What unique holiday treasure have you bought from World Showcases?

[shadowmender]

I have an upcoming trip during the holidays (our first visit during the holiday season) and would love to find something special to remember our vacation. We usually get an ornament, but would love something unique from the showcases like a carved nacimientos (nativity scene from Mexico). Have you come across any holiday treasures at Epcot that can't be found at the other parks?

 

[Luv2Run]

There's a store in the Germany pavilion that sells Christmas pickle ornaments. There's a German tradition surrounding the Christmas pickle that's sort of fun to learn about. You can get them in various sizes, too, depending on your Christmas tree needs.

I would imagine that the store in the Norway pavilion would have lots of cool Frozen themed knicknacks for Christmas.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

All ornaments - but still Disney WS unique - I purchased a the pickle ornament from Germany, a blown Murano glass Mickey shaped ornament from Italy and a Paris ornament from France with Minnie and Mickey.

 

[aristocatz]

We love to buy ornaments from Germany. Never bought the pickle one (my DH is not a fan), but we've bought several wooden ones.

 

[shadowmender]

Thank-you so much for the specific information!

 

[ncbunnie]

Don't know if they are still there but in 2011 we bought a beautiful hand blown glass ornament from a gentleman in Germany. He had a wonderful story about how he learned to blow glass. He used pieces of colored glass inside to make a stained look- it is one of my daughter's most treasured ornaments and was very reasonably priced- between $10-15 I think. He also etched her name and the year. It was a wonderful culturally significant Christmas item for us- although, yes, still an ornament, it was definitely unlike anything else we purchased from WDW!

 

[thumper*]

Not certain if this counts since it's not Christmas Holiday, but seasonal non the less.
We purchased beer steins from the glasswork kiosk in front of Germany. They are so cute w/ Mickey in Lederhosen on one and Minnie on the other in a Dirndle. We personalized them and always enjoy our first Octoberfest beer of the season with them. Of course we do use them through out the year.

 

[ToodlesTime]

Ditto to the blown-glass ornament from Germany. We purchased one last year and it quickly became one of my favorite ornaments.

I'm following along because we are headed back this December and I would LOVE to find a nativity.

 

[csmith041177]

Thanks for all the good information! You have all convinced me to go in and get an ornament from Germany!

 

[lugnut33]

Coolest Disney holiday thing I bought was off of e-bay, it's a painting of the entrance to Animal Kingdom during the Christmas season.

 

[moozle]

We go every year and I am constantly on the lookout for a really nice Christmas tree topper. That's the holiday souvenir I really want. I can't find one though!!! Even in the big ornament store in DTD, they only had one and it was a pretty gaudy one. Has anyone seen anyone nice ones anywhere?

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

I have an upcoming trip during the holidays (our first visit during the holiday season) and would love to find something special to remember our vacation. We usually get an ornament, but would love something unique from the showcases like a carved nacimientos (nativity scene from Mexico). Have you come across any holiday treasures at Epcot that can't be found at the other parks?

I am assuming that by "holiday" you mean Christmas. We find that almost all of the stores in World Showcase have ornaments that represent their country/culture. I went with a friend one year and she purchased an ornament from each of the countries to place on her tree. I thought that was pretty neat.

For us personally, we like to visit the Germany pavillion and have an ornament made each year. Actually, we get several of them. Reinhard does beautiful work and he is truly a wonderful person to talk to. He has been blowing glass since childhood, so he is fun to watch.

You can scroll down a bit on this link and read a little about him. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...-germany-pavilion-in-world-showcase-at-epcot/


The pictures are cruddy because they were taken from my phone, but you can see the beautiful work he does and he customizes them to meet what you want. If you dont like it, you dont have to buy it. I have never had him make one that I didn't like.

 

[atisikitabasket]

Every trip we get ornaments. We have a white tree and all it contains is Disney ornaments and I love it. The kids love when we decorate the tree and talk about which trip which ornament was from. It is a lot of fun. However I soon realized when I am gone I want each kid to have a ornament from each trip to continue their own trees so now I get my ornament and the kids each get to pick out one for themselves and we put their name and date on it so we don't forget when they got it.

 

[georgina]

Last time we were there in December was 2002. There was a discount for WS shopping with the Candlelight Processional dinner package. Do they still have that discount? We bought ornaments in Germany and some creche figures in Italy (I have a Fontanini set at home but the Italy ones were smaller in scale so the drummer boy and cats and birds look a little odd.)

 

[shadowmender]

The blown glass ornaments are so pretty. Thank-you for the pics! I am also so going to look for the Micky and Minnie steins, too!

 

[DisneyHardin]

We have a great blow glass Mickey Head ornament from Germany, a ceramic painted cross from Mexico and a several Murano glass ornaments from Italy.