Quick answer: what counts as a Christmas ornament?
An ornament is any decoration that hangs on your Christmas tree: baubles, figurines, stars, keepsakes, novelty pieces and more. A bauble is the round ball, usually glass or shatterproof, that most Australian homes hang first. For numbers, a rule of thumb is roughly 10 ornaments per foot for classic coverage, rising to 15 or 20 per foot for a designer-full look, so a 6ft tree takes about 60 to 120 pieces. Choose shatterproof for family homes, glass for heirloom sparkle, and order personalised pieces well before December.
This guide covers every type sold in Australia, the material trade-offs, sizing, hanging with or without hooks, styling and storage. The deep dive on balls specifically lives in our Christmas baubles buying guide; everything beyond the ball lives here, and it all feeds our Christmas decorations guide.
The Types of Christmas Ornaments
Every decorated tree wears a handful of ornament families.
Baubles
The spherical staple, from tiny 2cm fillers to 20cm showpieces. Baubles carry most of a tree's colour and shine and usually make up the biggest pack in the basket, so start with our baubles collection.
Hanging ornaments
Everything that is not a ball: stars, icicles, teardrops, bells and shapes. Non-ball shapes break up rows of baubles and give the eye somewhere to rest. See the full hanging decorations range.
Figurines and keepsakes
Miniature angels, Santas, nutcrackers and snowmen, plus milestone pieces for a first Christmas, a new home or a baby. Keepsakes stay in the family, so choose sturdy caps.
Personalised ornaments
Name baubles, engraved stars and photo-insert balls. Demand nearly quadruples each December, and engravers cannot rush, so order early.
Wooden ornaments
Matte, tactile and quietly beautiful: cut-out shapes, beads and painted slices that suit country, coastal and Australiana themes and never shatter.
Vintage-style ornaments
Reproductions of the hand-blown glass era: indented reflectors, muted mercury finishes and figural shapes, without century-old fragility.
Sets and boxed collections
Matched palettes in one box, usually six to twelve pieces across sizes. They are the fastest route to a styled tree; layer favourites over the top.
Novelty and Australiana
Fun pieces with a sense of humour, plus Australian icons: koalas, kangaroos and native botanicals like gumnuts and wattle, telling a story no imported catalogue can.
Materials: Glass vs Shatterproof vs the Rest
Glass ornaments are widely credited as first hand-blown in the German glassmaking town of Lauscha, and the earliest shapes copied fruits and nuts. Department store buyers later carried them worldwide, and a cottage craft became a tradition. Most Australian family trees wear shatterproof; glass still holds the crown for depth of colour.
A few finishes cut across every material. Glitter catches light but sheds each season. Embossed patterns give depth without shine. Mercury glass, aged and watery-silvered, reads instantly vintage. Give each piece the bend test: a cap that wobbles on the bench will fall off on the tree.
Australia's safety standards for toys apply to toys; ornaments are sold as decorations and are not covered, so small pieces and hooks are yours to manage. Keep small-part ornaments on the top half of the tree, out of reach of children under three, and sweep the floor nightly in season.
How Many Ornaments Do You Need?
Multiply your tree's height in feet by 10 for a classic look, or by 15 to 20 for designer density. A 6ft tree times 10 gives about 60 ornaments; times 15 to 20 gives 90 to 120. Slim and pencil trees need fewer, bushy trees more, and all-bauble trees run a touch higher: our baubles guide plans 12 to 20 per foot, while mixed collections with bigger statement pieces land lower. Treat the first season as a draft, with ideas from our Christmas tree decoration ideas.
The topper counts separately: a star or angel finishes the silhouette, so it deserves the spend. Browse our tree toppers collection. For the wider trim, from ornaments to bead garlands, see Christmas tree decorations.
How to Hang Ornaments: Hooks, Ribbon and No-Hook Tricks
Step 1: Work from the inside out
Hang dullest fillers deep inside first, close to the trunk; they reflect light from within and make the tree read as decorated all the way through.
Step 2: Layer at three depths
Best pieces at branch tips, mid-grade in the middle, fillers at the trunk. Stacking at three depths is the difference between a flat tree and a full one.
Step 3: Point every cap down the branch
Hook the loop over greenery, then twist the cap so the piece hangs vertical. A wonky cap goes wonky by morning.
Step 4: Hang heavy pieces on wood
Glass and oversized pieces get real branch wood, not soft tips. If a branch bows, move the piece inward or pick a sturdier spot.
No hooks? Three tricks that work better anyway
Cut ribbon into 15cm lengths, thread each through the cap and knot it on the branch for a keepsake look. Clear fishing line gives a near-invisible hang for windows, ceilings and rentals. Florist wire twists around the branch to hold heavyweight pieces and hides in foliage. Outdoors under cover, it survives the wind that tests every connection.
Beyond the tree: fill a clear glass bowl, prop small pieces on shelves and the mantel, or hang clusters in windows on fishing line. Thread small baubles onto a garland or nestle them into a Christmas wreath, finished with a velvet bow.
Ornament Styling Ideas by Theme
Vintage: indented reflectors, mercury finishes and figural pieces on a flocked tree, lit warm-white. Let ten beautiful pieces carry it. Palette-forward: pick your scheme before you shop with our Christmas colour palette guide; rose gold and gold-and-white photograph best. For ready-made schemes, see rose gold decorations. Personalised: one name ornament per family member, added yearly, turns the tree into an archive. DIY with kids: salt dough shapes, painted wooden slices and photo baubles are weekend projects. Australiana: koala and kangaroo figurines, gumnut sprays and wattle tones against a plain tree.
Styling quick tips
- Odd numbers read as styled: threes and fives beat pairs.
- Keep one finish consistent, usually the cap colour, so mixed sets look collected, not chaotic.
- Big ornaments low, small high; it matches how the eye reads scale.
- Leave breathing room; gaps read editorial, not empty.
If you are unsure when to start, our when to put up Christmas decorations guide breaks the season down week by week for Australian conditions.
Where to Buy Christmas Ornaments in Australia
For filling a tree fast and cheap, Big W, Kmart and Myer sell multipacks through the season. What those few dollars buy thin-walled plastic, uneven finishes and caps that let go mid-season; fine for a kids' tree, not much else.
A specialist earns its keep on the pieces department stores do not carry: hand-blown glass, personalised engraving, vintage reproductions and matched sets that look curated, not bulk-bought. Christmas World stocks them across our eight stores in NSW and the ACT: Alexandria, Belrose, Castle Hill, Campbelltown, Broadmeadow in Newcastle, Penrith, Albion Park Rail near Wollongong and Fyshwick in Canberra. Browse the full Christmas ornaments range online, call 1300 00 9627 about click and collect, and check the store locations page for current trading hours.
Storing Ornaments After Christmas
Good ornaments outlive their boxes, so an hour of packing saves every season. Wrap each piece in tissue, keep the felt dividers, and pack rigid containers rather than soft bags. Store indoors: Australian roof spaces and metal sheds hit extreme heat over summer, softening shatterproof shells, lifting glitter and melting glue on keepsakes. See our decoration storage range for purpose-built boxes, and our decoration storage guide for the full method.
Frequently Asked Questions — Christmas Ornaments
What is the difference between a bauble and an ornament?
A bauble is the round ball; an ornament is anything that goes on the tree, from baubles to figurines and stars. All baubles are ornaments, but not all ornaments are baubles.
How many ornaments do I need for a 6ft tree?
Roughly 60 for classic coverage, or 90 to 120 for a designer-full look. The per-foot rule gives the maths: about 10 per foot classic, 15 to 20 full, so a 6ft tree times 10 gives 60. Slim trees need fewer, bushy trees more.
How do I hang Christmas ornaments without hooks?
Thread a 15cm ribbon length through the cap and knot it to the branch, hang on clear fishing line where it should appear to float, or twist florist wire around the branch for heavy pieces. All three hold more securely than a cheap wire hook.
Are glass or shatterproof ornaments better for kids and pets?
Shatterproof, without question, for the lower two-thirds of a family tree; glass belongs up high. Ornaments are not covered by Australia's toy safety standards, so keep small parts above the reach of under threes.
Where can I buy personalised Christmas ornaments in Australia?
Look for painted or engraved personalisation that cannot rub off, photo-insert pieces with sealed backs, and a keepsake box for gifting. Order by early December; engravers cannot rush late-season jobs.
How do I display ornaments without a tree?
Fill a clear glass bowl or cloche, prop pieces on shelves and the mantel, hang clusters in windows on fishing line, or thread them through a garland.
How do I store ornaments so they last?
Wrap each piece in tissue, use rigid boxes with felt dividers rather than soft bags, and store indoors. Summer heat in Australian roof spaces and metal sheds softens shells, lifts glitter and melts glue.
What are vintage-style Christmas ornaments?
Modern reproductions of the hand-blown glass era: indented reflector baubles, muted mercury finishes and figural shapes, inspired by the originals from Lauscha. You get the aged look without the fragility or the price.
Build Your Ornament Collection
From shatterproof family packs to hand-blown glass and Australiana pieces, the range covers every tree and theme.
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