German Christmas ornaments come from two distinct regional traditions: hand-turned wooden ornaments from the Erzgebirge, carved and painted in the same style as the region's figurines and pyramids, and hand-blown glass ornaments from Lauscha, a Thuringian glassmaking town credited with inventing the glass Christmas ornament in the 1800s. Wood ornaments tend to suit a more rustic or folk-art tree, with matte finishes and carved detail, while Lauscha glass ornaments bring shine, color, and delicate, mouth-blown shapes. Many collectors mix both traditions on the same tree.
