A trip to the “Museum Bombki Choinkowej” in Nowa Deba

Not far from my grandparents’ town is a lovely Christmas ornament factory and museum in Nowa Deba. It was founded in 2012 by Janusz Biliński, who has produced hand-painted Christmas tree decorations for years. He started collecting exhibits because he did not want the next generations to forget these unique, timeless decorations. Bilinski kept the treasures in the privacy of his home, but they now decorate the museum’s old Polish Christmas tree. The thousands of ornaments displayed at the museum also reflect the treasure produced over the years in this factory. Additional photos are at the end of this article, although many more cases were on display!

I visited this factory/museum in October 2023. The displays are overwhelming, with thousands of new and antique ornaments on display.

The entrance also features a display of period trees.

Off to the side are the glass blowers, carefully shaping the baubles.

The rear of the store features a large store where the newest items can be purchased, either single or boxed. My hosts selected two hearts with our names on them for my husband and me

My choices were carefully boxed and shipped to me in the USA. They arrived in perfect condition!

Polish artisans have made glass articles since the 10th century. Blown glass Christmas ornaments are a relatively recent creation. Initially, Polish glassmakers produced practical goods and stained-glass windows. German glass ornaments began to appear in affluent Polish homes in the mid-1800s. The Polish glass industry surged in manufacturing blown glass ornaments from the late 19th century until the 1930s. It continued throughout the three partitions of Poland but was devastated by two world wars.

Today, Poland is the third-largest exporter of Christmas decorations in the world. In particular, sales of premium glass ornaments have boomed, with hand-crafted items appearing in luxury department stores worldwide.