Homemade Christmas Ornaments

Decorate with style

Asheville area artists create high-quality, handmade Christmas ornaments, making this a great destination to seek out holiday ornaments and crafts.

This can be a great way to preserve memories of your holiday getaway to Asheville, especially with many families carrying on the tradition of adding – or passing down – one heirloom-quality bauble to the holiday tree every year. You can find a variety of these holiday Appalachian ornaments at local art galleries and craft shops.

Artists from across the southern Appalachians offer handmade ornaments year-round at the Folk Art Center (pictured), located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in east Asheville. The center boasts an impressive collection of pottery, glass art, furniture and jewelry, but don’t leave without selecting an ornament from some of the region’s premier craftspeople working in almost every possible medium and style.

Here, you can buy ornaments from nationally-known artists who offer holiday ornaments to bring back special mountain memories, including a woven “Carolina Snowflake” from basket maker Billie Ruth Sudduth, or a limited-edition mountain winter scene from glass artist Charles Donaldson.

If your style appreciates the area’s rich folk art tradition, the center also offers corn husk angels from Black Mountain’s Jan Morris; magnolia, cinnamon stick or okra pod ornaments from Carolyn Stone; and quilted and stuffed sleighs, rocking horses, cats and mice from David Appalachian Crafts. These are just a few options to boost your Christmas decorating spirit offered at the center, which also has spectacular and popular stained glass, blown glass, ceramic and carved wood ornaments to choose from.

Not to be outdone, the downtown Asheville galleries also brim with holiday options. Be sure to peruse the Grove Arcade. The Grove Arcade ARTS & Heritage Gallery includes signature Grove Arcade commemorative ornaments – the winged lion, of course – crafted by Asheville metalsmiths Tom Reardon and Kathleen Doyle, who operate Portfolio Metalwork.

While you’re there, check out laser-cut snowflakes made out of wood and designed by Berea College Crafts, blown-glass ornaments from Asheville’s Jeff McKinley or resident artist Erin Walker’s delicate enamel and copper pieces, which can go from the holiday tree to the elsewhere in the home when thoughts turn to spring. (Walker will be at the gallery through the New Year.)

Grovewood Gallery holds an annual Ornament for the Season Exhibition, in which select artisans from around the country are invited to create and exhibit a piece, or a collection of work, that represents their own holiday traditions.