Decorating with Christmas Glass Ornaments

The 10 Best Inventive Ways to Reuse Christmas Tree Balls

Nov 5, 2009
Stefanie Gabrych Fraser

A Jar Filled with Christmas Glass Ornaments - Stefanie Gabrych Fraser

If you've found yourself with too many Christmas ornaments for your tree, why not use these in more creative ways to add charm and whimsy to your home this holiday.

New or vintage Christmas tree glass ornaments bring a sparkle to any space however you display them and take no time at all to use, and because you’re not hanging them, the ornaments don’t even need their tops). Inventive groupings of ornaments—with their tiny details, cheerful colours and sparkle—are so lovely to display on a mirror, the windowsill, the top of the buffet, or adorning a Christmas wreath.

Hanging Decorations

Stop passerbys with an inventive display of ball ornaments dangling in a ‘curtain’ of Christmas balls at your windows. Tie ornaments onto a long string and decorate afterward with twigs of boxwood or holly tucked into the balls.
Fashion a wire coat hanger into witty portable Christmas décor with small glass ornaments. Place on a hook in a bedroom, coat closet, or on the door to the basement stairs.
String a variety of glass ornaments together to make a garland. Fasten strands of cording or thick ribbon to a mirror frame using thumb tacks and attach your ornaments using tree hooks to hang them on the cord.

Tabletop decorations

Fill a few large jars for your bedroom bureau, window ledge, or ay visible resting spot. You can also fill bowls, platters, toy trucks, and other containers.
You can show off a collection of vintage glass balls by placing them in paper candy or muffin cups and displaying them on a favorite plate.
Colorful ornaments, balanced on napkin rings to keep them from rolling around, are easily transformed into place cards if you add a name on with a silver or gold marker.
Use your spare ornaments to anchor a collection of unmatched silver candlesticks in a vintage or antique ironstone basin.
Gather up some clear glass candlesticks, place a bobeche (a guard to catch wax drippings) on each and secure an ornament on top with a little putty. Dust with fake snow and arrange across a mantel or side table.

Christmas Ball Wreath

Create a spectacular wreath with old Christmas balls. This wreath is great for recycling broken ornaments by disguising the cracked sides. You will need a Styrofoam form, preferable with a hook on the back for hanging, though you can always add one using heavy-gauge wire wrapped in florist’s tape. Start with the largest ornaments and begin glue-gunning on, using as little glue as possible and handling the ornaments gently. Add varied shapes for texture. Fill spaces with the smallest balls.