Last-minute bargains

It’s always risky buying something for yourself so close to Christmas, but it would be worse, in my honest opinion, to let ornaments like these slip through my fingers, especially when they’ve been heavily marked down. I don’t even remember what took me to Kmart, but I’m pretty sure I checked off several items on my shopping list that day.

Celebrations by Radko fuzzy blown glass penguin with blue Santa hat and green and silver scarf on a glittery candy cane

Acquired: December 15, 2009. Kmart, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0753

Size: 5.5 inches tall

Price: $5.99 (40 percent off)

Celebrations by Radko glittery penguin with a big beak straddling a snowball, red and silver scarf and red hat

Acquired: December 15, 2009, Kmart, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0754

Size: 6 inches tall

Price: $5.99 (40 percent off)

Two shiny skaters, one graceful, one fallen, with silver skates

Acquired: December 15, 2009, Kmart, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0755 0756

Size: 3.25 and 4 inches tall

Price: $2.39 each

Triple treats

Marge and Jen Babaz went with me two Christmases ago to scout out the Festival of Trees in Scranton. It was too late to enter a tree that year, but it gave me the information I needed to enter a tree last year. We also hit the malls for some Christmas shopping and I found this sweet set of penguin ornaments on one of our stops.

Mary Englebreit sugar coated trio with gingham ribbon hangers, one dressed like a clown, one rolling on the floor laughing and one dancing a jig with a candy cane and green top hat

Acquired: December 12, 2009, Michael’s craft store, Dickson City, Pa.

Number: 0750 0751 0752

Size: 3 to 4 inches tall

Price: $1.99 each, originally $4.99

Another one

As I was getting this post ready, I was certain that I had already written about this penguin. I didn’t have to look very far to find three similar ornaments that I posted on January 1. This one isn’t a perfect match, but it’s more alike than not. My guess is that they all came out of the same factory in China.

Felt penguin with red scarf and hat with gold bow

Acquired: December 9, 2009, Duane Read drug store, Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York

Number: 0749

Size: 5 inches tall

Price: $1.99

On the move

I didn’t keep very good records on these three, because I don’t remember if I bought them all at the same kiosk, at least the first one. The other two came from the same shop though. The razr rider  was the last one on the rack and the skater was hanging in the doorway. I had the owner cut it down so I could buy it.

Shopping pair on red scooter, red and green scarf and red Santa hat

Acquired: December 3, 2009, Santa NYC, Bryant Park, New York

Number: 0746

Size: 4 inches tall, 4 inches long

Price: $16.01

Razr rider with stack of presents

Acquired: December 3, 2009, Bryant Park, New York

Number: 0747

Size: 5.75 inches tall

Skater with black boots, red hat, green and red scarf, holding candy cane

Acquired: December 3, 2009, Bryant Park, New York

Number: 0748

Size: 5.5 inches tall

Hallmark hallmarks

Every year brings a new crop of Hallmark Keepsake penguin ornaments. Some are a little over the top, but there are usually one or two real standouts in the bunch. The little Goody Gumdrops ornament is probably one of my top ten overall favorites. It’s an excellent example of good things coming in small packages. The goofy ones with the tall Christmas tree hat and the two-wheeled cart show a lot of originality and are high up on my list of favorites. The Disney Club Penguin ornament mystifies me. I ended up with a bag full of penguins when I bought this batch, including one that is No. 30 in its series. I must certainly have one or two others that go with it, but I’ll have to look back to see which ones.

Tall Christmas tree hat with gold star, red bow tie and buttons

Acquired: November 30, 2009, Jay’s Hallmark, Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York

Number: 0740

Size: 5.75 inches tall

Price:$5.95

Santa hat and wreath on 2-wheeled cart

Acquired: November 30, 2009, Jay’s Hallmark, Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York

Number: 0741

Size: 3 inches tall

Price: $5.95

Goody Gumdrops Hallmark Keepsake ornament

Acquired: November 30, 2009, Jay’s Hallmark, Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York

Number: 0742

Size: 1.5 inches tall

Price: $8

Disney Club Penguin 2009 Hallmark Keepsake blue penguin juggling human heads

Acquired: November 30, 2009, Jay’s Hallmark, Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York

Number: 0743

Size: 3 inches tall

Price: $12.50

Hallmark Frosty Friends, No. 30 in series

Acquired: November 30, 2009, Jay’s Hallmark, Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York

Number: 0745

Size: 2.5 inches tall

Price: $12.50

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

Red sledder day

This ornament weighs a ton and a half, but it’s a beauty. The three penguins have black flocking on their backs heads and wings and white glittery bellies. Their red sled is covered with glitter and it’s pointing downhill like there’s no tomorrow. I bought this ornament at a jewel box of a Christmas shop, or maybe it’s just a gift shop, in New York City’s West Village. It’s been open for decades, but I never noticed it until recently. The owner sounded like the end might be near. I didn’t go by this past Christmas, so I don’t know if they had any new penguins for me or even if the store is there anymore.

Three realistic emperor penguins on a red glittery sled

Acquired: November 21, 2009, Caravansary, New York City

Number: 0735

Size: 3.75 inches tall and 6.75 inches long

Price: $20.69