Silver medal Christmas decorations - red-green with dedication proof

The motif of the silver medal, which expands the Czech Mint’s free gift series featuring festive themes, is Christmas decorations. We will engrave text of your choice directly into the pure metal, which is complemented by red and green enamel.

The story of Christmas decorations began in pre-Christian times, when people celebrated the winter solstice. At that time, they decorated their homes with greenery, which symbolised life during the bleakest time of year. To honour the gods and appease various spirits, they would hang ceremonial biscuits on sprigs of fir, ivy or mistletoe. These traditions endured even after Christianity took hold in Europe and pagan celebrations gave way to Christmas. After all, even the followers of Christ wanted to bring a touch of nature into their homes during the long, harsh winters. From there, it was only a short step to the Christmas tree as we know it today. An ancient chronicle from 1570 records that a tree decorated with treats such as fruit, nuts and pretzels was displayed in the guild hall in Bremen, which the craftsmen’s children could eat once the Christmas celebrations were over. This tradition spread rapidly, and Christmas trees began to appear in both wealthy and poor households. They were decorated with whatever was to hand - sweets, ribbons, straw figurines, candles, which symbolised the light of Bethlehem, and above all apples, which evoked the Garden of Eden. In 1858, however, there was a poor harvest and it looked as though Christmas would be a meagre affair. A certain glassmaker from Goetzenbruck therefore decided to replace real apples with artificial ones. When he blew a few glass baubles, he had no idea what a craze he would set off. His delicate new creation soon took the whole world by storm. Today, decorations made from all manner of materials are hung on the Christmas tree - glass, wood, chocolate and even metal…

The obverse side of the medal, designed by the medallist David Paulík, depicts a Christmas bauble hanging from a twig. Its realistic appearance is achieved through red-and-green glitter enamel, a shimmering technological innovation developed at the Czech Mint. The reverse side, framed by ornamental decoration, is reserved for engraved text, which may take the form of a personal message, a name, a year or a quotation since there are no limits to your imagination. The only restriction is the length of the text.

An integral part of the issue is the gift box, on which a dedication can also be inscribed.