Bell jars for displaying Swarovski annual figurines

Displaying Swarovski crystal annual ornaments – top tips!

Swarovski annual ornaments are too beautiful to be shown only at Xmas - enjoy them year-round by designing creative displays using metal trees, bell jars & more

By John

Swarovski crystal annual ornaments are released every year in styles featuring snowflakes and stars. They have become one of the world’s favorite collectibles. But what is the best and safest way to display them to family and friends?

Metal "trees" are ideal for the display of ornaments — Metal “trees” are ideal for the display of ornaments

Swarovski crystal annual ornaments are too pretty to be shown only at Xmas – enjoy them year-round by displaying them on metal trees, bell jars, shelves & more.

Swarovski annual ornaments

Starting in 1991, Swarovski has issued annual ornaments every year in time for Christmas. The ornaments are made from beautifully faceted crystals in the form of stars or snowflakes – they come with a metal tag denoting the year and a silk ribbon for hanging. The earliest star (1991) is now valued in excess of $2000.00.

Learn all about how to collect Swarovski annual ornaments in this comprehensive post from Artistry in Glass

If you are unlucky enough to break an annual ornament – all is not lost. Learn how to glue pieces back together by studying the expert advice in this post.

Artistry in Glass is not endorsed, sponsored, licensed by, or affiliated with Swarovski AG in any way. Follow this link to reach the official Swarovski website.

How to display Swarovski annual ornaments

There are many display options for your beautiful ornaments and many collectors feel they are too beautiful to be brought out only at Christmas time. Our advice is to be creative – snowflakes can be hung on your Christmas tree but there are many other more creative options

Display trees – Christmas, metal, or synthetic
Glass bell jars
In windows
Chandeliers/shelves
Shadow boxes/cubbies

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Christmas & metal trees

The traditional way to show off your annual ornaments is to hang them on the family Christmas tree but other metal “trees” can be a better option.

Swarovski annual ornaments displayed on a Christmas tree and on a metal stand

A small, synthetic Christmas tree is a better option that a large organic tree – but keep your mind open for other ideas like the metal trees below.

Metal trees, with hooks made especially for Swarovski annual ornaments, are probably the best way to showcase your collection – providing you have enough snowflakes (8 or more) to make an impressive display.

Our favorite metal tree is this 16 3/4″ rotatable display made by HOHIYA and available from Amazon. Comes with 15 hooks – ideal for Swarovski Christmas ornaments or other collectibles. It rotates by battery power!

Synthetic manzanita tree with annual ornaments and glass angels

We really like this synthetic manzanita tree from Sziqiqi (available on Amazon) for the free-form display of our ornaments. Do forget. It’s OK to mix it up and include other crystal or glass – like the cute holiday angels shown above.

Remember the importance of good lighting to highlight the sparkling facets of your annual ornaments. For full details of LED-powered lighting options, read this post by Artistry in Glass.

Glass bell jars

For the careful collector, especially those who have rare & valuable ornaments, a glass bell jar provides the ideal protection for your precious snowflakes.

Our recommendation is this official Swarovski bell jar – 8 1/2″ tall with a clear crystal handle with 230 facets, a removable polished hook, and a metal base. This is the optimum way to protect and display your precious annual ornaments.

Check the approximate resale prices of Swarovski annual ornaments in the handy chart below and consider using bell jars for the more valuable ornaments (1991 to 1999).:

Display in windows

The official advice is to keep Swarovski crystal ornaments out of direct sunlight but display in a shaded or north-facing window helps to highlight the sparkle of the crystal.

Swarovski annual ornaments in windows — Swarovski annual ornaments displayed in windows

Remember, bright sunlight on crystal ornaments can cause the glue to fail – also, glass objects like fish bowls, jam jars, and even door knobs have been known to cause fires by focussing sunlight!

Chandeliers or shelves

Think out of the box – ornaments don’t have to be hung from trees – how about a chandelier over the dinner table or even corner shelves?

Display annual ornaments hanging from a chandelier or on corner shelves

Shadow boxes or cubbies

Numerous display boxes are available – just check the size of the cubby holes to make sure they are big enough (around 5″ square) to accommodate your beautiful ornaments.

Wooden cubby holes for Swarovski annual ornaments — Wooden cubby holes for wall display of Swarovski annual ornaments

We like this wall curio shelf from MacKenzie (above) but make sure it is illuminated with LED lighting (check out these effective and inexpensive spotlights available from Amazon).

Also, experiment with different backgrounds (use colored fabrics) or even mirror for the maximum impact.

Be careful with your Swarovski annual ornaments because they are delicate. You can show them off, but be sure to keep them safe from curious kids or clumsy visitors who might accidentally break them.

You don’t have to wait until Christmas to enjoy your Swarovski crystal annual ornaments. You can display them all year long on metal trees, bell jars, shelves, or anywhere you like!

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