Jacqueline GaNun

By Jacqueline GaNun

Glass decorations are a seasonal staple, from clear glass that evokes wintry ice to colorful blown glass that might bring to mind your grandparents’ home.

“It is nostalgic, you know, and they’re just so delicate,” said Brandy Martin, co-owner of The Avenue, a home goods shop. Glass lends an elevated look to holiday decor, she said.

Jarrett Kemp, owner of the home and gift store Appointments at Five, decorated one of her Christmas trees with clear and speckled glass ornaments this year. She carefully considered how the lights on her tree complemented its baubles.

“I do like the way that the light just kind of shines through the glass,” Kemp said. “(It) makes the ornament more special than it would just be on its own.”

Here are six ways to decorate your holiday home with glass items in different styles and price ranges.

Simon Pearce Christmas trees

A table at home goods store Appointments at Five displays handmade glass Christmas trees from Simon Pearce. The company has built a following of avid collectors who buy a tree each year to build their collection. “I do have a Simon Pearce tree,” said Jarrett Kemp, owner of Appointments at Five. “I’ve added one in each year. It’s just something fun that I love.” (Photo/Jacqueline GaNun)

A collection of handmade glass trees from Simon Pearce might be perfect for those looking to start a holiday tradition. The company introduces a new tree or multiple trees every year. Kemp said many people, including her, buy one each year, slowly building a tableau of trees. Because they’re handmade, no two trees are exactly the same, Kemp said, which makes each collection unique.

The trees are priced by size and style, ranging from $85 to $695 on the Simon Pearce website. Choose from styles including snowdrift, silver leaf or Vermont twist.

“It’s an expensive tradition, but it’s a beautiful, just classic Christmas decoration,” Kemp said.

Festive drinking glasses

A set of snowmen glasses on display at Appointments at Five, a home goods store. The whimsical old-fashioned glasses add seasonal cheer to a table setting. “I think (they’re) really fun, whether you’re serving in them, or you can do a vase out of it,” said Jarrett Kemp, owner of Appointments at Five. (Photo/Jacqueline GaNun)

Brighten up your holiday tablescape with old-fashioned glasses studded with Christmas trees and candy canes or snowmen for $23 each at Appointments at Five. Serve drinks in them — perhaps a mulled wine or warm cider — or opt for the unexpected and use them as a small vase. Another seasonal option: Vietri mugs. Kemp likes the Lastra design mug, which features a Christmas tree and is $46.

“It is always a fun one to have, you know, just to add a little Christmas cheer when you’re drinking your cup of coffee in the morning,” Kemp said.

Estelle Colored Glass drinkware

A set of blue glasses from Estelle Colored Glass on display at Appointments at Five, a home goods store. The glasses come in multiple colors and can be mixed and matched on the Estelle site. “I have a set of six,” said Jarrett Kemp, owner of Appointments at Five. “When I have friends over … each person kind of gets their color.” (Photo/Jacqueline GaNun)

Estelle’s colorful glassware adds both whimsy and class to a table setting.

“They’re really fun for a cocktail party,” Martin said. “You could pair those with, honestly, like, the really nice paper plates, and people wouldn’t even notice the plates.”

Opt for red or green ($185 for a set of six wineglasses) for a seasonal look, or choose a different color to pair with your holiday decor. Go for a pastel or fall mixed set, curate your own colors or go monochrome.

“They’re hand-wash only, so they’re a little high maintenance, but they’re well worth it,” Martin said.

JingleNog ornaments

Ornaments from JingleNog on display at Appointments at Five, a home goods store. The mouth-blown glass ornaments are handmade in Poland and Italy. “Each of the designs for those are done by the mother-daughter duo that owns it,” said Jarrett Kemp, owner of Appointments at Five. (Photo/Jacqueline GaNun)

JingleNog, a company founded by a mother-daughter duo, makes handmade, mouth-blown glass ornaments that are crafted in Poland and Italy.

Every ornament comes with its own poem, which is “a fun selling point for people when they’re buying them and collecting,” Kemp said.

Appointments at Five carries JingleNog ornaments that range in price from $62 to $88.

Ginger jar ornaments

Ornaments shaped like ginger jars on display at The Avenue, a home goods store. The blue coloring provides contrast to the traditional red and green of Christmas decor. “They look so good in the tree,” said Brandy Martin, co-owner of The Avenue. (Photo/Jacqueline GaNun)

Don’t be fooled by these — although they look like functional jars, they go on a Christmas tree and not in the kitchen. The 6.5-inch vase ornament, $35.50 at The Avenue, is striking because of its unique shape and vivid cobalt color, mixing up the traditional red and green of Christmas.

“They look so good in the tree,” Martin said.

Pink Christmas ornaments

Pink ornaments adorn a Christmas tree at The Avenue, a home goods store. The nutcracker and perfume ornaments are made of glass, which The Avenue co-owner Brandy Martin said means they are made to last. “The blown glass is just crazy popular,” Martin said. (Photo/Jacqueline GaNun)

One of the trees at The Avenue is laden with rose-hued ornaments for pink Christmas. Different types of glass mingle on the branches — a delicate blown-glass nutcracker ($21 at The Avenue) sits next to a pink glass perfume bottle ($14). The ornaments are trendy, but Martin said they are still meant to last.

“It’s fun with the pink, but it’s a glass one, so it’s a nicer ornament, especially if you want to give it as a gift,” Martin said. “I feel like the glass ones are going to be heirloom, so things you’re going to pass down.”