Air balloon christmas ornaments

A hot-air balloon Christmas ornament is a glass tree decoration shaped like a hot-air balloon: a glass sphere on top, a small basket suspended below, and a thin glass or twine connection between them. The basket usually holds a figure, often a Santa, a snowman, a teddy bear or a gingerbread character. Almost all pieces are mouth-blown glass, hand-painted in either bold or more restrained colours.

At The Christmas Shop, hot-air balloon ornaments come mainly from three brands. Kurt S. Adler offers the largest selection, with more than ten variants in recognisable American-style colours and different passengers. Decoris is the more affordable choice, starting just under seven euros, with a few classic designs. Inge Glas Magic is the accessible product line by Germany's Inge Glas Manufaktor, with mouth-blown balloons in a quieter palette.

A balloon ornament is heavier and more fragile than a regular bauble because of the suspended basket. Hang it on a sturdy branch close to the trunk, where the wood is thickest, and choose a spot where the basket can hang freely without knocking against other ornaments. The glass thread connecting balloon and basket is the most fragile part. Store it after Christmas in its original packaging if you still have it.

A hot-air balloon ornament makes a thoughtful gift for someone who loves to travel, who has been on a real balloon flight, or who is building a theme tree around adventure and exploration. It also works for children, because the ornament tells a small story straight away: who's in the basket, and where are they heading? The Decoris balloon with a teddy bear also doubles as a sweet new-baby gift.

Yes, you can collect any online order free of charge at our shop in Delft. Choose "pick up in store" at checkout, and we'll let you know as soon as your order is ready. The physical shop usually has a few balloon ornaments on the shelves that aren't online, so it's worth a visit if you're after something specific.