There is something particularly special about decorating a Christmas tree with glass baubles. From the sparkle of a traditional shiny red bauble to intricately shaped novelty decorations, glass ornaments have a timeless quality that makes them a favourite year after year.
At Southwood Christmas Shop, glass Christmas decorations are one of our biggest ranges. We stock hundreds of glass Christmas baubles and hanging decorations, with everything from affordable sets for decorating an entire tree to unusual individual ornaments chosen to represent hobbies, animals, favourite foods, vehicles and more.
So, whether you're creating a traditional red and gold Christmas tree, looking for a particular colour to complete your theme or searching for an unusual glass bauble you won't see on every other tree, there is plenty to discover.
Where Can You Buy Glass Christmas Baubles in the UK?
If you're looking for glass Christmas baubles online in the UK, Southwood Christmas Shop has a huge collection available to order online. Our range includes traditional round glass baubles, mini baubles, clear and transparent decorations, matt and shiny finishes, glass pinecones, icicles, teardrops, finials and unusual novelty-shaped glass decorations.
Colours range from Christmas classics such as red, green, gold, white and silver through to more contemporary shades including blush pink, deep blue, oxblood, pearl, brown and black. You can browse our complete Christmas bauble collection if you would like to compare glass designs with our other styles too.
Southwood Christmas Shop is part of Southwood Garden Centre, a family-run garden centre in Cottingham, East Yorkshire. Every Christmas we create extensive festive displays in our garden centre as well as offering our Christmas collections online to customers across the UK.
Why Choose Glass Christmas Baubles?
Glass baubles have been associated with Christmas trees for generations, and it is easy to understand why they remain so popular.
One of their biggest attractions is the way glass interacts with Christmas tree lights. Shiny, transparent and iridescent surfaces reflect the lights around your tree, helping to create that warm festive sparkle that is difficult to recreate with other materials.
Glass decorations are also available in an enormous variety of finishes. A single tree can combine shiny baubles, matt glass, transparent ornaments, glitter finishes, antiqued designs and decorative shapes to give the display much more depth.
And while classic round baubles remain incredibly popular, modern glass Christmas decorations can be almost any shape imaginable.
Traditional Glass Christmas Baubles
For a timeless Christmas tree, you can't go far wrong with traditional glass baubles.
Classic colours such as Christmas red, pine green, gold, pearl, white and silver work beautifully together and are particularly effective when different sizes and finishes are mixed across the tree.
Rather than using identical baubles throughout, try combining:
- Shiny glass baubles to reflect your Christmas lights
- Matt baubles to add contrast
- Transparent or unsilvered glass for a lighter look
- Ribbed and textured baubles for additional detail
- Smaller baubles towards the ends of branches
- Larger baubles deeper within the tree
- Plain packs of glass baubles
The result is a much more interesting and professionally styled Christmas tree while still keeping the traditional colour scheme.
Glass Bauble Sets for Decorating a Whole Christmas Tree
If you're decorating a new Christmas tree or changing your colour scheme this year, multipacks of glass baubles make an excellent starting point.
Our collection includes everything from small tubes of matching baubles through to much larger mixed boxes containing different finishes. You can then add individual statement decorations throughout the tree.
This is one of our favourite ways to decorate: use coordinated glass baubles to establish the main colours of the tree, then layer in more unusual ornaments and larger decorations to create points of interest.
Mini Glass Christmas Baubles
Not every decoration needs to be large. Mini glass baubles are extremely useful for adding detail to a Christmas display. They can be placed towards the tips of branches, used on smaller Christmas trees or incorporated into Christmas wreaths, Christmas garlands and other festive arrangements.
Our glass bauble collection includes miniature designs in a wide choice of colours and both matt and shiny finishes. They are also a useful way to introduce a second or third accent colour without overwhelming the main Christmas tree theme.
Clear, Transparent & Iridescent Glass Baubles
For an elegant or contemporary tree, clear glass Christmas baubles are an excellent choice.
Transparent decorations allow Christmas lights and greenery to remain visible through the bauble, creating a much lighter appearance than solid-coloured ornaments. There are also iridescent glass decorations that subtly change colour depending on the angle and surrounding light.
These work particularly well with:
- White Christmas lights
- Snowy or frosted Christmas trees
- White and gold decorations
- Silver themes
- Pastel Christmas displays
- Winter woodland themes
Try combining clear glass with a few metallic or glitter decorations to prevent the tree from appearing too uniform.
Unusual & Novelty Glass Christmas Baubles
This is where glass Christmas decorations become particularly fun.
Alongside traditional designs, our collection contains a huge variety of unusual glass Christmas baubles inspired by hobbies, jobs, animals, vehicles, food, drinks and everyday objects.
Over the years we've found that these are some of the decorations customers enjoy choosing the most. A novelty bauble can represent something personal about each member of the family. Someone who loves golf might have a golf-themed decoration, while another person might choose an animal, tractor, car or favourite drink.
Gradually adding a new decoration each Christmas can turn your tree into a collection of memories rather than simply a coordinated display. They can also make brilliant small Christmas gifts, particularly when you find a decoration that immediately reminds you of someone.
Glass Christmas Baubles for Different Colour Schemes
One advantage of having such a large range is being able to build a Christmas tree around almost any colour palette.
Traditional Red, Green & Gold
Perhaps the most recognisable Christmas colour combination of all. Combine red and deep green glass baubles with touches of gold, then add traditional decorations such as pinecones, bells and festive characters.
White & Gold
For something softer and more elegant, combine winter white, pearl and clear glass with light gold decorations. Warm white Christmas lights work particularly well with this scheme.
Blue & Silver
Deep blue glass baubles alongside silver, transparent and iridescent decorations create a striking winter-inspired tree.
Woodland Greens & Browns
Pine, rosemary and deeper green tones can be combined with brown, woodland ornaments, glass pinecones and natural decorations for a sophisticated botanical look.
Pink & Pastel
Blush pink glass baubles can be paired with pearl, white and iridescent decorations for a softer contemporary Christmas theme.
And there is no rule saying everything has to match. Some of our favourite trees are those filled with colourful individual decorations collected over many years.
Are Glass Baubles Better Than Shatterproof Baubles?
Neither is necessarily better — they simply suit different situations.
Glass Christmas baubles are ideal when you want beautiful reflective finishes, intricate designs and the traditional feel of a glass ornament.
Shatterproof Christmas baubles can be a more practical choice for households with young children or very enthusiastic pets, or for decorations being used in busy areas where they are more likely to be knocked.
You don't have to choose one or the other. In fact, mixing glass and shatterproof decorations is a very practical way of decorating a tree. Use more delicate glass ornaments higher on the tree and place shatterproof baubles around the lower branches or areas most likely to be touched.
How Should You Store Glass Christmas Baubles?
Good storage can help your favourite glass decorations last for many Christmases.
When taking your tree down:
- Remove glass decorations carefully rather than pulling them from the branch.
- Wrap particularly delicate or unusually shaped ornaments individually.
- Keep baubles separated so they cannot knock against each other.
- Reuse the original packaging where possible.
- Store Christmas decorations somewhere dry and protected from heavy objects.
For a large collection, divided Christmas decoration storage boxes can be particularly useful. It is also worth taking a little extra time when packing away novelty glass ornaments with thin or protruding sections, as these can be more delicate than traditional round baubles.
Start Your Own Glass Bauble Collection
You don't need to completely redesign your Christmas tree every year. One of the nicest ways to build a Christmas collection is gradually.
Start with a core set of glass baubles in the colours you love and then add a few special decorations each Christmas. Over time, the tree becomes unique to your family.
You might choose decorations to mark a new home, a favourite hobby, a memorable holiday, a new pet or simply something that made you smile when you spotted it. That is part of what makes Christmas decorating so enjoyable.
Discover Southwood's Glass Christmas Bauble Collection
If you're searching for glass Christmas baubles in the UK, take a look through our complete collection at Southwood Christmas Shop.
With hundreds of traditional, contemporary and unusual designs to discover, you can find everything from the baubles needed to create an entire colour scheme to that one unusual decoration that makes the perfect finishing touch.
Shop our full range of Glass Christmas Baubles
If you're starting your Christmas tree from scratch, you can also explore our range of artificial Christmas trees and then build your display with lights, baubles and other Christmas decorations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Glass Christmas Baubles
Where can I buy glass Christmas baubles online in the UK?
Southwood Christmas Shop offers a huge online selection of glass Christmas baubles, including traditional round baubles, mini decorations, coloured sets, clear glass, unusual shapes and novelty designs. Southwood Christmas Shop is part of the family-run Southwood Garden Centre in Cottingham, East Yorkshire.
What colours of glass Christmas baubles are available?
Glass baubles are available in a wide variety of colours including red, green, gold, silver, white, pearl, blue, pink, brown and black, as well as transparent and iridescent finishes.
Can you mix glass and shatterproof Christmas baubles?
Yes. Mixing glass and shatterproof baubles is a great way to combine the appearance of traditional glass decorations with the practicality of shatterproof ornaments. Delicate glass decorations can be placed higher on the tree while shatterproof designs are used lower down.
Are glass Christmas baubles suitable for real Christmas trees?
Yes. Glass Christmas baubles can be used on both real and artificial Christmas trees. Check that the branch is strong enough to hold heavier decorations securely before hanging them.
What sizes do glass Christmas baubles come in?
Glass Christmas baubles are available in everything from miniature decorations only a few centimetres across through to larger statement baubles and elongated ornaments. Using several sizes helps to create greater depth when decorating a Christmas tree.
Are glass Christmas baubles a good gift?
Yes. Unusual glass Christmas decorations make excellent small gifts because you can choose a design connected with someone's hobby, job, favourite animal, food, drink or other interest. They can then bring the decoration out every Christmas.
How do I stop glass Christmas baubles from breaking?
Hang them securely on sturdy branches and avoid putting delicate decorations in high-traffic areas. When Christmas is over, wrap delicate baubles separately and store them in divided boxes or their original packaging.