“King of Ornaments” & “Czar of Christmas Present”!-New York Times

Christopher Radko is the celebrated artist whose glass-blown ornaments have adorned homes all over the world for decades. After a fifteen-year hiatus, he has returned with a new line, HeARTfully Yours™.  His creations reflect the pure joy of the special occasions they commemorate while being considered by most as the gold standard of Christmas tree decorations ultimately earning a precious place in the hearts of anyone who owns them.

Radko’s passion for creating these unique collectibles was born from a Christmas mishap. At age 24, he mounted the Christmas tree on a new stand that couldn’t support the weight of years of family heirloom ornaments and hanging glass treasures. The tree collapsed, shattering most of the ornaments, prompting his grandmother to exclaim, “You have ruined Christmas forever now!”  Distraught and determined to rectify the situation, Radko found a glassblowing factory and met with a man whose great grandfather used to make similar items. Radko presented him with sketches of some of the lost ornaments along with original designs and the glassblower produced them. As family and friends saw Radko’s new ornaments, they clamored to purchase some for themselves. This encouraged him to create more and launch the brand in 1986.

Radko approaches the business as thoughtfully and as patiently as he renders his designs. He grew his collection while still being employed at a talent agency, spending his lunch breaks making the rounds of retail stores in New York to show his designs. Eventually, small boutiques and jewelry stores carried the line and he was able to reach other retailers via a company catalog. A website was created in 1998 with e-commerce introduced the following year. The brand drew countless celebrity fans including Elton John, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Redford, Kim Basinger, Elizabeth Taylor, John Travolta, Bruce Springsteen, Hugh Jackman, Dolly Parton, Robert DeNiro, Kris and Kylie Jenner, Arnold Schwarzenegger and a host of other famous names. His first Hanukkah ornaments were created at the request of Barbra Streisand and a coffee-table book featuring his ornaments was published by Clarkson Potter in 1999.

The pressures of the business eventually took a toll on Radko and he was advised by his physicians to ease up on the workload. In 2005, he sold the company and the CHRISTOPHER RADKO® brand to Rauch Industries. Mr. Radko’s right to use his personal name, Christopher Radko, has been challenged by Rauch, who owns the rights to the trademark CHRISTOPHER RADKO®.  However, the U.S Federal Court in New York, has denied Rauch Industries Inc.’s motion that sought to prohibit Mr. Radko from using his name in association with his home décor and ornament business. The Court stated that “(As) long as Mr. Radko continues to use his name, as he has, in a manner other than as a mark, he does not infringe on Rauch’s registered trademark. (Mr. Radko) is within his rights to advertise his affiliation with any company selling seasonal décor…(and) is free to use his own name in a descriptive sense as long as he’s not using it as a mark.”

The new HeARTfully Yours™ line is being met with raves by eager fans both old and new.  Making the new pieces even more special is how Radko donates a portion of the proceeds to various worthy causes including heart disease, breast cancer, AIDS research, and food insecurity. He says, “My ornaments go the extra mile by raising much-needed funds for these vital non-profits and programs.”  Until recently, Radko was employing Ukrainian egg painters who otherwise would not have been able to earn a living amidst the turmoil of war.  Sadly, their workshops were bombed and their ability to work with Radko came to an abrupt ending. 

Today both long-time collectors as well as new fans are rejoicing that Christopher Radko has returned to his roots with this all-new HeARTfully Yours™ collection of memory-making ornaments that celebrate all holidays and special life events. “My passion is sharing the spirit of Christmas all year long. This is not just a business for me, it has to have heart,” says Radko. “This is my first collection in 15 years, and I am thrilled to be back. Most people retire in their 60s, but I get to start a whole new act 3 in my life, and it will be the best one ever!” 

HeARTFullyYours.com

Instagram: @heartfullyyours_christmas