modern style, will be decorated with a European tree. In the countries of the Old World, it is customary to decorate trees in a single color. As a rule, shades of red and blue are used, diluting it with a silver or gold shimmer. Balls become the main decoration in such design solutions, but they can be set off with bows or ribbons, but tinsel in this case does not need to be used.

Combinations of red and white, gold and tea, blue and silver are considered very advantageous, and the union of red and white jewelry is also very good. For lovers of a luxurious lifestyle, we can recommend the royal style of New Year's decor. In this case, a large branched tree is used, which is decorated with massive toys so tightly that the branches are almost invisible.As a rule, they use balls, large flowers and bows of various textures: decorations can be satin, silk or textile, glass or expensive plastic is popular. As for the color scheme, it is selected in such a way that the main motive is dark shades of blue or burgundy.

But for high-tech interiors, it is worth stopping at minimalism in the New Year's decor. Of course, this does not mean that the Christmas tree should be left without toys, but their number should be kept to a minimum (5–7 large balls are quite enough), and you can create a festive mood by abundantly covering the tree with glitter and fixing them with hairspray. Nowadays, you can find the most extraordinary trees, for example, inverted, geometric or created from books - there are no restrictions for imagination, because the New Year was invented for this, so that everyone can fully express their imagination and realize their creative potential.

For a Christmas tree to shine with beauty, it is important to think over the idea of ​​a New Year's decor, but the aesthetic component is far from the only point to which you should pay attention when choosing New Year's decorations.

The most important thing is the safety of the acquired Christmas tree decorations. Unfortunately, in the pre-New Year's race, many do not pay attention to the quality of the toys they buy, and it is completely in vain: unscrupulous manufacturers quite often make their toys from low-quality and often even dangerous materials.

The second thing worth paying attention to is the fragility of the products. If you have small children or active pets in your home, especially cats, then make every effort to keep your New Year tree as little as easy-breaking decorations as possible. If you do not want to give them up, then at least hang them as high as possible, where your beloved child or curious animal cannot get.

In general, you can give preference to materials such as plastic, clay, textiles or foam. Make sure that there is no chemical odor and high quality painting of the product. Even in the store, make sure that the paint and varnish layer of the decoration is stable. To do this, moisten your finger with saliva and rub the jewelry: if stains from paint appear on the skin, then the purchase should definitely be abandoned.

The same applies to the smell - the purchased product should not smell anything. Any impurities clearly indicate that cheap materials were used in the manufacture of products, which most often emit harmful volatile substances. Check all clothespins and attachment loops. If the clamps are made incorrectly, then at the slightest touch to the pine tree, the toys will begin to fall and break. Unfortunately, most of the products brought from China have such a drawback, so you have to adjust the fasteners yourself and use additional elements: threads or paper clips.

Try to avoid materials that melt easily, give up the highly flammable jewelry. Remember that the statistics of fires on New Year's holidays are very sad, and most of them are associated precisely with the illiterate use of Christmas tree decorations. If possible, give preference to eco-toys: they are much more expensive, but this is more than offset by their durability. And, of course, it is important that you will be sure at any time that your baby will not get chemical poisoning, and you will not get asthma or allergies.

Don't forget about the practicality of your purchases. Spending a large part of the budget every year is not an interesting idea at all, so when choosing toys, try to choose an option in which the jewelry can last at least 3-5 seasons.Keep in mind that for this it is not enough to properly store decorative elements - it is also important to purchase only products of the appropriate quality from trusted manufacturers with all the necessary certificates confirming the compliance of products with sanitary and technological standards.

Glitter toys look very nice, but often they crumble, get into the respiratory tract and cause allergies. Therefore, do not hesitate to shake them in the store and check the strength of the coating. Try not to buy heavy jewelry. In this case, the branch will begin to bend under the weight of the toy, and it, in turn, can easily slip off and break from it. Consider the size of the room when buying toys. It would seem that they are not connected in any way - they are not. In a small room, you can only put a miniature Christmas tree, and large toys are unlikely to look good on it.

A tree decorated with New Year's toys is the main symbol of the New Year.

At the peak of popularity today are soft attic toys, vintage decorations made of ceramics, salt dough and plywood.

Probably, many people remember the wadded snowmen from our childhood. Surely many grandmothers kept such in the chest.

But for lovers of modernity and minimalism, exclusive curly modern high-tech jewelry is suitable.

And some more beautiful examples.

For information on how to make Christmas tree decorations with your own hands, see the next video.