Who Invented Christmas ornaments?

The subject of who invented Christmas personalized family ornament is a fascinating one to say the least. Some people will tell you that they have evidence, while other people will discount their claims as mere myths and old wives tales. Regardless, of which group you fall into, one thing is certain. Without a doubt, the true birth of Christmas ornaments can be traced back to someone in Germany in the 1900's. This person may not be one of the most popular designers today, but he did craft some truly beautiful ornaments for Christmas. And he did so with the help of some very basic tools that every home can use today.

One of the most interesting theories on the history of Christmas ornaments centers around the carving of angels. While this seems like a stretch, it actually fits with other accounts of angel carving that existed in early Christian history. For example, during the time of Emperor Nero around the 2nd Century AD, someone would often carve images of religious scenes onto stone, along with a message of some sort. These images were then put into hollowed out statues that would be used as a form of adornment on homes. While there isn't hard evidence to prove whether these carvings actually predate Christianity, it seems more reasonable to assume that this was the case, as Christianity was adopting new elements from earlier Pagan traditions, such as the virgin Mary and the tree of life.

Another theory on who invented Christmas ornaments centers on a German craftsman called Karl der Schmitt. He would buy entire villages in rural Germany that had no trees on them, and he would hollow out these trees and carve balls and other ornaments out of them, creating unique, handcrafted ornaments for every home on his route. This could very well be the precursor to today's Christmas tree ornaments.