We aren’t collectibles type of people – there’s so much clutter in our lives that I don’t feel the need actively to add to our belongings. We have, however, created a collection of Swarovski crystal snowflake ornaments for each of our children. The idea was suggested to us by a Polish friend before our children were even born. Her family collects the Swarovski annual edition ornament every year for their children so that they will have a set of Swarovski crystal snowflakes for their own Christmas tree when they grow up. Since I grew up with an annual visit to the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center, the Swarovski Christmas ornaments are also a way to bring a big of New York Christmas sparkle to our London home.
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Christmas Tree Rockefeller Center
The New York Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center is arguably the most famous Christmas tree in the USA. Many people from around the USA and indeed the world come to catch a glimpse of this Christmas tree. And, the star (literally) is the Swarovski tree topper that glimmers high above the branches.
Austrian company Swarovski are a world-wide leader in the crystal industry and we have been to the Swarovski Crystal Worlds museum near Innsbruck. Swarovski produce crystals for many famous events such as the annual Victoria’s Secret fashion show as well as the star on top of the famous Rockefeller Center tree in New York City.
The Christmas tree Rockefeller center with the Swarovski crystal topper
Not going to be in New York City to visit the Rockefeller Center tree? Swarovski crystal adorns other Christmas trees around the world including major cities such as Paris, Sydney, Buenos Aires and Toronto and international airports like Heathrow Airport.
In Manhattan, there’s been a Rockefeller Center tree since 1931 and Swarovski have provided the crystal star since 2004.
Rockefeller center ice skating in front of the Christmas tree Rockefeller Center
Featuring 3 million Swarovski crystals, the most recent Rockefeller Christmas tree topper is 9.4 feet in diameter and weighs 900 pounds (almost 41 kilos).
Why have mere thousands when you can have millions??
In 2018, the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center got a new Swarovski star designed by Polish-American starchitect, Daniel Liebeskind.
Liebeskind says the tree topper is inspired by the beauty of starlight but it reminds me of a mace or a medieval torture instrument. There’s a round ball which is the source of light and 70 spiky light bulbs with the millions of crystals on it.
As per usual, there will be a Swarovski crystal ornaments pop-up store selling the usual Swarovski crystal Christmas ornaments including the Swarovski annual edition ornament.
Swarovski crystal ornaments come in all shapes and sizes like this crystal poinsettia
Our Swarovski Crystal Christmas
We now have 12 of the Swarovski crystal Christmas ornaments – one Swarovski snowflake for every year of their life and an extra one for when they were in utero.
I have put them on a Scandinavian-inspired wooden Christmas tree so that the Swarovski ornaments can show off their crystal sparkle to full effect.
Our Scandinavian inspired wooden Christmas tree displaying our Swarovski crystal snowflakes
Limited Edition Swarovski Crystal Snowflakes
The Swarovski snowflake ornaments every year are limited edition and comes with the year etched on a silver tag. The Swarovski Christmas ornaments sell out every year but you can find them on resale from previous years on sites like Amazon.
One year, I forgot to get the Swarovski annual snowflake ornament until late in December and had quite the hunt trying to find it. I have since learned my lesson and now get the Swarovski annual ornament early in December!
The Swarovski snowflake ornament comes on a white ribbon with a silver tag indicating the year of issue.
If I were to be honest, my daughter adores her Swarovski snowflakes and looks forward to receiving one every year. My son is less enthusiastic about his Swarovski snowflake ornament. He generally mutters “pretty” and then returns to his Lego or whatever.
Our Swarovski crystal snowflakes are always a highlight when we bring out the Christmas ornaments every year.
Maybe he (or his partner) will be more appreciative of his collection of Swarovski snowflake ornaments when he is older. The thing about twins though is that he simply would have had to have a similar collection of Swarovski annual ornaments – twins have a finely honed sense of injustice and it would not have done only to have one set of Swarovski ornaments just for my daughter. The cost of therapy for my son would have been far more than just simply getting him his own set of Swarovski ornaments!
Swarovski Christmas Ornaments History
The Swarovski annual edition ornaments have been issued in their current form since 1991. Swarovski in the USA issued Christmas ornaments in the 1980’s, they weren’t available worldwide. Starting in 1991, Swarovski started issuing Christmas star ornaments for a few years. These are highly collectible and can fetch up to $1500 each.
The Swarovski crystal snowflakes came out in 1992. In 1999, the crystal snowflakes were modernised so that it was less clear whether it was a star or a snowflake. By 2011, the Swarovski annual edition ornaments were regularised across the world. Irrespective of where they are sold, they come in a blue triangular box with a certificate of authenticity and are held by a white ribbon.
Is this a Christmas star or a snowflake to you? Swarovski deliberately muddied the waters on that question!
It’s cool to see what the Swarovski annual edition ornament is every year. We felt the Swarovski annual ornament 2017 was relatively plain compared to other years. We were totally disappointed with the Swarovski Christmas ornaments for 2020 – both of ours broke within days of receipt. These Swarovski ornaments had one design flaw where the crystal was thin and both mine broke at the same point.
The Swarovski annual ornament 2017
In other years, the Swarovski annual edition crystal snowflake ornament has been quite elaborate with crystal cut-outs or three-dimensional features. You can see the full Swarovski ornaments collection since 1991 on the Swarovski website. Every year though our Swarovski crystal snowflakes never fail to please!
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The Swarovski annual edition ornament is a Christmas tradition in our home
Since I grew up with an annual visit to the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center, the
Swarovski annual snowflake ornament is a way to bring a big of New York Christmas
sparkle to our London home. Discover how beautiful the Swarovski crystal Christmas
ornaments are. #swarovski #swarovskicrystals #swarovskielements
#christmastreedecorations #christmas #rockefellercenter
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