Introducing the Christmas ornament from Ukraine House.
Category: Things We Love
Not only does the Embassy of Ukraine boast its location in one of the most historically significant buildings in Washington, the country’s Ukraine House in Kalorama, which serves as the country’s cultural center similar to those of the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain and the Mexican Cultural Institute, previously served as the Embassy of Yugoslavia, and later the Embassy of Serbia.
Leased by Ukraine House DC Foundation in 2021, and christened by President and First Lady Zelenskyy, Ukraine House bills itself as “a home away from home for many Ukrainians by birth and Ukrainians by choice.”
For the 2024 holiday season, Ukraine House has introduced its first annual Christmas ornament. According to the organization, the ornament is “a beautifully crafted symbol of Ukrainian resilience, culture, and holiday warmth.”
We love that the sale of every ornament directly supports Ukraine House’s cultural and humanitarian projects, and the wonderful programming they offer throughout the year.
Still looking for last-minute gifts? See Things We Love…Gmundner Keramik.
Diplomatica did not receive any compensation or gifted items for featuring the Ukraine House ornament.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the house was purchased by the Ukrainian government. The Ukraine House DC Foundation is a non-profit organization, and does not receive financial support from the government of Ukraine.
In addition to the excellent wine, strudel, and entertainment, guests at the Embassy of Austria's National Day celebration on October 25 were treated with a parting gift - a selection of Made in Austria items including jam, a cutting board, and exquisite salt.
While each of the items was delightful, one item was particularly striking, a Gmundner Keramik cup and saucer set. Beautiful to look at and comfortable to hold with a hot coffee or cocoa on a cold morning, the real beauty of the set lies in the accompanying book that shared its history.
Created in a factory in Upper Austria, each piece of Gmundner Keramik is made entirely by hand, from the blending of the raw materials, to the molding and painting. For over 300 years, the pieces have been decorated using a traditional artisan technique called "flaming" in which a flamer will spray the paint through a hose with a fine tip, rather than paint it directly onto the ceramic. Ensuring the paint is applied evenly requires the flamer to keep the paint in a constant, steady flow. It takes an apprentice two years to learn the 110 designs in the Flamed series. Gmundner Keramik claims it is the only company in the world that has mastered the technique.
The set selected for the gift tote were of the Traunsee pattern, a signature pattern of the brand so named after Lake Traunsee, on the shores of which sit the town of Gmunden, home of the Gmundner Keramik factory.
*The Embassy of Austria gave sets of Gmundner Keramik to all attendees of their National Day celebration. Gmundner Keramik is not a sponsor of Diplomatica.
