Blue star

This was supposed to be a Christmas gift, but it somehow got lost in the holiday hoopla. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no such thing as a late penguin ornament. It’s always Christmas here at My Penguin Tree, however this penguin is the end of the line, at least for now. I don’t have any more ornaments to write about and I don’t think there’ll be any more until we get closer to Christmas again. I’m happy to have a nice ornament like this as the last one, because it’ll be what everyone sees when they come to the blog over the coming months. I have big plans for this ornament. It’s going to look great at the top of the blue tree next Christmas.

Metal star with penguin and cardinal

Acquired: January 25, 2012

Number: 1058

Size: 3.5 inches tall

Price: gift from Jen Babaz and Evan Holt

Now we’re cooking

On the way out of the Christmas Loft in Shelburne, Vt., I found one more penguin. This was a fun store with lots of hidden penguins scattered oddly all on one side of the store. The penguin chef is my third Annalee ornament. You can see the others and read more about the series here and here.

Annalee chef

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

Number: 1057

Size: 4 inches tall

Price: $14.99

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

Year of the trains

This ornament became an instant favorite in my collection. There’s just something about trains. A few months earlier I bought a handcar that was supposed to be part of a Hallmark train set, but that was the closest I ever came to finding a penguin train ornament. Also, I had no electric train for any of my trees and I doubt that I’ll ever find a penguin train, but I’ve wanted a train for as long as I can remember. However, my friend Marshall was showing me his train layout a few weeks ago, he gave me an HO trolley just like the trolley that was next to my entry in last year’s Festival of Trees. It turned out that the trolley at the museum had a special meaning, which you can read about on this link. So, with my new model trolley and no track for me to run it, I went online. I didn’t exactly find track, but instead an entire Florida Marlins train set. There’s no penguin connection there, but the Fish, now the Miami Marlins, are my other passion. None of this happened until after Christmas, but I set everything up and played with the trolley and train for a few days before everything had to be stored away until next year.

Here's the trolley, and here comes the train:

Santa train ornament

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

Number: 1055

Size: 4 inches long

Price: $4.99

Christmas Loft, Santa, Vemont

Radko madness

The Christmas Loft in Shelburne, Vt., was winding down from the Christmas season when I visited last month. In fact, it was inventory time and the owner was happy to see these three Christopher Radko ornaments go. “Now I won’t have to count them,” he said. I was glad to help out. By the way, anybody notice they all have snowmen? Yeah, strange.

Christopher Radko Banner Buddies

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

Number: 1052

Size: 4.5 inches tall

Price: $49.99

Christopher Radko Frosty Fellows

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

Number: 1053

Size: 5.75 inches tall

Price: $49.99

Christopher Radko Ice Cube Companions

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

Number: 1054

Size: 7.5 inches tall

Price: $52.99

I brake for penguins

A new route to Stowe, Vt., for a ski trip in January took me by the Christmas Loft in Shelburne. Stowe used to have a small Christmas Loft store, but it closed a few years ago, so I was looking forward to finding the big store. Or course, I didn’t know what it looked like, so it came up quickly and I almost drove past it. As it turns out, the store was closed, so I had to go back a couple of days later. It was the trip. I came away with seven new penguin ornaments, including this ornament with a group of penguins holding a banner. You’re supposed to have these ornaments personalized, but I usually don’t put anything on them. I ought to put the year on it, I guess.

Penguin group holding white banner

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

Number: 1051

Size: 4 inches wide

Price: $8.99

Gourd-geous

On a trip last month to Jim Thorpe, Pa., I tried once more to visit a shop that seems to be always closed. Sure enough, it was closed again, but this time, a new gift shop on the floor below was open. The owners had a few discounted Christmas things on display, but no penguins. When I told them what I was looking for they dug this gourd ornament from a storage tub. The store upstairs remains a mystery, but for once, I didn’t come away empty-handed.

Painted penguin by Jessie Geesey from Meadowbrooke Gourds, Carlisle, Pa.

Acquired: January 6, 2012, Jim Thorpe, Pa.

Number: 1050

Size: 5.5 inches tall

Price: $12.95