Top 10 Finest Christmas Collectibles for Present Giving
Oct 24th 2022
How do you embellish for Christmas? For some individuals, setting up the Christmas tree is the focal endeavor of the season. For others, the arrival of the holidays signifies the moment to showcase their Christmas collectibles.
From Nativity sets and Christmas villages to angels and nutcrackers, you likely know someone who delights in collecting – and displaying – emblems of the Christmas season.
For instance, search for “Santa figurines” and you’ll get over 11 million results. A query for “Christmas gnomes” yields beyond 24 million results! That’s a trove of gnomes and Santas!
Christmas is also a season for collectors in other facets. It’s effortless to present gifts when you know exactly what they desire!
To assist you in finding a splendid addition for your cherished collector, we’re analyzing some of the most sought-after Christmas collectibles.
Image by kkmarais via Flickr
Ornaments
How many Christmas ornaments are in your possession? If you exhibit ornaments year-round, you could be a collector. With an array of colors, styles, and sizes, beginning and expanding a Christmas ornament collection is quite simple.
Ornament enthusiasts often narrow their focus to a specific design or theme. For example, they might lean towards antique, classic, or mercury glass ornaments, influenced by a particular interest or vocation.
They could collect ornaments from a certain designer like Christopher Radko, or ones representing sports teams, brands, or beloved animated characters.
Others may gather Christmas tree ornaments resonating with a particular theme, such as elves, stars, or snowflakes – the options for collecting and gifting are practically limitless.
Christmas Trains
Individuals of a certain generation will nostalgically remember the magical surprise of waking up on Christmas morning to find a model train circling the tree. That same sense of wonder is mirrored in Christmas train sets, décor, and collectibles.
From authentic electric and battery-operated train sets to train ornaments and Christmas train tabletop decorations, the assortment of holiday train adornments is vast. After all, who can resist a vibrantly decorated classic engine hauling cars brimming with cheerful elves and vibrant Christmas parcels?
A train collection’s journey is boundless!
Snow Globes
Snow globes did not originate as Christmas decorations. Initially, the first patented snow globe was the unintended outcome of an attempt to create brighter lights for medical operating rooms. By the 1920s, as production became cheaper and more accessible, snow globes emerged as popular gifts and collectibles.
While early snow globes typically showcased religious scenes, contemporary globes now feature a myriad of themes, from classic winter scenery to beloved Christmas specials. Many light up, spin, or play music.
The best part about a snow globe is the ability to savor a touch of Christmas year-round.
Angels
As messengers of the first Christmas, angels are among the most traditional symbols of the holiday season. Whether illustrated as joyful cherubs or announcing messengers, angels are ubiquitous during Christmas time.
There are angel tree toppers and lawn ornaments, but angel figurines are among the most collectible angel décor.
As long as Christmas exists, new angel figures will continue to delight collectors.
Reindeer
Whether it’s a stately buck or a whimsical reindeer, deer appear frequently on lawns, mantles, and dinnerware throughout the holiday season.
Deer have been entwined in both European and North American cultures for millennia – even associated with ancient deities. However, the reindeer’s popular connection with Christmas was solidified after the release of a certain famous Christmas poem. Clement Clarke Moore, author of “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” immortalized “eight tiny reindeer” pulling Santa’s sleigh into Christmas folklore.
Fortunate collectors encounter an abundance of reindeer decorations, including deer tabletop adornments, reindeer Christmas ornaments, deer lawn ornaments, and other deer-themed décor.
Snowmen
Even before being acquainted with a certain jolly animated snowman, people enjoyed building snow figures. Donning vibrant scarves and dapper top hats, snowmen are an uplifting representation of winter and Christmas.
Today, the amiable snowman can be found in various forms, including ornaments, on clothing and greeting cards, as well as Christmas stockings and stocking holders.
Snowman collectibles span from figurines to soft sculptures. Some may even light up, rotate, or play music. And best of all, they’re impervious to melting!
Christmas Gnomes
Playful, floppy little Christmas gnomes have swiftly won the hearts of collectors. These gnomes and their Scandinavian relatives, known as gonks, often sport cone-shaped hats and cozy knits or fur-lined winter attire. While some woodland gnomes wear textured fabrics in subdued colors, Christmas gnomes are dressed for the occasion in bright, festive hues.
Gnome enthusiasts can find a variety of styles, and their affordability makes decorating with gnomes an easy and popular choice for gifting and collecting.
Nutcrackers
Vivid and slightly whimsical, nutcracker dolls have been a storied Christmas gift for ages. The soldierly nutcrackers familiar today trace their roots to 17th-century Germany. Their allure widened after Tchaikovsky’s ballet, “The Nutcracker Suite,” became renowned.
Nowadays, Christmas nutcrackers come in myriad forms and sizes. Traditionally crafted from wood, you can also find them as crystal ornaments, ceramic cookie jars, and many other nutcracker-themed items.
While artistically crafted nutcrackers may be pricey, economically accessible versions in various styles are ubiquitous during the festive season. New designs each year keep the hobby fresh for nutcracker collectors.
Christmas Central carries a vast range of nutcrackers, including designs by Christian Ulbricht of Erzgebirge-Palace, based in the German mountain region where these figures originated.
Santa Claus
Who enjoys more fame at Christmas time than Santa Claus? From Santa gnomes to inflatable lawn decorations, the iconic character is omnipresent during the holiday period.
Father Christmas figurines, art, and ornaments rank among the most sought-after Santa Claus collections. Within these categories, collectors may favor specific depictions, such as Norman Rockwell Santas or Coca-Cola Santa artwork.
Whether you set him on your mantel, display him by your tree, or place him on your coffee table, a Santa Claus figure is always a heartwarming sight.
Nativity Sets & Christmas Villages
The most authentic emblem of the season is the nativity scene. St. Francis of Assisi is reputed to have organized the first living nativity scene back in the 13th century. Since then, individuals globally have set up their own miniature nativity displays during Christmas as a reminder of the sacred birth.
Beyond the essential nativity set, featuring figures of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, you may spot wise men, angels, and various animals. Some collections extend the scene to include visitors, villagers, and tradesmen of Bethlehem.
Similarly, many households arrange miniature villages around their Christmas trees or on tabletops throughout their home. The tradition of setting up a Christmas village, or “putz,” has its roots in the Moravian church in the late 1700s. The hobby gained momentum with the tradition of placing a Christmas train around the tree, but truly flourished in the 1980s.
Popular Christmas village scenes often feature molded ceramic or resin replicas of modern and historical homes and businesses. Miniature Christmas village sets may portray small-town American life, Victorian England, or a European mountain village, among other scenes.
Why do individuals collect? Perhaps it’s the excitement of searching for a new version of a cherished item or image. Maybe it’s the satisfaction of being surrounded by beautiful things.
Regardless of the motive, collecting brings happiness to countless people. And bringing joy is what Christmas is all about, isn’t it?
This list only skims the surface of Christmas collectibles. If we haven’t covered your favorite collectible here, we invite you to explore Christmas Central for more favorites to enrich your Christmas gift list. Some might even inspire you to start a new collection!
You may also like:
Meet the Gonks: Christmas Gnomes’ Nordic Relatives
Top Decorating Trends for 2022
How Did Nutcrackers Become a Christmas Tradition?
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