Christmas Baubles

Handmade Christmas Baubles

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REMEMBER A CHRISTMAS BAUBLE IS NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS  IT  WARDS OFF NEGATIVITY ALL YEAR ROUND

The possible origin of Christmas baubles are a hollow sphere of plain or colured glass or stained glass hung in cottage windows in 18th century Britain to ward off bad energies, often known as a white witch's ball, though the Witch's Ball actually originated among cultures where witches were considered a blessing and these witches would usually "enchant" the balls to enhance their potency against evils. Later, they were often posted on top of a vase or suspended by a cord (as from the mantelpiece or rafters) for a decorative effect. Witch balls appeared in the US in the 19th century and are often found in gardens under the name "gazing ball". However, "gazing balls" contain no strands within their interior. According to folk tales, these would ward off negativity,  witch balls would entice evil spirits with their bright colours; the strands inside the ball would then capture the spirit and prevent it from escaping.

Lucky balls sometimes measure as large as 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter. The lucky ball is traditionally, but not always, green or blue in color and made from glass (others, however, are made of wood, grass, or twigs instead of glass). Some are decorated in enameled swirls and brilliant stripes of various colors. The gazing balls found in many of today's gardens are derived from the silvered witch balls that acted as convex mirrors in a front window, warding off evil by reflecting it away. An example of a ball because they look similar to the baubles used on fishing nets.

It is sometimes claimed that the modern Christmas bauble is descended from the witch ball. The ornament was allegedly originally placed on the tree to dispel a visitor’s envy at the presents left beneath the tree. However as the modern Christmas bauble's origins are documented in Germany  in 1847, the provenance of this claim is debatable.

All of our Christmas Baubles are signed and dated, the cranberry Christmas bauble is blown with gold oxide, the aqua Christmas bauble is blown with copper oxide, the cobalt Christmas bauble is blown with colbalt oxide. The green Christmas bauble is blown with iron oxide. The Amethyst Christmas Bauble is blown with manganese.