Secrets of Siberia's only glass Christmas ornament factory

With less than a month to go until New Year«s, and if the holiday mood isn»t here yet, it«s time to find it. The NGS24.RU team visited the only glass Christmas ornament factory beyond the Urals — »Biryusinka« — and learned what makes glass ornaments special and why there»s so much awe around them. Details are in the report by Maria Zarukina.

From nostalgia to humor: what people hang on the Christmas tree today

Although the Krasnoyarsk factory «Biryusinka» mainly produces glass Christmas ornaments, the enterprise operates year-round. The main production volumes occur in February–March: then the ornaments are sent to the warehouse. But December is the time for corporate branded decorations and individual orders.

According to Albina Spodobaeva, a salesperson at the factory«s branded store, buyers are increasingly paying attention to »edible« Christmas ornaments — especially fruits and vegetables sell well.

Albina links the demand for such ornaments with nostalgia for the Soviet past:

«Perhaps people remember that in the USSR, fruits and vegetables used to hang on Christmas trees. In those times, they were very popular ornaments.»

The trend for «edible» decorations is also noted by the factory«s deputy director Artem Denisovich:

«This year, the hit has been a sandwich with caviar — both red and black. The idea belongs to our chief accountant Oksana Vladimirovna. We were just sitting, talking, and she casually suggested: »Let«s make a sandwich with caviar.» We thought: why not?«

The factory director Vladimir Denisovich describes the concept of the ornament more prosaically:

«Imagine: on the right — a sandwich with caviar, on the left — champagne, and in between — a completely ordinary figure of a teacher or a medical worker. It»s a joke! It«s fun! We make fun ornaments that should bring mood, not deep meaning. Let it be a bit funny, a bit absurd — after all, it»s a holiday.«

Each glass Christmas ornament at the factory is created entirely by hand and passes through the caring hands of at least five masters.

The history of «Biryusinka» dates back to 1929. Then a small artel opened, which dealt with haberdashery, women«s and men»s clothing. During the war years, in 1942, the Executive Committee of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Council of Workers« Deputies created a toy and stationery combine based on this artel. But much later after the war, in 1959, the combine was renamed the »Children«s Toy» factory. In 1967, it became «Siberian Toy» after the merger of the Achinsk and Krasnoyarsk productions. Since 1989, the Closed Joint-Stock Company «Krasnoyarsk Firm Biryusinka» has appeared.

The art of «understanding glass»

«The hardest thing is to understand glass. To understand how it works with fire... you need to catch that feeling,» Tatiana Popova says with rapture. She has been working at the «Biryusinka» factory for six years.

Before this, Tatiana lived with her husband in Crimea until he was transferred to work in Krasnoyarsk. Settling in the new city, she started looking for work. An employer found her resume on a major website and called her himself.

«A man called me, invited me to come work. And I didn»t even know such a factory existed! Then he said: «Well, come at least for a tour.» And I: «Is it possible?!»«

By education, Tatiana is a cutter. She didn«t like the sewing workshop, but the glassblowing section immediately captivated her. The novice was met by an experienced master Lyubov Konstantinovna — and, as Tatiana admits, she »got hooked.«

«I really liked how the glass flows, how easily she does it. It seemed that everything was simple. In reality — not simple at all. But I really wanted to try. I came the next day — and so I stayed here.»

«Why do you work in headphones?»

«It»s very noisy because of the fire, and the exhaust works loudly. There«s a lot of strain on the ears, so it»s easier this way.«

The glassblowing section at «Biryusinka» is a small workshop with high ceilings and a long row of workstations. At the tables sit masters, in front of each — that noisy exhaust and a kerosene burner. It needs to be refueled, turned on — and only then can you start working. We show the detailed process in our video at the beginning of the material.

Any ornament starts with glass tubing. It is heated over a flame, placed in a mold, and blown so that the glass takes the shape of the relief. This is how molded ornaments are made. At this stage, they are completely transparent and called «blank.»

The working day of the craftswomen lasts eight hours. During this time, each blows about 200–250 transparent blanks.

Tatiana Popova«s work is especially interesting: for several years, she has been working in the experimental section. It is to her that new models are brought, for which suitable glass needs to be selected.

«What glass to take, how to compress it, how to blow it correctly, where to heat it, where it should flow more, how durable it is, and whether it will look beautiful on the tree. This is a big job of all people, and when you see the result, it»s very pleasing, especially when it sells well. When such an ornament turns out, you really want to take the first one for your own little tree.«

«You say your work is creative. But isn»t it assembly line?«

«It is creative. Each of our ornaments is individual. Here, the sandwich shape is standard, but there are many free-form ones: icicles, balls... You can»t make those automatically.«

«You mentioned that the hardest thing is to »understand glass.« What did you mean?»

«To understand how glass interacts with fire — it»s very difficult, not everyone is given this. Many come, sit for a while, and leave. They«re afraid of getting pricked, burned, that they won»t succeed. Because our job is dangerous, the glass is thin, and if you break it incorrectly, or miss when you want to blow, you can cut your lip. And, of course, we get cut, we get burned.«

And when you see that it«s been painted, it»s been cut, and it«s already gone on sale. That»s what makes you happy, because it«s creativity.

Painting, switching off your mind

The profession of an artist painting Christmas balls, like that of a glassblower, is not taught in universities. Here, artistic abilities are important — everything else is taught right at the factory.

«It»s soothing,« says Anastasia Muracheva, looking up from painting an elegant ball with an image of a cable-stayed bridge. »I«ve changed many different jobs, but still the paths lead here. It»s calm here. You paint, switch off your mind, you can listen to music, books, some videos in the background...«

«Nastya! Sold us all out?!» her colleagues shout from the next table.

«Yeah,» Nastya smiles embarrassedly.

Nastya came right after art school: she graduated in January, and in March she was already at the factory. Here she celebrated her 19th birthday. Now she is 27. Over these years, she left several times to look for «something new,» tried herself in other professions, but always returned to painting ornaments.

«Who said I can draw?» she laughs. «It»s just cool when you draw something, especially new. You«ve painted everything, look at the ornament and think: »Damn, is this what I made? Wow!« And you immediately want to take it home for your tree.»

«Does the desire to take an ornament home appear after all?»

«Every time. Every time! Always. And who hasn»t had that?«

The magic of glass: the sound that brings back childhood

Next to the factory, there is a branded store where products are sold. You can also buy ornaments at the factory itself. The NGS24.RU journalist couldn«t resist and right during the tour opened her wallet to take home a »Biker Santa Claus.«

Of course, the closer to New Year, the more the counters are crammed with Chinese plastic ornaments. But at the factory, they are sure: glass is a special magic.

«Glass balls are taken by those who need a special spirit of New Year. Those who understand and appreciate the value of a Christmas ornament will never prefer a plastic ball to a glass one. It»s that sound — you know, when you unpack boxes, the balls ring like that. That sound brings back childhood. A glass ornament is memories, nostalgia, plus it«s just much more beautiful than plastic. It»s for connoisseurs,« summarizes Artem Denisovich, the factory»s deputy director.

«Can all city residents get on such a tour?»

«Of course. We conduct master classes, i.e., if a person is interested in trying to paint an ornament themselves, they can do it, come. Both individually and in groups. You can write any inscription on the balls, a declaration of love or, on the contrary, a message to someone you really don»t like, to be honest, that happens too.«