Down to the wire

I ducked away from my group a second time to buy penguin ornaments on the trip to New York City after Christmas that I talked about in yesterday’s post. I had to go get my overnight bag and then meet my friends at Penn Station for the ride home. On the way, I went by a very cool gift shop that always has a penguin or two at Christmas time. I knew I wouldn’t be back for a while, so I stopped in to buy these three ornaments. I made it to the station and bought a ticket minutes before the train was leaving and, thanks to cell phones, met up with the group again as they were getting on the train. Somewhere along the way, I lost the receipt, and I don’t remember how much they were. In all, the overnight trip to the city gave me seven ornaments, a pretty good haul.

Alpaca knit min penguins with green hat and orange and red striped hat made in Peru

Acquired: December 28, 2011, Arcadia, Chelsea, New York City, N.Y.

Number: 1043 1044

Size: 3.5 inches tall

Price: ??

Alpaca black and white striped little jailbird penguin

Acquired: December 28, 2011, Arcadia, Chelsea, New York City, N.Y.

Number: 1045

Size: 5 inches tall

Price: ??

Bargain bin

I was in New York City with friends and their relatives from Brazil. I sort of became the guide and led the group on a winding tour from Penn Station to Times Square, Bryant Park, Rockefeller Center, Central Park and back again. One of our stops was Saks Fifth Avenue, where some of the group wanted to look at dresses and shoes. I took the opportunity to go upstairs to the post-Christmas bargains and I found a couple of penguin ornaments. The Christopher Radko glass penguin is an exclusive design for Saks. You never see the Radkos on sale, but Saks must have had hundreds loosely piled in the bargain bins. The detail on this ornament is amazing, especially the holly wrapping paper in the gift bag. 

The knit ornament reminded me of another one I bought in New Mexico. I was desperately trying to look it up on my phone at the checkout line, but I reached the counter before I was able to find the ornament on the blog. It turned out to be the same as ornament No. 701 only smaller and, therefore, not an exact duplicate. When I was packing up this year I noticed a tag that gave the name of the person who knitted the penguin. For some reason, I didn’t write that down in my notes. I’ll try to come back and update when I unpack next Christmas.

Saks Penny Pal by Christopher Radko glass in Santa suit with candy cane and “Merry Christmas 2011” on blue toy bag

Acquired: December 28, 2011, Saks Fifth Avenue, New York City, N.Y.

Number: 1041

Size: 3.5 inches tall

Price: $18 (60 percent off $45)

Poca a Poco furry haired knit penguin from Albuquerque, N.M.

Acquired: December 28, 2011, Saks Fifth Avenue, New York City, N.Y.

Number: 1042

Size: 3 inches tall

Price: $7.20 (60 percent off $18)

Hallmark surprise

Hallmark makes a big deal out of their Keepsake collectible  ornaments, with a catalog they call a Dream Book and special events starting in the summer as they release each year’s new ornaments. This ornament, however, wasn’t in the Keepsake catalog, and I found it on a rack away from the main display area for the collectibles. I wonder how they decide which ones are keepsakes and which ones aren’t.

Hallmark snowflake frame ornament

Acquired: December 13, 2010, Jay’s Hallmark, Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York

Number: 0908

Size: 4.25 inches tall

Price: $6.95

Last of the Hallmarks . . . almost

I managed to get all of last year’s Hallmark penguin ornaments, I think. This was the last one they released. It matches a stuffed musical decoration that Hallmark offered at a special price if you bought something like three greeting cards. I ended up with a lot of Hallmark ornaments and they were kind of expensive. This year I might try to restrain myself and catch some of the new ornaments on sale after Christmas. I saw an article that said Hallmark is expecting penguins to replace polar bears as the big animal on their cards in 2011. I’m a little worried that it means there will be more penguin ornaments too.

Hallmark Keepsake “We Need a Little Christmas” based on 2010 promotional decoration with penguin and snowman decorating a tree

Acquired: December 13, 2010, Jay’s Hallmark, Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York

Number: 0907

Size: 4 inches tall

Price: $18.95

Shine on

I knew this penguin looked familiar, but I also knew there was something different about it. It turns out to be the same ornament as one I bought at the National Zoo in Washington, but this one is covered with a shiny glaze.

Animal Planet glittery realistic emperor

Acquired: December 8, 2010, Once Upon a Christmas, Bryant Park, New York

Number: 0896

Size: 3.5 inches tall

Price: $14.14

A drop in price

I bought two ornaments at two different booths at the Bryant Park Holiday Market last year. This one originally cost me $16.99 ($18.50 with tax) but I dropped it at the other ornament shop. When I went back to get a replacement, I found the same ornament for $13.99. The clerk made me pay for the second one, but he took $3 off to make up for the overcharge on the first one.

Clear snowman-shaped body with penguin head and the same smaller penguin inside

Acquired: December 8, 2010, It’s Always Christmas in the City, Bryant Park, New York

Number: 0895

Size: 5 inches tall

Price: $11.97

More Macy’s madness, part 9: The end, for now

After two days at Macy’s, I ended up with 29 new penguin ornaments, 19 one day and 10 the next, I think. That’s a lot of penguins.

Flat clear body filled with snow, dangling orange feet and white pipe cleaner scarf

Acquired: November 20, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0868

Size: 5.5 inches tall

Price: $6.48 (originally $12)

More Macy’s madness, part 8: More blue

If I hadn’t gone back to Macy’s on that second day, I would have missed out on this excellent blue penguin. I can’t believe I didn’t see it on the first trip to Macy’s, but I’m really glad I found it when I went back for the other penguins.

Light blue glass penguin with gifts, red scarf with gold dots

Acquired: November 20, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0866

Size: 4 inches tall

Price: $7.02 (originally $13)

More Macy’s madness, part 7: Overnight overload

The penguin at the top is another ornament I found on Day 1 at Macy’s, and I thought I had another one-of-a-kind. When I went back the next day I found the two glass ornaments I wanted and the missing reindeer Lollysticks penguin But there was more. It turns out that I either missed an entire section of ornaments the first day, or the busy elves at Macy’s put up a whole new section overnight. As you can see, I found plenty more ornaments that matched this style. I really like the one with the snowflake halo floating over its head.

Glass, sparkly ball body with multicolored knit scarf and red glittery earmuffs

Acquired: November 19, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0847

Size: 4.25 inches tall

Price: $6.80 (originally $13)

Clear starry glass body filled with sequins with multi-colored knit scarf and green earmuffs with red band

Acquired: November 20, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0862

Size: 4.5 inches tall

Price: $6.48 (originally $10)

Scarf with multicolored triangles, red hat with purple trim and gold snowflakes

Acquired: November 20, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0867

Size: 4.75 inches tall

Price: $5.94 (originally $11)

Plastic snowflake halo

Acquired: November 20, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0870

Price: $5.12 (originally $9.50)

Skater on a snowflake with multicolored scarf, red earmuffs

Acquired: November 20, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0871

Size: 3 inches tall

Price: $5.13 (originally $9.50)

Stuffed plush penguin with white snowflake tutu and multicolored scarf

Acquired: November 20, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0872

Size: 7 inches tall

Price: $7.02 (originally $12)

Snow globe on light blue ice base with dancer in pink tutu and red and gold scarf

Acquired: November 20, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0869

Size: 2.75 inches tall

Price: $7.02 (originally $13)

More Macy’s madness, part 6: Going back for more

I got myself in trouble when I saw some glass ornaments that looked familiar. Instead of buying duplicates, I took phone photos of them to check against my blog pics. Sure enough, I had some of the penguins already, but there were a couple that I didn’t have. I wasn’t sure it was worth going to back to Macy’s to get them, but I also decided to look on line to find our more about these Lollysticks ornaments from Department 56. There are glass and wood versions of these penguins and they come in sets of various sizes, and it turned out I was missing the small penguin on a reindeer “pony stick.” That was enough to justify going back to Macy’s to look for the missing penguin. Little did I know.

Two reindeer and one pull cart Department 56 Lollysticks penguins

Acquired: November 19, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0844 0845 0846

Size: 3, 4 and 4.5 inches tall

Price: $10.50 each ($2 off)

Department 56 Lollysticks with orange and green leaf hats

Acquired: November 19, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0849 0850

Size: 5 inches tall

Price: $13 (originally $15)

Two medium-sized Department 56 Lollysticks

No cart, no reindeer

Acquired: November 19, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0855 0856

Size: 3.3 inches tall

Price: $7.50 each (originally $8.50)

Four mini Department 56 Lollysticks, one pulling a cart

Acquired: November 19, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0857 0858 0859 0860

Size: 1.75 to 2.25 inches tall

Price: 2 at $6 each and 2 at $7 each (two marked off $1, but not the others)

Little reindeer rider

Acquired: November 20, 2010, Macy’s Herald Swuare, New York

Number: 0865

Size: 3 inches tall

Price: $7 

More Macy’s madness, part 5: Radko redux

I felt lucky to get away from Macy’s with just one Christopher Radko ornament. Even with a 10 percent discount, the Radko’s make up a big chunk of the total bill at checkout. This ornament has a big, gold CR signature on the back. I’ve never noticed that on the other Radkos. Its either a new feature or I haven’t been paying attention.

Christopher “Radko Floatin’ Friends” with North Pole sign on an ice floe

Acquired: November 19, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0861

Size: 4.75 inches tall

Price: $44 (originally $49) 

More Macy’s madness, part 4: Living large

Martha Stewart showed up at Macy’s last year with this stylish silver penguin. I think this is my second Martha Stewart ornament. The other one came from Kmart.

Martha Stewart Collection silver frosted glass penguin

Acquired: November 19, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0854

Size: 4 inches tall

Price: $3.51 (originally $6.50)

More Macy’s madness, part 3: Jingle all the way

I think I’ll be able to put together a musical tree next year. It seems like I have enough jingle bell ornaments to fill a tree of their own, but I know it’s probably my imagination. I wanted to do a music themed penguin tree last year, but too many of the musical ornaments went to the blue tree or to the winter sports tree at the Trolley Museum, like this on did.

Skier on a big white jingle bell

Acquired: November 19, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0851

Size: 4.5 inches tall

Price: $5.39 (originally $10) 

More Macy’s madness, part 2: Singular sensations

As soon as I arrived at Macy’s Holiday Lane, I grabbed a hand basket and began working the room. The fun part about shopping for ornaments at Macy’s is that there are ornaments on the trees, ornaments on the walls, ornaments stacked on tables and counters, ornaments spilling out of baskets under the trees. Everywhere you look you see nothing but Christmas ornaments. At other Christmas shops, all the penguins are usually in one corner, but at Macy’s, they are spread around. It’s kind of like the way I had a blue tree, a glass tree and a wood tree at home, plus stuffed penguins in the windows. The trees have themes at Macy’s, and penguins can pop up anywhere, sometimes in matching sets or groups, but often as singular standouts like this dressed up dude with some serious stockings.

Stubby penguin with red striped top hat, springy wings and dangling, striped legs

Acquired: November 19, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0853

Size: 4 inches tall

Price: $4.96 (originally $9)

More Macy’s madness, part 1: Day one

I guess I should just stay away from Macy’s. They tend to go overboard at Christmas, and they really like the penguin. I’ve had several Macy’s shopping sprees over the years where I take home 20 or more penguin ornaments at once. Last year was about the worst, not because it was more penguins than ever before (which it was), but because the madness lasted two days. It began innocently enough with typically excellent ornaments like this one.

Color-changing, lightup snow globe with clay dough body on top

Acquired: November 19, 2011, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0848

Size: 4 inches tall

Price: $5.39 (originally $10)

Look familiar?

I should have put these penguins up on Groundhog Day. They’re repeats of some other ornaments that are cut from the same mold, but painted differently and sold under different brand names. They keep popping up. The top one’s distinction is the “Cape May” inscription, which makes it a nice souvenir of my visit there. I bought another one a few months later. Two others have already appeared on the blog last June (No. 208) and November (No. 486). I discovered the similarities when I was getting ready to decorate the trees for Christmas. You can clearly see a birdhouse under the right wing, but I haven’t been able to figure out what’s under the other wing, though it looks like a gift on at least one of the ornaments.

Small glass Cape May penguin with Santa hat and blue scarf

Acquired: August 7, 2010, Westwood Gifts, Cape May, N.J.

Number: 0791

Size: 3.25 inches tall

Price: $2.99

Another small glass penguin with birdhouse

Acquired: November 20, 2010, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0863

Size: 3.25 inches tall

Price: $4.32 (originally $8)

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

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

Doubling up

The holiday season got off to an early start a couple of years ago when I had to take my laptop to the Apple Store for service. While I was at the mall I decided to see what was up at the department stores. It was mid November, but the Christmas department was all set up at Macy’s, where I found a number of ornaments, including the fat penguin with tinsel earmuffs, a candy cane in each wing and dangling orange feet. It’s kind of funny that exactly one year later, I bought the same ornament at another Macy’s.

Roly-poly penguin with tinsel earmuffs holding two candy canes with dangling orange feet

Acquired: November 19, 2009, Macy’s, Lehigh Valley Mall, Whitehall, Pa.

Number: 0723

Size: 4 inches tall

Price: $7

Acquired: November 19, 2010, Macy’s Herald Square, New York

Number: 0852

Price: $4.86 discounted (originally $9)