DecoratingGuide

Glass Christmas Ornaments: What to Know Before Buying

Glass Christmas ornaments compared with shatterproof: how glass ones are made, how to hang the weight, and what to do with small children and pets at home.

By Christmas Trees editorial teamUpdated November 1, 20264 min readHow we research

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Glass Christmas ornaments give a deep mirror shine, but they break easily and need sturdy branches. Choose shatterproof for low branches and homes with small children, since the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises avoiding breakable decorations there. Hang glass higher, on strong hooks, and keep it out of reach of pets.

Glass vs shatterproof Christmas ornaments compared

Glass and shatterproof Christmas ornaments differ mainly in looks, durability and price. Glass is the delicate one, though shatterproof is no guarantee against damage either. The table follows Whitestores, a UK ornament seller, unless a row names another source.

Question	Glass ornaments	Shatterproof ornaments
How easily do they break?	Very delicate; even a fall onto carpet can shatter them	Not indestructible; tops can still be damaged (Quality Logo Products)
How do they look?	Presented as the more striking option	Can look just as good, or can look cheaper
What do they cost?	Often more	Often less
Who suits them?	Grown children, couples or housemates	Families with young children or pets; low branches (King of Christmas)

Quality Logo Products, also a seller, says its shatterproof ornaments are plastic, made of polystyrene combined with butadiene rubber. In one small test it dropped nine from heights up to 7.5 feet. None shattered, but seven had damage to their tops. So check shatterproof ornaments too: St. Nick’s Christmas Lighting suggests looking for cracks, distortion and loose parts before reuse.

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How glass Christmas ornaments are made

Glass Christmas ornaments are still made much as they were when invented in Lauscha, Germany, in 1847, Old World Christmas says, and Homes & Antiques magazine gives the same date for the first ones there. A glass cylinder is heated over a flame until it softens, then blown into a mold. To keep it from shattering, the maker gradually lowers the flame, and the ornament then cools in an annealer.

Hands turning a textured glass ball on a rod beside a torch flame — Glass is heated and turned over a flame as it is shaped.

The mirror shine comes from inside. Old World Christmas says a silvering solution is poured into the stem, the ornament is dipped in warm water, and a dip in lacquer adds the color. The stem is then snapped off and a cap is secured over the opening.

If a listing says German glass, check whether it also states made in Germany, since the phrase alone may not say where the ornament was made. Old World Christmas says hand-blown glass ornaments run from about two inches to five-inch centerpieces. Our ornament size guide shows where those sizes go.

How to hang the weight of glass ornaments

Glass ornaments need a sturdy branch and a hook strong enough for their weight. Christmas Ornaments Online says glass over 4 inches typically weighs 3 to 5 ounces, and it hangs those on interior structural branches. That is one retailer’s figure, so treat it as rough.

A thin wire hook through the metal cap of a red glass ornament on a spruce branch — A thin wire hook through the metal cap. Check the hook and cap before each ornament goes on.

Three habits keep glass on the tree:

Inspect first. Old World Christmas says to check hooks, wires and ribbons, and replace anything frayed or broken. Sunny Daze Decor says hooks bend and loosen over time.
Use wire for treasured pieces. Sunny Daze Decor loops floral wire through the hanger and twists it around the branch. Designer Brad Schmidt tells Reviewed about using four-inch pieces of green floral wire.
Watch the branch. Old World Christmas moves any ornament that bends a branch to a sturdier one, and places heavier ones toward the bottom.

The right height depends on who is around the tree. King of Christmas puts glass at mid-height and above on large trees, with shatterproof below. Heavier pieces low, as Old World Christmas suggests, makes sense when no one will bump them. Size matters too, and our guide to large Christmas ornaments covers the biggest balls.

Glass ornaments with small children and pets

Glass ornaments need the most care in homes with small children or pets, because broken pieces can cut. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says to take special care to avoid sharp or breakable decorations where there are small children. It also says to keep trimmings with small removable pieces out of reach, since they could be swallowed or inhaled.

Pets face a related risk. The ASPCA says to keep glass and plastic ornaments out of reach, since shards can damage a pet’s mouth and digestive tract. PDSA, a UK vet charity, recommends unbreakable plastic ornaments hung higher, and warns that a swallowed bauble can lodge in a pet’s throat. Plastic can still be swallowed, so height still matters. If a pet may have swallowed any part of an ornament, call your vet.

Our decorating guide covers the rest of the tree, and garland has its own safety notes.

Frequently asked questions

Are glass Christmas ornaments safe around toddlers?

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says homes with small children should take special care to avoid sharp or breakable decorations. Reviewed suggests placing glass higher than toddlers can reach.

Are shatterproof ornaments really unbreakable?

No. Quality Logo Products says shatterproof ornaments are not indestructible. In its drop test of nine plastic ornaments none shattered, but seven had damage to their tops after falls from 5 or 7.5 feet.

How do you hang a heavy glass ornament?

Use a strong hook or floral wire on a sturdy branch. Old World Christmas moves heavy ornaments toward the bottom of the tree, and Christmas Ornaments Online hangs glass over 4 inches on interior structural branches.

What does German glass mean on a Christmas ornament?

Old World Christmas and Homes & Antiques trace glass ornaments to Lauscha, Germany, in 1847. If a listing says German glass, check whether it also states made in Germany, since the phrase alone may not say where it was made.