Time stands still in the glow of a sphere
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There would be no better place than Chignahuapan to imagine oneself in the work of Ignacio M. Altamirano, Christmas in the Mountains.
A story full of feelings and sensations that accompany this time of the year.
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The most beautiful thing is that in this Magical Mountain Town time stops precisely at Christmas—all year long, while the craftsman’s hands turn and turn, over the live fire, their spherical creations permeated with nostalgia and affection.
A brief chapter of that story from the erudite genius of the Mexican is relived at every moment, along with each finished sphere..
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Feria Nacional del Árbol y la Esfera
◖ In late November and early December, it is a must to escape here, because the colorful Feria Nacional del Arbol y la Esfera is held here. In the Magical Town, you can already breathe the smell of pine and its streets are already decorated with colorful Christmas spheres.
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This is one of the most awaited festivities in the state, and here the production of Christmas spheres, made of blown glass, is one of its main economic activities. In fact, there are more than 500 workshops dedicated to this activity.
Feria Nacional del Árbol y la Esfera
Plaza de la Constitución
Free entrance.
www.chignahuapan.gob.mx
Duration: 10 days
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The craftsmen have given prestige to this town at a national and international level since their pieces have reached numerous places around the world.
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A redondito cycle
◖ Every year, small craftsmen collect the money they need to buy their raw materials: paint, solvents, and imported glass. All this helps to sustain a tradition and the jobs that come with it.
They say that more than 30 years ago Rafael Mendez, originally from Uruapan, Michoacan, went to work in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and there he fell in love..
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Together with his partner, he visited Chignahuapan on vacation and they fell in love with this land so much that the following year, in 1965, they moved to this Magical Town.
Gradually he opened his workshop, began to work the sphere, and of course, to share his knowledge and taste for blown glass, hence the spread of this beautiful craft in this town. The rest is history.
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Workshop of illusions
◖ As you pass by, you will easily find the workshops and there they will tell you their stories. Their dreams and their inspirations to give that “special glow” to each sphere that decorates hundreds of Christmas trees throughout the country for decades.
Then embark yourself on a journey through the sea of colorful glass spheres, some of them even illuminated on the inside.
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They come in all sizes, colors, and designs. Some of them are not only intended to serve as Christmas ornaments, but also as decorative objects for any time of the year, which has always delighted visitors..
There are also earrings and bracelets made with tiny spheres.
Esferas Campanita
◖ One of the largest factories, whose production is of the greatest dimension is Esferas Campanita. Yahir Armando Herrera is proud to say that his creations have adorned the Vatican itself on more than one occasion.
His designs are reminiscent of Mexican folk art, such as talavera, dead nature, frost and hundreds of other materials.
“MANY PEOPLE ASK US IF CHINA IS OUR COMPETITION, THE TRUTH IS THAT IT IS NOT, BECAUSE THEIR PRODUCTS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC. THE BRIGHTNESS AND THE DECORATION ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT. I BELIEVE THAT MEXICAN HANDS ARE VERY TALENTED AND THAT WE REALLY GIVE AN ADDED VALUE TO OUR PIECES.”.
Yahir Armando
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Imagine, at Campanita alone, around 1,500 pieces are produced daily. It is an impressive production.
Campanita makes deliveries throughout the entire country and it is possible to take a tour of the factory. It is a wonderful experience.
FB:Esferas Campanita
Boulevard Gustavo Diaz Ordaz #1
M. 797 97 102 98
Caska Casa de Diseño
◖ Another place where they exude talent and creativity is Caska, a 100% Mexican company located in the heart of Chignahuapan. They produce and commercialize Christmas spheres and some decorative handicrafts.
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They are a committed team and proud of their work; always trying to bring out beautiful unique and innovative pieces, such as spheres in the shape of a hot air balloon with handmade sacks, talavera designs in red, Easter egg-shaped spheres, heart-shaped, transparent, or also the ones they make with exclusive designs for the brands that request them.
The ones they make for patriotic days with the face of the Lele doll are very popular.
They are also famous for their carved wooden dolls, such as the traditional soldiers, particularly the Nutcracker collection, of which they always surprise with new models. They are beautiful.
FB:Caska Casa de Diseño
222 897 7888
direccion@caska.mx
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Esnaviso
◖ In this great workshop they have been producing Christmas spheres in an artisanal way for 25 years, 100% handmade. The piece is manipulated by several craftsmen’s hands. They have evolved from a small workshop with eight artisans to a factory with more than 50 people creating.
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They have four branches, one is the factory (on Calle Santana), the second is on the corner of Primera de Ildefonso Illescas Pichardo; the third, on Boulevard Gustavo Díaz Ordaz and the fourth is located in Mexico City (Santo Tomas #41 Local C-30).
In addition to blown-glass spheres, they elaborate different designs of decoration for the home or office.
FB:@Esnaviso
Fábrica en Santana 579, Teotlalpan
ventas.esnaviso@gmail.com
M. 797 971 2967
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The process of making the handmade spheres in this Magical Town consists of seven steps:
◉ Blowing. It consists of heating up to 450 °C an exported glass tube to give it the shape of a sphere or the desired mold.
◉ Silver Plating. The sphere is immersed in an injection of silver nitrate to obtain a mirror effect, which serves as a base to allow the sphere to be painted. Then they go to the oven to clean the imperfections..
◉ Painting. For this step, a new paint base is applied to the sphere, depending on the colors to be reproduced by the painters.
◉ Decoration. Different techniques are applied to infuse the sphere with a design, either exclusive or personalized.
◉ Trimming. It consists of removing, with an emery stone, the excess of glass that is not used to scratch the glass and cut it.
◉ Hodding. The fork from which the sphere is hung up is placed.
◉ Packaging and display of the pieces..
