14 Most Expensive Christmas Ornaments and Decorations in the World
Alexandria Wyckoff
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Christmas ornaments and decorations often invade the house right after Halloween, and sometimes these decorations are more valuable than you think they are. If you enjoy the holiday season, check out our list of the top fourteen most expensive Christmas ornaments and decorations, and see if you have any sitting around in your attic.
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How Do I Know if My Old Christmas Ornaments Are Valuable?
There are many indicators as to whether a Christmas ornament is valuable or not. If there is a patina, this is a good sign, as it shows the ornament has aged over time. If your ornaments are in good condition with the coloring still on the glass, this is another good sign. The best indicator though is when the ornament was made, as the older it is, the more it could be worth. You can either try to find a date on the ornament itself, or research that type of ornament and see if it is going for a lot of money. Who knows, you might have tons of them sitting unused in your attic or basement.
What Are the Most Expensive Christmas Ornament Brands?
Brands such as Waterford, Williams-Sonoma, and Swarovski usually get the most money for their ornaments, as they are either one-of-a-kind, or made from precious materials like crystals or gems. These ornaments can easily cost hundreds of dollars, and should be carefully handled.
14. Ceramic Christmas Trees, $250
By far one of my favorite Christmas decorations that we have at our house, the ceramic Christmas trees are an everlasting way to have a lit tree in your home. Though not all of these are valuable, those that come from the 70s and 80s when they were first made will have the best chance at getting a couple hundred dollars. My favorite part about this decoration is that you can move around the lights, so the tree is never the same each year when you decorate it.
13. Putz Villages, $310
Produced since the 19th century, the Putz villages are cute decorative miniature villages that are made out of either wood or cardboard. The vintage wooden pieces, made in Germany or the Czech Republic, can go for around $310, while the cardboard versions earn only around $50. These remind me of the current Lemax Christmas villages, which my grandmother has tons of pieces for. It makes for a cozy decoration and can be put just about anywhere in the house.
12. Swarovski Nativity Set, $3,255
Swarovski is one of the leading brands in precious decorations, and this is especially true for Christmas ornaments and figurines. This specific scene of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus is encrusted with crystals making the price jump up to over $3,000. The figures are also hand-sculpted, painted in gold, and were sold by Bergdorf Goodman for this steep price.
11. Belsnickles Father Christmas Figurine, $3,725
I feel like Father Christmas is another one of those figures that you see everywhere, and this is also true for our most expensive Christmas ornaments and decorations list. Originating from Germany, these hand-painted paper mache figurines have been known to sell for around $4,000 if they are in perfect condition and one of the rarer editions. Most of the common ones though will sell for less money, if you want to get your hands on Father Christmas this holiday season.
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10. Luxury Candle with a Necklace, $5,000
If you enjoy candles, necklaces, and have $5,000 to drop, maybe you should check out this candle. The shining piece (literally) for this collectible is the hand-crafted necklace strung around the outside of the candle. Made by Gucci with 14k white gold, there are no less than thirty-eight diamonds on the piece, bringing the total to 2.23 carats with VS clarity. That is an expensive candle set.
9. Singing Reindeer, $6,960
Rudolph’s cousin is here to play for our next item on our most expensive Christmas ornaments and decorations list. If you want a large singing reindeer, then look no further than this furry piece. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that this “decoration” is a full 65″ tall, just like a real Nordic Reindeer. But in order to get this funny and entertaining reindeer, you have to be willing to spend nearly $7,000 for it.
8. Crystal Wrapping Paper, $7,459
Now, there are some items on this list that make no sense to me, and this is definitely one of them. This Swarovski wrapping paper will probably cost more than the gift you are wrapping, as it has crystals attached to the paper to give it that extra sparkle. If you want the bottom of your tree to be shining, then maybe try out this expensive wrapping paper.
7. Swarovski Tree Stand, $14,000
Why should the top of the tree always get to be star-studded, but the bottom cannot? Enter Swarovski’s bejeweled tree stand, costing a whopping $14,000. Lined and set with hundreds of crystals, you might have to forego buying presents after buying this tree stand. For me personally, I like my welded metal tree stand just as much.
6. German Pear-Shaped Kugel Ornaments, $18,000
I think these German Kugel ornaments are super cool, and a great addition to our most expensive Christmas ornaments and decorations list. The blown-glass ornaments were originally made in the 19th century, and the especially rare pieces have been sold for up to $18,000. Other rare Kugels have been sold between $900-$1,500. You might want to head up to the attic to see if you can find a couple of these.
5. First Christmas Card, $26,046
This card originated in the 1840s when Sir Cole was trying to find a way to distinguish his cards from others in the world of letters, and came up with an ingenious idea. He asked his friend J.C. Horsley to design a Christmas illustration and had a thousand copies made by a London printer. Each copy had the salutation “To: ___” so Cole could personalize his responses, and was subsequently the first Christmas card. Today, less than a hundred copies remain, so they are super valuable to any collector.
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4. Christmas Bauble, $136,000
This is one of my favorite pieces on the most expensive Christmas ornaments and decorations list, mostly because the bauble reminds me of a planet, and I enjoy astronomy. This specific bauble was created by a British jeweler and consists of 18k gold and more than 1,500 diamonds, and 188 rubies. It took a whole year to design and create the piece, and sold in 2009 for a price of $136,000.
3. Diamond-Studded Christmas Star, $950,000
If you want to match the bottom of your tree with the bedazzled tree stand, check out this diamond-studded Christmas star for the top of the tree. Created by London-based online jeweler 77 Diamonds, this piece has gold, silver, 281 diamonds, and an astonishing 5-carat flawless rare diamond right smack dab in the center. You will really not want this piece to fall off the top of the tree.
2. Santa Figurine in Gold, $1.6 million
“Silver and gold….silver and gold.” More like “gold and more gold” with this Santa figurine, which is completely made out of gold. Created by the Japanese company Ginza Tanaka, there is not one but two of these statues made from 1.7-carat pure gold. It took three months to complete the 44-pound figurines, and if that’s not enough precious material, Santa’s belt is encrusted with 1.7-carat diamonds, and the bag is also made from pure gold.
1. Diamond Christmas Wreath, $4.6 million
Last but certainly not least on our most expensive Christmas ornaments and decorations list is the most expensive Christmas wreath, costing a whopping $4.6 million. Made by a florist in London, the wreath itself was decorated with 16 rubies and 32 diamonds. The greenery did not last forever though, originating from designer Pasi Jokinin-Carter’s home in Finland, the leaves only lasted for twelve days. What a price tag for an item that will quickly die.
What Is Considered a Vintage Christmas Ornament?
Since so many modern ornaments are now mimicking the vintage style, you have to make sure you have the right qualifications for a vintage ornament. Thankfully, vintage still has a distinct look based on a few key differences from the newer ornaments, due to one main element – time. On vintage ornaments, there will often be patina or aging. This can look like chipped or faded paint, or less glitter than what was originally applied. They are also not as shiny but are still quite beautiful.
So, if something looks a little too shiny and covered in glitter, chances are the ornament is new rather than vintage.
What Is the Most Common Christmas Ornament?
There are so many types of ornaments out there, from personalized to vintage to the more common ones you’ll see on a shelf at Walmart. But, there are some common themes to most of the ornaments, so check out our list of the most common Christmas ornaments you can purchase for your tree.
- Globes – Standard Christmas balls
- Finials – Inspired by decorative elements seen on roofs, gables, or domes
- Angels – Stemming from the Nativity story
- Eggs – Reminiscent of Fabergé eggs, and show opulence in a tree
- Figurines – Considered novelty and offered in a variety of designs and sizes
- Snowflakes – Created in a variety of designs just like real snowflakes
- Icicles – Perfect for a winter or frosted Christmas tree theme
- Vintage – Refer to older decorations, but they are no less beautiful
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Conclusion
You don’t have to have to spend tons of money on Christmas ornaments or decorations to make your house a winter wonderland. Often the best decorations are either homemade or cheap and hold significant value. But, if you do have an eye for exquisite pieces, try finding one of these on the market, or just enjoy looking at our list of the most expensive Christmas ornaments and decorations.