The Spode Christmas Tree Collection is one of the most popular Christmas dinnerware and tableware collections in the world. As the name implies, the design features a beautifully decorated Christmas tree with gaily wrapped presents scattered underneath, along with green bands and sprigs of holly. But did you know that this design came from an artist who had never seen a real Christmas tree before?

The history of the Spode Christmas tree begins in the United States in the 1930s. Spode was already known for its precious ceramics, having pioneered the method of reproducing the classic Chinese blue and white porcelain design in the late 18th century. Josiah Spode, an English potter, set the benchmark for all English porcelain when he mastered the underglaze and pattern transfer method. As his designs grew in popularity throughout Europe, they traveled to the New World as settlers from America wanted to take a piece of home with them.

In the 1930s, a man named Sydney Thompson was the only Spode agent in the United States. He traveled several times to the Spode factory in England with the aim of creating and developing new patterns and collections for his clients in America. He pored over all the old pattern books, looking for designs that he could revive and bring to the US.

In 1938, he decided that his next venture would be a Christmas collection. However, all he could find in the old pattern books were holly designs, which he did not think would be suitable for American customers. They wanted something that required the ideas of family, tradition and home.

Designer Harold Holdway was commissioned to come up with the design for the Spode Christmas Tree collection. His first effort of his, however, was laughable! He created a Christmas tree that has presents hanging from all the branches. Decorating the top of the tree? To Santa Claus! Holdway admitted that he had never seen a Christmas tree before.

Thompson took the designer aside, explaining that the gifts went under the tree, not on top, and that the branches were decorated with ornaments. And at the top of the tree there must be a star or an angel. Holdway went back to the drawing board and came up with a much better design…but he kept Santa firmly planted in the treetop, where he remains to this day!