It’s just a short drive on a road lined with blue pine trees to get to a Christmas decorations factory in the village of Klavdiyevo-Tarasove, some 40 kilometers west of Kyiv.
On the outside, the factory looks nothing like the place where the Christmas fairytale lives. The factory was founded in 1946, and its shabby facade looks like it wasn’t repaired since.
Yet inside it’s pretty magical. Some 1,800 Christmas tree decorations are hand-made every day. It’s no wonder that there is no end to people coming here for a guided tour as the place is one of two Christmas decorations factories in Ukraine. It produces some 500,000 glass baubles and the like, per year.
“Since November more than 33,000 tourists have visited our factory,” says Maryna Mykhalko, head of tours department and chief economist of the Klavdiyevo Christmas decorations factory. “People come here to get into the holiday mood.”
The guides conduct tours around the factory every day from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The tours show and explain every stage of production. Foreigners are frequent visitors here.
“This year diplomats from German, U.S. and Turkish embassies in Ukraine have visited us. We gave them tours in English and it seemed to me they liked our factory,” Mykhalko says.
The flow of tourists in November and December gets a little overwhelming for the factory’s 200 workers. Glassblower Lesya Nikolayeva, who makes some 150-200 Christmas balls, a day says she often feels a bit irritated with the crowds of tourists who stare at her hands.
“I am looking forward to the Christmas holidays as I’m tired. Not from work but from tourists,” Nikolayeva says, referring to the factory’s two-month break in January and February, the slowest business season.
But despite pesky tourists, the ladies, who make the majority of the plant’s staff, love their work.
“On average employees work here for 15 to 45 years,” economist Mykhalko says. “We have more than 10 families – sisters, mothers and daughters – working together at our factory. Every year our plant is gaining more and more family atmosphere.”
Glassblower Nikolayeva, who has been working at the factory for 24 years likes her job because “it’s very calm and relaxing.”
Tetyana Smirnova, 19, an art school graduate, hand paints the ornaments and says she is happy both with her salary and an opportunity to create beautiful things that lift people’s mood. The average salary here is Hr 5,000.
“It was my dream to work here,” Smirnova says. “I was worried if I could pass the art exam and get here.”
Large ornaments with painted winter landscapes are Smirnova’s favorite Christmas tree decorations.
The colors and designs change every year. Currently, national symbols are popular.
“The yellow bauble with a blue Ukrainian trident is a real hit nowadays. Such baubles do not stay on the counter for more than five minutes,” Mykhalko says.
Most of the factory’s output is commissioned by customers.
“Four years ago we had a private order from a U.S. citizen who wanted 10,000 black Christmas baubles saying ‘I hate Christmas’,” Mykhalko recalls.
But most of the decorations are sold in Ukraine.
“Our glass Christmas bauble costs the same as 10 Chinese plastic ones. It is difficult for us to compete with Chinese producers in Europe,” Mykhalko says, adding that for their factory “it is important to preserve the tradition of the hand-made Christmas ornament.”
Kyiv Post staff writer Nataliya Trach can be reached at [email protected]
Christmas tree decorations factory
Kalvdoyeve-Tarasove village, 1 Vatutina St.
Tours are conducted on Nov. 27 – Dec. 29 daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission fee is Hr 30 for adults, Hr 20 for children. For groups of 10
visitors or more the price is Hr 100 on weekdays and Hr 200 on weekends. Tours
in English are available.
To register for a guided tour call 096-363-0490
