Stylized image of books wrapped in brown paper wrapped wit ribbon piled on a table top surrounded by pine branches, pinecones, and ornaments
Handmade · Handcrafted · Family workshops

The Artisan CollectionH1

Handmade Christmas ornaments, nutcrackers, nativity figures and cuckoo clocks from family workshops across Europe and America. Handcrafted the slow way, by people we have met.Intro in page HTML

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Every piece in the Artisan Collection comes from a workshop we can name: mouth-blown glass ornaments silvered and painted by hand in Poland and Thuringia, nutcrackers and smokers turned and assembled in the Ore Mountains, nativity figures carved in maple in Val Gardena, and Black Forest cuckoo clocks. Because each piece is handcrafted, no two are exactly alike.

Meet the makersWatch the films
Dolfi hand-painted Holy Family with lanternA hand painting a glass Santa car ornament at the Huras Family workshopHuras Family 25K gold Santa glass ornament
On the road

Made by hand, met in person

Greg and I spent three weeks on the road, sitting down with the families who run these workshops and filming how each piece is made: glass blown at the flame, silvered, then painted by hand. Italy is next.

Watch the films
A glassblower at the Huras Family workshop shaping glass in the flameA fine brush painting a stripe on a glass ornamentA finished Huras Family Santa in his sleigh ornament

Films from the workshops

Short films from our visits. They play right here, and on each maker's own page.

A glassblower at the Huras Family workshop shaping glass in the flame
Huras Family · Poland
Mouth-blown glass · Poland

Inside the Huras Family workshop

From the flame to the silvering bath to the painting hall: how the Huras family's glass ornaments are made, one at a time.

“You cannot be mediocre.” John Huras
Shop Huras Family Read their story

Film stills are taken from the films themselves.

Meet the makers

Thirteen family workshops. Every piece comes from one of them, and each has its own page with the story, the film and every piece we carry.

Shop by type

Start with what you collect, or what you are giving.

Nativity figures

Build the scene a figure at a time, carved in Val Gardena.

Shop nativity

Glass ornaments

Mouth-blown, silvered and painted by hand.

Shop glass ornaments

Santas & figures

Paper mâché, pewter and porcelain, made the old way.

Shop figures

Nutcrackers

Turned, painted and assembled by hand.

Shop

Smokers & pyramids

A German Christmas tradition.

Shop

Wooden ornaments

Small carved keepsakes from $9.

Shop

Cuckoo clocks

Black Forest, mechanical and quartz.

Shop
Next year · On the road in America

Handmade in USA

In 2027 Greg and I will visit workshops across the United States and film them, the same way we did in Europe. These American makers are already in the shop.

Shop everything made in the USA
PennsylvaniaByers’ ChoiceHandcrafted carolers · 114 pieces
Made in the USAHearts Gifts by TeresaGlass ornaments · 127 pieces
Made in the USABelsnickel BellsLeather sleigh bells · 23 pieces
Made in the USAPriscilla RackiKiln-fired pottery ornaments · 4 pieces

Shop the collection

Choose a type, a country or a maker.

Type
Country
DolfiHand-Painted Modern Holy Family Nativity Figure
$105
Huras Family25K Gold Splendid Santa Ornament
$97
Christian UlbrichtGingerbread King Nutcracker
$342
MarolinSanta Claus Cone Ornament
$34
Richard GlässerNativity Tealight Pyramid, 11"
$157
Ino SchallerSanta with Toys Paper Mâché Figure
$189.50
EngstlerBlack Forest Cuckoo Clock
$348
DolfiNativity Star Ornament
$23
Huras FamilySleigh Ready to Go Ornament
$65
Christian UlbrichtMan with Pinecone Hat Ornament
$37
MarolinSt. Lucia with Candle Wreath Figure
$85
Richard GlässerOrnament Vendor Smoker, 7.5"
$152
DolfiCrouching Ox Nativity Figure
$95
Huras FamilyThe Holly Hearth Ornament
$65
EngstlerLumberjack Cuckoo Clock
$794
Christian UlbrichtBavarian Nutcracker
$199
DolfiNatural Maple Locomotive Ornament
$8.99
MarolinSnowy Pine Cone Ornament
$20
Ino SchallerSanta with Silver Accents Candy Container
$257.50
Christian UlbrichtBeekeeper Wooden Ornament
$36.50
Good to know

Handmade, explained

What makes a piece "handmade" here?

Every piece in the Artisan Collection comes from a named family workshop. It is blown, carved, turned or cast by a person, then painted by hand, so small differences from one piece to the next are part of the charm.

Where are they made?

In Germany (the Ore Mountains, the Black Forest, Thuringia and Bavaria), Italy (Val Gardena), Poland, Austria (Vienna) and the Czech Republic, plus our American makers such as Byers’ Choice in Pennsylvania.

Did you really visit the workshops?

Yes. Greg and I spent three weeks visiting the makers and filming how they work. You can watch the films on this page and on each maker's page.

Will you add more makers?

Yes. More pieces from the workshops above are arriving. Next year we plan to visit makers in Italy and across America.

  1. 01Made by handBlown, carved or cast by a maker, not stamped out by a machine.
  2. 02Painted by handColour is applied piece by piece, so no two are exactly alike.
  3. 03Made to be keptGift-ready and built to come out every year. Free shipping on orders $95+.