Christopher Radko's Ornaments

When his family's Christmas tree stand collapsed, shattering their collection of 2,000 vintage European glass ornaments, Christopher Radko suffered a double loss. Not only were the irreplaceable treasures gone, but with them vanished a tangible link to past holidays and warm memories of family and friends. Searching for replacements, he realized they were difficult to find, and began a business that almost single-handedly revived the all-but-forgotten European tradition of mouth-blown, hand-painted glass ornaments. Now hundreds of these "memories in the making," as Christopher calls them, are on display in Christopher Radko's Ornaments, the first book devoted to all fourteen years of his delightful designs. Each chapter is dedicated to a different category of ornament, from traditional styles to new ones inspired by the world's far-flung cultures, from jolly representations of Santa in all his guises to charming depictions of people, food, and animals of holiday lore. Throughout the book, sidebars offer an array of Christopher's own tips on how to light and trim a tree and decorate the entire house with ornaments, as well as fascinating information on the ornaments themselves. Lavishly illustrated with more than 275 full-color photographs and packed with personal anecdotes, Christopher Radko's Ornaments captures the heart of Christmas and encourages us to celebrate its message of giving and caring, one ornament at a time.