Stuck on choosing the best types of ornaments to display on your Christmas tree? After all, there’s nothing worse than buying a nice ornament for the festive season, only to realize as you’re decorating the tree that it’s already chipped or, even worse, broken into pieces. 

When it comes to Christmas decorations, we know durability and aesthetics are very important. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most popular material choices for festive tree ornaments, listing pros and cons for each so you can get the best value for your buck. 

Popular Types of Ornaments 

With such a large variety of ornaments online, shoppers are spoiled for choice when choosing their Christmas decor. However, not every ornament online will satisfy your holiday season needs - some will break easily and will be hard to maintain, while others will simply not match your aesthetic needs. 

Resin Ornaments

When it comes to long-term durability, resin ornaments take the first place on the list. Resin is very versatile and can be shaped into a variety of shapes as long as you have a mold for it. After creating a mold, all you do is pour the resin mixture inside and wait until it hardens, revealing a perfectly uniform surface perfect for painting over and personalizing.

There are a few types of resin, including polyresin which is the most durable.

Due to the manufacturing process, polyresin ornaments can handle lots of pressure, which means you can store them away throughout the year without worrying about breakages. Resin is also highly resistant to scratches and chipping, making for a timeless gift that will stand the test of time.

Pros:

• High durability, no breakages, scratches, or chipping

Cons:

• Higher production cost

Family Decorating Tree: 6 People Christmas Ornament

At Last Elf on the Left, our resin ornaments have loads of intricate details and can be easily personalized to your liking

Glass Ornaments

When it comes to home decor and ornaments, lots of people prefer glass due to its festive and luxurious feel. Glass can be colored in many ways and also reflects light in aesthetically pleasing ways, making for a popular choice for Christmas tree decorations. 

The obvious downside is that glass tends to be quite fragile and prone to breakages, especially when stored in a box alongside other ornaments. 

Pros:

• Elegant ornaments with a festive, luxurious feel

Cons:

• Fragile

Wood Ornaments

Another popular material choice is wood. Whether hand-carved or laser-cut, wood can be easily shaped into many things from simplistic ornaments like stars and squares to intricate designs like animals or joyful humans.

Wood ornaments are also a great aesthetic choice if you’re going for a rustic vibe, and can be easily painted into creative designs. Some types of wood are strong and hold well to pressure, but can be prone to scratches and even mold (if not treated properly). 

Pros:

• Can be hand or laser-carved into complex designs
• Easy to paint and customize

Cons:

• Prone to mold and requires proper treatment

Ceramic Ornaments

Ceramic ornaments are another great choice if you're going for a rustic feel. They are easy to paint over and customize, but tend to be slightly heavier than other ornament choices. This can limit the number of places you could hang them, especially while decorating your Christmas tree. 

Ceramics also require a longer process to manufacture, which can add up to the price.

Pros:

• Easy to paint and customize
• Creative designs that feel handmade 

Cons:

• Not very versatile
• More expensive

Metal Ornaments

Metal ornaments are a slightly more unique choice for your Christmas tree. This type of decoration is highly durable and will not break easily even when under high amounts of pressure. Still, just like ceramic ornaments, they tend to weigh more, so your options when it comes to decorating might be more limited. 

Metal ornaments made from iron, copper, or even steel can be shaped into snowflake ornaments or 3D designs that enhance your festive atmosphere. Metal is also a popular choice for tree toppers. Still, be careful - the thinner the piece of metal, the easier it is to bend. 

Pros:

• Highly durable and long-lasting

• Unique

Cons:

• Not very versatile

• Thin pieces of metal can bend

Fabric Ornaments

Another unique material choice if you’re looking for a handmade feel is fabric. Fabrics like felt, burlap, or wool have a rustic feel to them and add interesting textures to your decor. 

The biggest downside of fabric ornaments is that they take a lot of time and effort to design and create. Not only that, but they are extremely fragile and need a lot of care to maintain long-term.

Pros:

• Unique, creative gifts

Cons:

• Take a lot of time and effort

• Very fragile, will need lots of care

Which Type Of Ornament Is The Best?

Each material choice comes with its own pros and cons, so you can choose whichever fits your desired aesthetic best. If you're looking for vintage ornaments, wood, fabric, and even ceramics are a great choice.

However, if you’re looking for the best blend of high quality, durability, and cost, you can’t go wrong with resin ornaments. The material stays chip-free and scratch-free over many years, so you can enjoy your creative ornaments Christmas after Christmas. Resin can be molded into basically any shape, so you’ll have access to a huge variety of models which you can choose the best one from.

Female dog owner holding puppy ornament

Fun, Whimsical Resin Ornaments With Last Elf on the Left

At Last Elf on the Lest, we make sure all our customers get the best holiday decor they could ask for. Our durable, high-quality resin ornaments are easy to personalize and come in many different designs from pet-themed to sports, jobs, and even family holidays!

Shop our resin ornaments today and bring a smile to everyone’s face during important holidays and celebrations!