Is it difficult to imagine Christmas without a Christmas tree adorned with beautiful Christmas ornaments, particularly if you're a collector of fine ornaments (see Christmas ). Christmas ornaments, if stored properly can be used the next year, the year after that, and can become family heirlooms!
Ornaments come in different forms. Usually they are made of glass, wood, china, resins or metal. Some ornaments are particularly fragile and need to be stored with utmost care. Here are some tips on how you can safely store you Christmas ornaments.
One way to keep glass ornaments safe while on the tree is to hang delicate ornaments at the top and unbreakable ornaments around the bottom. Pets and children can gain access to the bottom of the tree, so this arrangement can ensure safety of breakable ornaments. It is also a good idea to spray pet repellent at the base of the tree in case you have particularly exuberant pets!
Antique ornaments usually have water soluble paint so they should not be washed. Even new ornaments are likely to fade and get damaged if washed. The best way to clean Christmas ornaments is to dust them lightly before hanging on the tree, and once before storing them for next year.
It is a good idea to store each ornament separately in bubble wrap as this reduces the chances of damage. Glass, metal and wood ornaments should be stored separately. Silica gel can help keep the stored ornaments dry and free from humidity.