Crafting a Ukrainian Christmas Ornament

Beautifully decorated glass Christmas ornaments can be found almost anywhere this time of year. But did you ever wonder exactly where they come from or how they are made? To find out, we traveled all the way to the ancient Ukrainian city of L'viv, the place where Christmas can last all year long. Welcome to Europe's largest ornament factory. "My factory brings joy to people and their children," says Bogdan Yakovlevich, the general manager. "People decorate their trees and it puts them in the Christmas mood." Here a thousand employees turn out as many as 6,500 different creations made of glass. But these artists don't just decorate -- they create! First, glass blowers painstakingly heat glass and blow it into the perfect form. "I blow 3,500 to 4,000 ornaments a week," says Maria, a factory employee. Next, craftsmen dip the cooled glass into special paints or dyes. This provides the base color. Third, experienced artists apply the finishing touches, making sure that each stroke of the brush is precisely applied and that every drop of glitter is in its proper place. Fourth, the ornaments are sent to a drying area. Finally, each ornament is carefully inspected before it's whisked away for shipping. The result is a Christmas bobble worthy of your Christmas tree. More about the C.I.S. If you would like to share the joy of reaching out to the Ukraine, click here to become a CBN partner.