Blue bell

This ornament was on display with a bunch of other baby ornaments. Its label said it’s a snowman ornament, but anyone can see it’s a penguin. It’s harder to see that the body is actually a big jingle bell. Maybe I’ll have a musical tree next Christmas. If not, there’ll be plenty of room on the blue tree.

Baby blue jingle bell penguin

Acquired: January 20, 2012, Christmas Loft, Shelburne, Vt.

Number: 1056

Size: 4.25 inches tall

Price: $5.99

Woodwork

Before leaving Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem, I found a couple more penguins. The woman at the booth was meticulously personalizing a couple of other ornaments for another customer when I brought mine to the counter. She seemed almost relieved that I didn’t need an inscription. I was tempted though, because she was doing a very good job. It’s possible that I have the name of the shop wrong, but I was trying to figure it out after the fact using a sketchy diagram of the fair. I’ll probably go back next year and try to double check.

Two flat, painted wood penguins with blue hat and scarf and red hat and scarf

Acquired: Dec. 18, 2012, Wild Duck Pottery, Christkindlmarkt, Bethlehem, Pa.

Number: 1023 1024

Size: 5 inches tall

Price: $7 each

Big blue

It’s a big ornament, but I’ll always find room for another blue penguin at My Penguin Tree, especially one decked out with a holly boutonniere.

Blue knit penguin with holly boutonniere

Acquired: December 10, 2011, Kmart, Mount Pocono, Pa.

Number: 1017

Size: 6.5 inches tall

Price: $2.39 (originally $3.99)

Third time’s the charm

I bought four circular penguin ornaments together on a trip to Target, but then found out on the store's website that there was a fifth color in the set. That meant three trips to Target this season just to buy penguin ornaments. Part of the problem was the mysterious rush on penguin ornaments in the stores near where I live. Look at this rack of ornaments at the same Target store where I bought the purple disc ornament. The empty row is where they had the penguins like the one I posted a couple of days ago.

Plenty of ornaments left, but just one penguin. Hmm.

Magenta, blue, green and turquoise Merry Market round, flat penguins with googly eyes

Acquired: November 21, 2011, Target, Stroudsburg, Pa.:

Number: 0994 0995 0996 0997

Size: 4 inches in diameter

Price: $2 each

Purple Merry Market round, flat penguin with googly eyes

Acquired: December 8, 2011, Target, Stroudsburg, Pa.:

Number: 1005

Size: 4 inches in diameter

Price: $2 each

Let’s celebrate

How about a set of penguins in blue polka dot top hats to help celebrate on New Year’s Eve? Clip-on ornaments are cool, but you don’t see very many of them and almost never penguins. I have one other clip-on penguin and it was nice to find this set at Target. I had a little mishap after I took this picture and broke the hat on one of them. I saved the pieces, however, and might be able to glue it back together. If not, well, I still have three more.

Glass clip-ons with blue top hats

Acquired: November 21, 2011, Target, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0988 0989 0990 0991

Size: 2.5 inches tall

Price: $9.50/box (originally $10)

Head set

This set of penguins came in a box. I thought the bumps on the side were stubby wings, but after I unpacked them, I realized they were glittery, color-coordinated earmuffs.

Pink, green and blue flat, round, snow-filled glass with glittery earmuffs

Acquired: November 21, 2011, Target, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0985 0986 0987

Size: 4.5 inches tall

Price: $7.60/box of 3
(originally $8)

Bullseye

Target came through again this year with a number of nice penguin ornaments. You already know that I crossed the 1,000 mark, thanks to Target, and now you get to see the other ornaments that led to the big milestone. First up, a set of beautiful blue and silver glass penguins. Yeah, blue. Target seems to always have blue penguins and often multiples and these are a nice addition to the blue tree.

Silver, turquoise and blue glass penguins, glittery white bellies

Acquired: November 21, 2011, Target, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0982 0983 0984

Size: 4 inches all

Price: $9.50/box or three (originally $10)

More blue

Here’s another blue ornament, a very nice one, for the blue penguin tree, my favorite. And I found it in the clearance section at Bronner’s. I put it near the top of the tree to give it good display. The blue penguins have almost outgrown the little tree I use for them. The trouble is that my bigger trees have white lights attached and the blue tree needs blue lights, of course. If I can make a new trunk for the Bonnie Loch tree, I might bring it out of retirement next year. This is the last of the Bronner’s bunch, 40 ornaments in all, counting the one that I broke while unpacking them all.

Roly poly blue glittery penguin with white front, orange feet, beak and earmuffs, beady eyes and belly buttons

Acquired: September 23, 2011, Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, Frankenmuth, Mich.

Number: 0966

Size: 3 inches tall

Price: $2.98 (originally $4.99)

Blooooooo!

I was bushed after setting up the penguin tree at the Electric City Trolley Museum on Sunday. But leaning back in my recliner, I couldn’t ignore the bare tree standing next to me and the blue penguin ornaments scattered on the floor below it. So after a short rest, I decided to get a start at least. Before I knew it, the blue penguin tree was done. That’s two trees in two counties in less than 12 hours. Bam! The tree needs something on top, but it’s nothing but blue the rest of the way to the floor. New this year are the glittery blue icicles that I bought at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland.

By coincidence, a lot of my Christmas penguin tabletop decorations have blue in them, so they fit right in nearby on the new cocktail table.

Seeing penguins

On a recent trip to Chicago, I visited the Shedd Aquarium. Click here for a gallery of photos. It looked like I was going to miss the penguins because the exhibit was closed, but they came back right before I left. I also came out with a couple of bags full of penguin junk, including some cool ornaments. I like this kind of ornament that says where it came from and doubles as a souvenir of the place where I got it. I also like it because it's going to look good on the blue penguin tree.

Shedd Aquarium ornament

Acquired: September 20, 2011, Chicago, Ill.

Number: 0925

Size: 4 inches in diameter

Price: $9.99

Blue clown bonanza

I went for some lunch and Christmas shopping after setting up my entry in the Festival of Trees in Scranton. I found most of these blue clowns (and one green one) at J.C. Penney that day. A couple of days later at a J.C. Penney closer to home, I found a couple more. The green one looks like it’s left over from a previous year, but it also had a 2010 tag on it like all the blue ones. I almost bought a second wood pull string clown at the second Penney’s because the one I got in Scranton doesn’t really work. I was hoping I might be able to take it apart some day and fix it.

North Pole Trading Co. wood blue clown pull toy

Acquired: December 4, 2010, J.C Penney, Viewmont Mall, Scranton, Pa.

Number: 0888

Size: 8” long

Price: $3.56 (originally $11.99)

North Pole Trading Co. papier mâché snowman-shaped blue clown

Acquired: December 4, 2010, J.C. Penney, Viewmont Mall, Scranton, Pa.

Number: 0889

Size: 5.5 inches tall

Price: $2.37 (originally $7.99)

North Pole Trading Co. rubbery blue clown round picture frame ornament

Acquired: December 4, 2010, J.C. Penney, Viewmont Mall, Scranton, Pa.

Number: 0890

Size: 7 inches tall

Price: $2.17 (originally $7.99)

North Pole Trading Co. blue clown drummer

Acquired: December 4, 2010, J.C. Penney, Viewmont Mall, Scranton, Pa.

Number: 0891

Size: 3.5 inches tall

Price: $1.78 (originally $5.99)

North Pole Trading Co. blue clown clay dough ornament

Acquired: December 4, 2010, J.C. Penney, Viewmont Mall, Scranton, Pa.

Number: 0892

Size: 5 inches tall

Price: $1.78 (originally $5.99

North Pole Trading Co. blue felt clown

Acquired: December 6, 2010, J.C. Penney, Stroud Mall, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Size: 9 inches tall

Price: $3.49 (originally$9.99)

Green clown with jingle bell body and dangly legs

Acquired: December 6, 2010, J.C. Penney, Stroud Mall, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0894

Size: 4.5 inches tall

Price: $3.49 (originally $9.99)

Bluebirds

I probably wouldn’t have a blue penguin Christmas tree if it weren’t for Target. It seems like every couple of years they come out with a series of penguin ornaments featuring blue penguins or blue highlights. (Did I mention that I really love that little blue penguin tree?) The blue pouch ornament could probably be used to hold a gift card or other small gift. I managed to squeeze a 10 percent discount off the papier mâché penguin because it had a little chip off the plastic coating on the brim of his top hat.

Target penguins aren’t exclusively blue. I bought the flat metal ornament the same day I got the blue ones.

Light blue felt bag with red scarf, handle and trim

Acquired: Nov. 22, 2009, Target, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0736

Size: 5 inches square

Price: $3.99

Blue felt stuffed penguin with red polka dotted scarf

Acquired: Nov. 22, 2009, Target, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0737

Size: 3.75 inches tall

Price: $1.99

Blue papier mâché penguin with red polka dot scarf, holding upside down top hat

Acquired: Nov. 22, 2009, Target, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0738

Size: 4.25 inches tall

Price: $2.69 with 10 percent discount

Flat painted metal penguin on skates with corrugated belly and scarf

Acquired: Nov. 22, 2009, Target, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0739

Size: 6.5 inches tall

Price: $3.99

Blue beauty

This glittery blue penguin accented with diamond rhinestones came from a great Christmas store near where I used to live years ago in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. I had found the place in the yellow pages while I was visiting relatives. By the time I was ready to check out I had a whole shopping basket full of penguins. I asked how long the store had been there, thinking it must be a new place. “About 35 years,” the clerk told me. I couldn’t believe it. I had probably driven by the place hundreds of times and never noticed it and I even went several times to another store in the same shopping center.

December Diamonds glittery penguin with rhinestone accents

Acquired: April 12, 2008, A Christmas Place, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Number: 0453

Size: 4 inches tall

Price: $15

Light blue special

I don’t remember if there were other animals available, but I was happy to find this Martha Stewart ornament at Kmart. I also don’t remember if it was the same day I bought a set of Martha Stewart white plastic mixing bowls with lids the same light blue color as the penguin. This reminds me that I need to check the big stores to see if they are sneaking in the Christmas decorations. I was in a Duane Reade drug store the other day where they already have some of the Christmas stuff out.

Martha Stewart blue and glittery white wood cutout penguin

Acquired: Dec. 31, 2007, Kmart, Mount Pocono, Pa.

Number: 0447

Size: five inches tall

Price: $1.49 (50 percent off)

Color coordinated

This penguin is an unusual color and has skis the same glittery shade of blue. It makes me wonder if it’s really supposed to be a penguin. The big belly and the tiny wings are proof enough for me.

Glittery blue skiing penguin

Acquired: November 11, 2007, Target, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0393

Size: 5 inches tall

Price: $4.99

On target

So, I’m doing a little Christmas shopping at Target and I wonder if there might be a penguin or two in the decorations department. What I find is not one or two, not even four or six. No, instead there is a wall of blue magic, seven sets of blue ornaments in a variety of shapes and materials, all with the same theme: three penguins with skates, gifts or snowballs. I wasn’t able to find complete sets of all them, but I did walk out with 21 new penguin ornaments, counting the little damaged No. 208 posted yesterday and the large glass mitten, No. 207, posted in January.  My favorites are the two worst photographs: the stars, which look good enough to eat, and the ceramic balls. I think I took those two pictures late in the evening as the sun was setting and casting an orange glow in the house.

Target blue penguin series

Acquired: December 2003, Target, Middletown, N.J.

“2003” single ornament

Number: 0209

Metal buckets (missing snowball penguin)

Numbers: 0210 0211

Size: 6.25 inches tall (gift), 4 inches tall (skates)

Hollow ceramic or painted glass stars

Numbers: 0212 0213 0214

Size: 3.5 inches tall

Felt squares

Numbers: 0215 0216 0217

Size: 4 inches tall

Standing ceramic figurines (missing skater)

Numbers: 0218 0219

Plush stuffed penguins

Numbers: 0220 0221 0222

Size: 5 inches tall (snowball), 6 inches tall (gift) 4.75 inches tall (skates)

Styrofoam round bodies (missing skater)

Numbers: 0223 0224

Ceramic ball ornaments

Numbers: 0225 0226 0227

Size: 2.5 inches diameter

Key rings

I really have to cut the key rings off these penguins that I’ve been pretending are Christmas tree ornaments. They look good on the tree, but man, those chains are ugly. My nieces Becky and Jenny gave these to me one year.

Two baby blue key rings

Acquired: 1990s

Number: 0117 0118

True blue

This penguin almost looks black, but you can see it’s true color shining through, especially near the white portions. It has an unusual face for a penguin, with a red mouth under a big nose-like beak. Also unusual is its gold turban-like headwear. The price seemed unusual too, until I realized this might be a Christopher Radko ornament from Poland, which also explains the rich colors and the nice design details.

Dark blue penguin with gold turban, Komozja, Poland, possibly Christopher Radko, Noël Eternel, Montreal, Quebec

Acquired: February or March 2006

Number: 290

Size: 3.75 inches tall

Price: 28.99 $Can

Rules were made to be broken

After checking into my hotel for a convention in San Francisco, I went out to get a haircut and to buy a couple of things I had forgotten to pack. I found a hair salon in a nearby mini mall, which also happened to have a San Francisco Music Box Company store. Yes, they had Christmas ornaments, so I went in to see what I could find. The clerk asked me if I was looking for anything in particular, then showed me this musical penguin and maybe one or two others that I already owned. I looked around a little more before going to the checkout counter, where the clerk had boldly placed this:

It’s a wind-up music box with a pair of penguins that skate around the rink to the tune of “Winter Wonderland.” The ornament plays “White Christmas” when you press the bottom. The penguin on the ornament matches the penguins playing on and around the skating rink, and it’s carrying the same tree that is perched on top of the music box. I try to obey a rule about buying only tree ornaments, but I think I was justified in making an exception this time.

San Francisco Music Box Company musical ornament that matches Ice Fantasy Penguin Twirly skating rink music box

Acquired: September 9, 2000, San Francisco Music Box Company
Number: 0187

Size: 3.5 inches tall

Price: Much more than I expected to spend that day

Little blue beanie

During the Australian Open tennis, the Melbourne tourist board is running a TV ad that features a quick glimpse of penguins scurrying across a beach. It goes by so quickly that it took two or three times before I realized what I was seeing. If you blink, or if you’ve never been to the penguin parade on Phillip Island, you’d probably think it was a bunch of mice running across your screen. But they are penguins, little blue penguins to be precise, or fairy penguins as they are also known, the smallest of the 20 or so varieties of penguins on the planet. They live along the south coast of Australia and build their nests in the sand on shore. Some will even burrow under your porch and set up housekeeping there. During the day the parents head out to sea to find food, and at night they come back to their burrows and their hungry chicks.

You can see the penguin parade via a daylong bus tour from Melbourne. After sunset small groups of penguins ride the waves to shore, then run across a floodlit stretch of beach before their predators see them. After watching a hundred or so penguins come ashore, you walk back from the grandstand area to the visitor’s center, stopping to watch them as they head through the brush to their nests, all the while squawking back and forth with their hungry chicks. It is a sight and a sound unlike anything you’ll see or hear anywhere else.

Back at the visitor’s center there are exhibits and information about the little blues and other wildlife on the island, such as the wallabies. There is also one enormous gift shop with just about anything you can imagine with a penguin on it or in it or shaped like a penguin. Ever since I officially became a penguin ornament collector, I’ve had to swear off other penguin items (with occasional lapses), otherwise I would have been broke after a visit to the penguin parade gift shop and I never would have made it through customs. Oddly, in the entire store, with less than 30 shopping days left until Christmas, I couldn’t find a single penguin ornament. Instead I got this little blue beanie, which has a magnet in its right wing, I suppose to hang on a refrigerator. I could turn it into a legitimate tree ornament by sewing a hanging loop onto its head, like the ones on my Ty beanies, but for now I just stick a wire tree hanger, gently, into its neck and hang him on the tree.

Little blue beanie

Acquired: November 21, 2004, Phillip Island Penguin Parade gift shop, Australia

Number: 252

Size: 4.5 inches tall

Price: 3.95 $AUS