We have plenty to be proud of in Brabant and that pride can easily be found in our Christmas trees. No matter what you think of it, a Christmas ball or decoration has been made from it. For those who have the balls, we have listed the most remarkable decorations – with a Brabant touch – for the tree: from cleanroom employee to chocolate ball.
1. PSV
These shirts for the tree should of course be number one: PSV is not the winter champion for nothing. The football shirts fit seamlessly with all the other red on many Christmas trees. The shirt sponsor has been omitted and only the club’s letters appear on the shirt.
The Christmas decorations were made in a limited edition of five hundred pieces; they sold out within three weeks. “We also sold these types of products in the past, but the popularity has increased significantly this year,” says Arne van Breugel of the PSV FANstore.
2. DAF
DAF is launching its own Christmas decorations for the tree for the fourth year. This time it is an older model truck from 1964. The Christmas truck is not for sale at DAF. The several thousand copies go to staff and relations. To celebrate the company’s 75 years of building trucks, Rutger Kerstiens from DAF indicates: “It is a collector’s item. Enthusiasts call to ask if they can have one.”
Not everyone thinks this way; several people do not need to have the DAF on the tree and offer it on Marktplaats.
3. Brabant Delicacies
This Bossche Bol looks tasty, but it is not suitable for eating. The diameter of the ‘Christmas tree ball’ is 7 centimeters and the ball is made of glass; with an eye for detail, because even the filling point for whipped cream at the bottom has not been forgotten.
The Brabant sausage roll can also be found for the Christmas tree:
4. Cube house
A piece of Helmond history in the tree, who wouldn’t want that? Since this year you can hang the anniversary stilt houses on your tree. The cube houses, known from Rotterdam and Helmond, celebrate their 50th anniversary this year.
READ ALSO: Ilse lives in a 50-year-old cube house
“We really wanted to have this decoration in our range,” says owner Tanja Hermans of the Christmas ball store Alles in Wonderland from Rotterdam. “It really is an icon of Rotterdam. And yes, also from Helmond,” the owner laughs.
5. ASML balls
When you think of ASML, you probably think of significant (financial) peaks. Yet the Veldhoven team takes action high-techcompany with its own line of Christmas baubles. The range includes balls of the logo, a cleanroom employee and – of course – a chip machine.
Made in China? That could be sensitive. The sets are all made by glassblowers in Poland. The three Christmas baubles together cost 26.95 euros and can only be ordered by employees. Unlike DAF, they do not receive the decorations as a gift.
6. Efteling
The Efteling mascots Pardoes and Pardijn have also been immortalized as a Christmas ornament. According to one of the larger garden centres, where the figures are for sale, they ‘add a touch of fairytale enchantment’ to your tree.
7. Omroep Brabant Christmas ball
Of course we couldn’t stay behind at Omroep Brabant. Our logo and the red and white checkered pattern should of course not be missing from our Brabander ball.
8. Brabant balls
We have another tip in the balls category: the red-white checked Christmas balls from Irena from Kerstbal& Co. She designs Christmas baubles for companies. She specially designed these balls years ago for a Brabant company. She does not want to say which company: “The company ultimately chose to have them produced elsewhere.”
Irena’s red-white balls are still waiting to be put into (handmade) production. Maybe a nice Christmas gift from the provincial government for 2025?