Why vintage ceramic Christmas trees now fetch high prices
‘You see it and you either know what it is or you don't’
Unwrapping a ceramic Christmas tree every December was always a special treat for my sisters and me.
Our family's tree, measuring nearly 50 centimetres tall, was made by my grandmother in 1979 in Montreal.
My grandmother died before we could meet her, but the three of us knew the importance of this ceramic Christmas decoration to my parents.
Over the years, its small plastic bulbs went missing and the tree wobbled on the ceramic base that held the single light bulb.
But for most of my childhood, it was the centrepiece in my parents' home every Christmas, representing my grandmother. It's still there today.
I've since learned that these ceramic Christmas trees — especially those made in the 1960s and '70s — have a special significance for many families. They have also become popular with a younger generation.
DIY decor takes off in Germany
According to one expert, ceramic Christmas decorations likely spread to North America from Germany in the 1960s, when homemade Christmas decorations were all the rage.
"This was the period when a lot of fake trees were abounding," said Jennifer Salahub, professor emeritus of craft history at Alberta University of the Arts.
"Think of A Charlie Brown Christmas, when they go off and find these lovely tin and metal trees. There was this notion of having fake trees, sort of unusual trees. The small one could sit in the middle of your table. They could be lit up and they were very popular."
A new trend
More than 40 years later, vintage ceramic Christmas trees are finding a new generation of fans.
Salahub believes increased interest in vintage items explains the trees' popularity in modern homes.
"I think it's easier if you have a smaller house. You can put it on your table. You can decorate it and you can be cool with a vintage piece," she said.
The trees are widely sought after, with many selling on eBay for $150 to more than $300.
Original moulds for the trees sell for more than $200 online.
Glenn Schreider, co-owner of Dark Horse Arts and Gifts in Arizona, has been making ceramic Christmas trees for 11 years.
His wife came up with the idea to bring back the Christmas decorations as part of their ceramics business.
It became a huge hit.
Schreider's wife died from cancer in 2013, but Schreider and his mother-in-law still make the trees for hundreds of people each year.
Using vintage moulds from 1977, 1978 and 1981, the pair make the trees year-round. They account for about 95 per cent of their business.
Schreider has shipped tiny trees to customers in 30 countries.
For many people, the trees bring back fond childhood memories, he said.
"People grew up with them. Or their aunts or grandmother had them and they want to recreate the tradition with their families," he told CBC's Radio Active on Monday.
At Edmonton's Shop Chop gift shop, 32 replicas of the vintage Christmas trees recently sold in a week.
"We have easily 30 to 40 different kinds of trees in our shop. None of them have sold as fast as these did," said co-owner RJ Eccles.
Eccles said that when he opened the box of trees, he was immediately brought back to his grandparents' house.
"You see it and you either know what it is or you don't. So basically anyone who knew what they were, wanted to buy."
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