The Radko wall

I had a little trouble booking a hotel for my spur of the moment trip to Rehoboth Beach, Del., last summer. I was only going to be there one night and there was nothing available online within 50 miles. Then I wondered, “What if I were staying two nights.” I adjusted the trip search, hit enter, and all of a sudden there were room available everywhere. I was prepared to pay for the extra night, but when we checked out early, the front desk clerk gave me a credit for the unused balance. It’s a good thing, because the extra money came in handy when I stopped by Christmas Spirit. Their Christopher Radko wall was stocked with all the new ornaments. In addition to these three ornaments, I bought another one that I thought had a penguin, but it turned out to be a kitten. I found out at the checkout counter, but the sales clerks guilted me into buying it anyway because it was for charity, benefiting the ASPCA. I gave it as a gift to my sister Gale and her dog, Lulu.

Christopher Radko Candy Cane Club with three penguins climbing a giant candy cane

Acquired: August 7, 2010, Christmas Spirit, Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Number: 0793

Size: 5.5 inches tall

Price: $45

Christopher Radko Storybook Trio, three penguins in wooden soldier hats reading Nutcracker Suite

Acquired: August 7, 2010, Christmas Spirit, Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Number: 0794

Size: 5 inches tall

Price: $52

Christopher Radko Hide and Peek, three penguins in a pyramid of gifts, Limited Edition, No. 207 of 500

Acquired: August 7, 2010, Christmas Spirit, Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Number: 0795

Size: 6.25 inches

Price: $55

Penguin Summer: Rehoboth Beach III

This was the last of many ornaments I accumulated during the two-week RV trip with my nieces, nephew and sister that had taken us from Pennsylvania to New England to North Carolina to Delaware. We went our separate ways the next day near Middleford, Delaware, me back to Pennsylvania and the others back to Florida, all of us with a lot of memories.

Fired glass penguin with metallic eyes, red cheeks and a Santa hat

Acquired: July 29, 2009, Kennedy Studios, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Number: 0698

Size: 6 inches tall

Price: $18

Penguin Summer: Rehoboth Beach II

Christmas Spirit has a wall of Christopher Radko ornaments. Three of them had penguins.

Christopher Radko “Dapper Ding-Dong” tuxedo bell

Acquired: July 29, 2009, Christmas Spirit, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Number: 0695

Size: 5.5 inches tall

Price: $50

Christopher Radko “Winter Working Pals” three penguins building snowman

Acquired: July 29, 2009, Christmas Spirit, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Number: 0696

Size: 6 inches tall

Price: $55

Christopher Radko “Cozy Crew” snowman and snowwoman with baby penguin

Acquired: July 29, 2009, Christmas Spirit, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Number: 0697

Size: 5.25 inches tall

Price: $50

Black and white, and red all over

This is a really nice set of two-sided ornaments with a lot of detail on the front and back. It’s an odd collection of characters: a pair of formally attired ballroom dancers, an ice skater and a sign painter. I’m trying to imagine a story that would tie them all together. Two dancers and skater came from a visit to Montreal, while the painter came a year later when I was in Rehoboth Beach, Del. It makes me wonder if this might be a series of ornaments with a new design each year.

Red and black formal dancers and skater

Acquired: April 19, 2008, Noël Eternel, Montreal PQ

Number: 0458 0459

Size: 3.5 inches tall

Price: 7.99 $CAN

Red and black painter with North Pole sign

Acquired: July 29, 2009, Christmas Spirit, Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Number: 0694

Size: 3.5 inches tall

Price: $5.50

Snow angel

I have penguins with snowmen, penguins with snowballs, penguins playing in the snow, even penguins filled with snow, but this is the only penguin I have making a snow angel. The flat glass bulb is covered with a snowy frosting and a painted penguin is flapping its wings and feet to make the angels wing and flowing gown. The ornament is also filled with snowflakes, like a number of others in the collection. I wonder if I’m supposed to fill them with water so the snow inside can be shaken like a snow globe, but I’m afraid of making a mess or breaking the ornament.

Snow Caps by Seasons of Cannon Falls, MN, flat glass snow-filled bulb with painted penguin making a snow angel

Acquired: July 29, 2009, Christmas Spirit, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Number: 692

Size: 4 inches in diameter

Price: $17.50

Happy feet

There’s so much going on with this guy, I almost don’t know where to start: the big white boa, those rosy cheeks, the glitter-dusted face, and the big clear belly full of snow painted with red snowflakes and what looks like pinwheels and flowers. All of those things set this ornament apart from the rest of the pack, but what does it for me are those crazy feet dangling at the bottom.

Seasons of Cannon Falls glass, snow-filled bulb with a penguin head and dangling feet, made in China

Acquired: July 29, 2009, Christmas Spirit, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Number: 693

Size: 5.5 inches tall

Price: $10.50