5 Christmas Decorations from around the world

Festive snowmen at Dunster Christmas Shop

Christmas decorations bring simple joy and delight; if you don’t agree, BAH HUMBUG to you! Unpacking the boxes of colourful baubles, bells, angels, stars, Father Christmas, candles, tinsel, fairy lights and wreaths is a magical experience. Many objects bring back memories of childhood, family, friends and places visited. Lat year I wrote about the joy of a REAL Christmas Tree. This year I’m featuring 5 of my favourite Christmas decorations from around the world that have a special significance.

Christmas Decorations

 Caribbean Lace Decoration

Lace Christmas decoration

With dainty white lace threaded with lilac ribbon, this is not a traditional Christmas decoration, but one that means a lot. My brother worked on yachts for many years and often didn’t get home for Christmas. In the summer he sailed around the Mediterranean and in the winter around the Caribbean. Even though he’s not a big fan of Christmas he often brought back lovely decorations from his travels. This one, made by Heidi, was from St John in the US Virgin Islands.

Quirky Kangaroo from Australia

Kangaroo bauble from Western Australia

Earlier this year I visited Western Australia and finally got to see kangaroos in the wild. They were feeding beside the road at dusk and we got really close to them. So when I saw this bauble in a shop in Perth I just had to get it. VERY quirky!

Mickey Mouse from Disneyland

Mickey Mouse from Disneyland USA

I bought Mickey Mouse from Disneyland in Los Angeles in the 1980s. I was staying there with my American boyfriend and we went to Disneyland for the day as I had never been; it was brilliant. Along with Mickey Mouse I also bought Donald Duck and these have been two of my son Alex’s favourite Christmas decorations since he was little. He finally made it Disneyland Paris a few years ago and got to meet the real Mickey Mouse …

Dunster at Christmas

Dunster Christmas Bauble

This beautiful hand-painted bauble is of the medieval town of Dunster in Exmoor. Every year they hold Dunster by Candlelight, a magical Christmas festival of light. Hundreds of people visit to see the candle-lit procession, the market stalls, Dunster Castle, the shops and street performers. I was there this year (see Stargazing and Winter Joy in Exmoor) and bought this bauble from the very festive Christmas Shop on the main street as a special souvenir of a magical experience.

Nativity Scene from German Christmas Market

Nativity Scene from Bavarian Christmas Market

This tiny Nativity Scene, inside a walnut shell, is from the Rottacher Advent, a Christmas Market on Tegerness Lake in Upper Bavaria, Germany. I bought it last weekend on my first visit to a German Christmas Market and it means a lot. Not only does it represent the true meaning of Christmas, but is a reminder of that special trip and the resilience of people in the face of tragedy. This week there was a horrific attack on the Berlin Christmas Market. 12 people died and many were injured. Yesterday the market reopened and there was a positive spirit of defiance, in spite of the grief. This is one of my favourite Christmas decorations because it reminds me of what Christmas is really all about. Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All …

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