A Very Safari Christmas!
Safari-Inspired Christmas Tree Decorations
Decorating the Christmas tree is one of our culture’s most beloved Christmas traditions. In our home, we play Christmas music, drink sparkling grape juice, and reminisce about every single ornament. Whose is it? Where did it come from? The story behind each decoration is what makes this tradition so much fun!
In recent years, we have begun collecting fair trade ornaments. So, in addition to the sentimental childhood ornaments and the beautiful pieces that have been passed down to us, our tree also holds the stories of families around the globe. Part of our tradition has become to remember and celebrate our talented brothers and sisters who have handcrafted these beautiful ornaments for our tree. It helps us to feel more connected to people, cultures, and craft traditions around the world.
Bring the Styles and Stories of Africa to Your Christmas Tree
The earthy, natural styles of Africa have become quite popular recently. From leopard pants to zebra pillows, animal prints and exotic neutrals are popping up everywhere. What if there was a beautiful line of Christmas tree ornaments inspired by the creatures of Africa? The Safari Christmas Collection from FairTribe is a wonderfully curated collection of stunning African-inspired (and mostly African-made!) safari animal ornaments.
These ornaments are all either hand-carved or felted. These styles help to further preserve the exotic and natural elements of the African style, bringing a very special story and sense of character into your living room for many Christmases to come.
Have you traveled to Africa or to a safari park? These beautiful handmade ornaments can help to commemorate the stories of your travels, the memories you have shared on safari with friends or family. They make wonderful gifts for others who have shared special memories of their travels with you or the awesome people you made those memories with!
The beauty of fair trade is that a single ornament is filled with stories: stories of the artisans who created the piece, our own adventures which we remember with beautiful handmade items, and even the symbolism within a specific piece.
Symbolism of African Wildlife
In African culture and religion, the wild animals are symbolic. In art, they are used to convey meaningful attributes to inspire humans to live more fully and freely. These may speak to you personally, or maybe you know someone who will appreciate the symbolism.
Giraffe - grace, peace, individuality, protection, communication, and farsightedness.
Cheetah - self-esteem, speed, and focus.
Zebra - freedom and individuality.
Rhino - gentleness, unconventional behavior, peaceful personalities, steadiness, power, and agility.
Elephant - strength, loyalty, dignity, patience, and happiness. When the trunk is pointed up, the elephant is a symbol of good luck.
Antelope - intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, and speed.
Lion - loyalty, strength, wisdom, courage, and protection.
Who do you think of when you read this list? My sister loves elephants, especially when their trunks are pointed up for good luck!
A Very Safari Christmas!
Felt ornaments from Kyrgyzstan are perfect even for a child’s Christmas tree. The Rhino Felt Christmas Ornament and the Lion Felt Christmas Tree Ornament are adorable and intricately hand-sewn. The rhino represents gentleness, peace, and power, and the lion represents loyalty, strength, and wisdom.
The rest of the ornaments in this line are made from hand-carved jacaranda wood in Kenya.
There are adorable safari animals wearing Santa hats: a lion, rhino, giraffe, elephant or zebra. (Click on each animal name to see the cuteness!) Imagine the memories of your children or grandchildren placing the Santa-hat-safari-animals on the Christmas tree each year. Giggles galore.
For a simpler safari look, there are hand-carved Christmas tree ornaments with the same gorgeous safari style, minus the hats. If the tree itself is enough Christmas cheer for your family, then these will look lovely next to your white twinkle lights: a giraffe, cheetah, zebra, elephant, and lion.
Put the finishing touches on your safari-themed Christmas decor with beautiful hand-carved and painted shelf decorations. The Sitting Zebra, Sitting Antelope, Sitting Elephant, and Sitting Giraffe would look lovely on your mantle by your stockings or even in your office on your favorite bookshelf. With these pieces, your safari stories can stay out on your shelves all year long!
