Walking through the Tarnok Industrial Estate, we arrived at an ordinary factory building, but inside a completely different world opened up before us. This is where thousands of Christmas tree decorations are made every year. Ninety-year-old Lagos Szabo currently offers his workshop to school children. We quickly wander around the children making bell-shaped Christmas tree ornaments, then sit with Uncle Lajos in a quieter corner of the workshop and start talking.
Uncle Laius, a former mechanical engineer and designer, left his life as a civil servant and founded their joint family company with his wife in 1963. The beginning was not easy, but their company gradually grew. First, the coat hangers are covered with velvet, then the toys are made: small cars, dolls and toys come out of her workshop. “The biggest deal in our lives is a dog that nods. That was very good,” he stressed.
However, there were challenges in producing the toys, and the family soon realized that without constant innovation, competition would be difficult. They created a new machine suitable for vacuum steaming, which gave the toys a more metallic effect. Here came the idea of making Christmas tree decorations using this equipment. Not long after, Uncle Laius bought some debris from a light bulb manufacturer specifically for this purpose, and transformed it with a logo
Producing a large series of glass Christmas tree decorations for America!
Their love for Christmas tree decorations and the quality of their work soon made their work famous, but due to the change of regime and the challenges of the times, everything they had been working on was destroyed, and only the Christmas tree decorations remained. They abandoned the large three-storey factory hall and the company moved into their house. “I told the family that we should start the family business again, come home to the basement of our house and make Christmas tree decorations, because they could be made more cheaply than I imagined working in America,” he said. “And so we slowly started making fun of each other.” “.
Even today, the factory maintains ancient processes, and although the business environment has changed, they have remained true to tradition. They rebuilt their business, which they moved to Tarnock, and make glass ornaments every day of the year.
Five years ago, Lajos Szabó's life changed completely. He lost his wife, who controlled and ran the entire operation. “We were together for sixty years, and it was a great love. Since then, we have been working with my children and grandchildren, but it is not the same without him.”
When there was no Western lacquer, my wife would always look in the spring to see what Western cars were coming and what color they were, because that would probably be the fashion color for next year. If necessary, mix the color for 8-10 days. He had a wonderful sense, and he made wonderful colours
– Uncle Lagos remembers in the workshop full of glass Christmas tree decorations, which are not just decorations, but tell the whole story of life.
Lagos Szabo works in his workshop (Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
While blowing tabletop glass, the glass technician creates the shape himself or creates the ball using a mold. The flame is 6-700 degrees, at this temperature the glass actually melts (Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
Lajos Szabó shows an unusual decoration: a vizsla with a pheasant in its mouth (Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
Janos has been working at the factory for 8 years, and deals only with glass blowing. His profession is now fading, and his apprenticeship has been discontinued (Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
Margit dips the completed glass balls in varnish (Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
(Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
Marika fills the balls with silver, then shakes them with a special machine so that the substance spreads everywhere (Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
(Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
Interior designers also include those who learned the trade in holohaza (Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
(Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
Lagos Szabo, factory owner (Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
All ornaments purchased specially for customers are packed in homemade boxes (Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
Customers can choose from ready-made decor as they like in the space that Uncle Lagos only calls the “Hiccup Shop.” (Photo: Kata Nemeth / Index)
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