oakleyok, I too love an old fashioned looking Christmas tree. As a young child our families tree had many of the glass ornaments though not the plain glass balls, but the ones with the dents, for lack of better discription, in them. I loved them then and love them now. I have a number of Christmas trees and each has it's own style. When our kids were growing up we bought them each a set of the Disney Movie ornaments offered at McDonald's along with a five dollar gift certificate book. With ten dollars each they could go to McD's five times of their choosing when we were out and about. I hated when they quit doing that since I then had to search for the perfect ornament for them each year. But I did and I now have bought two small trees that I have urns to cement them in and give them their own set of ornaments for their own homes.
I won't go into all our trees, but since you mentioned the glass ornaments and I said I loved them I'll share my glass ornament tree photo with you.
Here is the glass ornament tree before and after I added the garland. They are not Christopher Radko ornaments, but we love them. In fact I think a little more-so than if they had been.
{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Thanks oakley - we *do* have some red glass balls (and some with "dents" hilighted with green, gold). I think I even have a glass pickle! Do you think it would be too much to add some glass to our "homemade" tree (esp. with the really bright LED lights - I hope I can find another string at Walmart just over the state line, b/c the 2 near us don't have them)?

Becky - I love your tree! What's the red garland made out of?

Well, I just spent $90 at Goodwill on books and Xmas decorations (well, and a $25 Rohl bathroom faucet still in the box - looks like all the important pieces are there). I spent $20 on a pair of silverplated urns (with tasseled handles!) that were marked $35 each from TJ Maxx. Now, the question is where do I put them (and what do I put in them?) Pictures tomorrow - gotta run, hit Walmart before picking up DS from after-school math club, then run home (he insists) to drop him off and eat (pizza? pick up before/with him?) before running back to town to take DD to Daisies. Too bad he won't just eat out (DH can have leftovers) and go to Daisies with me and DD, do his HW there. It would save almost an hour and about 30 miles.

I love all things old, so of course I love old ornaments! More importantly, we love and use ornaments on our tree that have meaning to us. I love unwrapping the ornaments and remembering the *story* of each one. I have collected vintage scrap and tinsel ornaments for several years. I also love old glass ornaments. They are so easy to find - antique stores, ebay, etsy, etc. I even have a few that belonged to my great-grandmother. I also have some bubble lights that belonged to my grandparents (and we grandchildren remember them fondly from our childhood), but we do not use them anymore, they are more than likely not safe.

We have always loved purchasing ornaments when we travel or to represent something (such as a pet) or an occasion (anniversary, new home, etc.). I have one from the first year we were married, one someone bought for us when we purchased our first home, etc. I try to buy pale colors (I am not a green and red fan for Christmas), and add in plain glass balls of gold and white. I've also been collecting stars and snowflakes the last few years to add in - in silver and gold.

tina

I was looking at our tree thinking we need some plain glass balls to balance the all glass shape ornaments.

My dads family came from an area in Germany where the hand blown ornaments were very popular and as a family our tree growing up had hundreds of blown glass ornaments. WHen I started my own I started to collect shapes - fat english policeman, dogs, stockings, bells, santas, snowmen, birds galore etc. I have some early Radko but honestly since I like the older look his got way to gaudy for my taste - the old polish ornaments were not that over the top. I like Old World Christmas brand - they are more affordable, not so large and have a more traditional look. We now probably have nearly every animal and bird as well as numerous other shapes. Unfortunately, I was so focus on the shapes I did not get the more simple kind to balance it all out - did not show has much in previous years as our 8 foot tree could barely hold what we had. THis year in our new house we have a 14 footer - with much more space and I can see that it would look better with more simple glass ornaments on it. Love justgotabeme's tree.

Unfortunately, as others say they have also experienced - my stores are sadly under stocked and I can't find much. I definitely want a bit of a vintage feel as that is my style with decorations.

Becky, that's my kind of tree! You'll notice in the tree thread my ornaments are very similar. I'm lousy at hanging garland though so I left it off this year. lol.

AJ, adding more glass to the tree will make it REALLY pop because the ornaments reflect the tree lights.

You can also find some bowls and put your round ornaments in them for decorations.

When I was little, I'd spend hours looking at my reflection in the ornaments. My face would get contorted and I found it hilarious!

I've seen some of Radko's ornaments, but they are just too expensive for me.

Does anyone know where to buy those HUGE round ornaments that looks like the one's we put on the tree? I'd love to hang some off the mantel and put some on the porch.

Thanks a lot gldnfan, you just made me spend more money!

I found this website when I looked up the Old World Christmas Ornaments.

I bought a couple of ornaments for myself and got my DIL the Mother Goose ornament since she's a new mother.

Love the site! Have you shopped there? I hope I get my stuff before Christmas. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Ornaments

I really like the glass balls and indents too. Next year I hope to put some out somewhere.Maybe in a glass bowl I did get just a few in my secretary shelves with the little village. This is the last tree I did in 2006. Most of the indents were my late first husbands grandmothers. She gave them to us for our first Christmas in 1968. they are treasures to me. She just wanted new. Hehehehe They have been through thick and thin with me Countless moves and across states, a flood. Only one has broken in all those years. Some have tarnished. Or whatever it is when they turn slightly dark.I do not know what hose long straight green glass things are. Certainly vintage and I used them in my nativity garland this year.

Everything on this tree was vintage. Even the beads were my grandmothers necklaces. LOL

{{!gwi}}

I think trees are great done up in shiny or natural or even a mixture. I used to do my tree up all in horses I had collected and then added other animals. Always went back to the indents. Finally gave everything else away.

Chris

Thanks everyone.

ajsmama, the red garland is plastic with a chrome like look and purchased at Dollar Tree. It took nine for our tree, but at a dollar a section I got off very cheap!

gldnfan, I'm with you on the newer Radkos. They are just not the same anymore. And way more expensive than I want to spend. I'll have to check out the Old World Christmas brand. Thanks for the tip.

oakleyok, I'm with you on hanging garland. It's so not an easy task, as you can see I'm not so good at it either.

Oh and thanks to oakleyoks link I now know that the "dented" ornaments are called "reflectors"!

I'm going to have to break down and take a look at the Christmas threads. I've only looked at one and it made me feel so awful for not decorating yet this year that I just didn't look at anymore. I'll do that this evening after dinner. It's time to get the last minute things finished before I start dinner.

Chris, what a pretty tree. I missed it since I was still writing when you added yours.