Gorgeous Handcrafted German Decorations

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My friend, Elvira, invited me over for a wonderful lunch today so I could see her Christmas decorations. She has a wonderful set of decorations from her grandmother. I believe that all of them were from East Germany - primarily post-World War II. They're absolutely gorgeous! I don't have all the details, but some of the decorations were made only in a specific town...and they're well know for the detail and craftsmanship. These photos don't quite capture the true beauty of these pieces, but I tried. (Be sure to double-click on the photos for a closer view!)

This tower is incredible and has so many parts of the Christmas story depicted on separate levels. My favorite is the sheep - I just love the little wooden sheep!

The late afternoon sun was streaming through the windows in the dining room. I love the effect the sunlight had on the display of these little figurines!














I love the simplicity of this piece. The level of detail is lovely - my favorite part of this one is the tree - I love how the boughs are curled! Simple elegance.







This particular piece exhibits the architectural influences from Russia. Fascinating!






This centerpiece graced the coffee table in the living room - definitely a festive Christmas piece!






The orchestral angels were gorgeous! I could almost hear their rendition of "Silent Night" ("Stille Nocht")!