Re-Sell Christmas Decor - Ornaments

Decorate your Wallet With Thrift Store Finds

Sep 28, 2023

Lowes has Christmas decor out for sale, right next to Halloween. Tim Burton would be thrilled!

It seems it’s never too soon to start shopping for the holidays, especially if you are reselling. This is a good category to buy all year as opportunities come up.

This will be a multi-part series as there are some distinct subcategories in Christmas decor. This one focuses on modernish ornaments.

As of the end of September eBay shows over 15,000 items sold.

In researching eBay sold, and used, there was a higher percentage of lots than normal. Still some nice single items, but lots of lots. In fact, the highest sold priced item is a lot of 12 Reed and Barton.

That is very much an outlier as the bulk of this business is in lower dollar items. Lots make sense simply because of that.

The highest-priced single ornament:

With 32 bids there was a lot of competition for this item.

Jewel-Lite comes up fairly often in the more expensive sold items, definitely. brand to watch out for.

As the eBay graph shows, most of the sales are on the lower end of the spectrum. To me, there has to be a good return on time invested. Making one $50 sale pays a higher hourly rate than five sales at $10 each.

Brand names mean something here as well. The most obvious is Hallmark. There are lots of them and they make them in large quantities, so the real collector value is limited.

Likely a reseller bought this lot to break it down for a booth, or even to eBay in smaller lots or individually.

It is typical that the larger the lot the lower the sold price per item. Still, $400 for a single sale is nice.

In the box seems to be a requirement to get individual value out of them.

Special note, as these are generally breakable and box condition means something, careful packing for shipment will be extra important.

Top brands to look for:

Hallmark
Christopher Radko
Kurt Adler
Lenox
Waterford
Swarovski
Reed & Barton
Department 56
Spode
Precious Moments
Jim Shore
Willow Tree

More details on those brands:

Christopher Radko: Founded in the United States in 1985. Each ornament is individually mouth-blown and hand-painted, making them unique works of art.

Kurt Adler: Founded in the United States in 1946. Kurt Adler ornaments are known for their attention to detail and innovative designs. Wizard of Oz tie in adds to collectability.

Lenox: Founded in the United States in 1889, made mostly of fine china and porcelain. Their ornaments often feature delicate patterns, intricate sculpting, and gold accents. Note the Snoopy tie-in that adds value.

Waterford: An Irish brand established in 1783. Each ornament is handcrafted by skilled artisans. Here a lot of 12 and a single sold.

Swarovski: An Austrian brand that started in 1895. Their crystal ornaments are meticulously crafted and adorned with precision-cut crystals. Swarovski ornaments often feature iconic symbols and motifs. Anything you see from this maker is likely to be worth good money.

Reed & Barton: An American brand that has been producing Christmas ornaments since 1824. They are renowned for their silver-plated and sterling silver ornaments.

Department 56: An American brand Founded in 1976. They offer a wide range of village buildings, accessories, and figurines, allowing collectors to create intricate holiday displays. A large lot with low unit value and a single licensed version with good value.

Spode: An English brand established in 1770, is famous for its fine china and porcelain. Their Christmas ornaments feature elegant designs, often inspired by traditional English motifs and patterns.

Spode may be better known for its dishes.

Precious Moments: An American brand that specializes in sentimental and adorable Christmas ornaments. Founded in 1978. Most of these are sold in lots for low per unit prices.

This was an exception, cross-licensed with Hallmark and Disney.

Jim Shore: An American artist who creates handcrafted Christmas ornaments with a folk art-inspired style. Jim Shore ornaments have a distinct and charming aesthetic. Interesting that a lot sold for near the price of a single one, both licensed.