Where’s the penguin?

From the front it doesn’t look like a penguin ornament, but spin the Snowbaby around on her sled disk and you’ll see she has a passenger.

Wait. Is that a speck of dirt on my computer screen? Oh, it’s just the little penguin’s itty bitty eye. This is my third Snowbabies ornament. Click here and here to see the others.

Snowbabies In a Spin

Acquired: Dec. 9, 2011, Boscov’s department store, Steamtown Mall, Scranton, Pa.

Number: 1016

Size: 2.25 inches tall

Price: $15.50

Messy messages

The Hallmark stores devote an entire section to their Keepsake ornaments, but they often have others scattered around like this one. It’s a green sled and it was available with different messages like “Our First Christmas” or “My Favorite Uncle.” All the messages were smeared and messy, but this one seemed to be the most appropriate one for me and also the easiest one to read.

Giftcrafts green sled “With Love at Christmas”

Acquired: November 4, 2011, Jill’s Hallmark, Brodheadsville, Pa.

Number: 0967

Size: 2.25 inches tall

Price: $2.99

Piggyback rider

I was beginning to think my penguin collecting days were over. The year was half gone and I only had a handful of new ornaments. Then I found these sledders that look like they’re carved in wood. The ornament is actually some kind of plaster with metal runners on the sled. It was a welcome sight and a long overdue addition to My Penguin Tree.

TJ's Christmas penguin parent and piggybacking chick on a sled

Acquired: June 30, 2011, Trinkets & Treasures, Durango, Col.

Number: 0917

Size: 4 inches long

Price: $9.95

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

Hallmark bargains

Here’s another batch of Hallmark ornaments that I bought at half price after New Year’s. The top one is musical and plays “Sleigh Ride” when you press the button in back by the penguin. The two Spin A Majigs at the bottom are “action” ornaments. When you turn the snowflake cranks at the bottom, the characters wiggle back and forth. All of these, except the bottom ornament, are on the “Winter Fun” tree I entered in the Festival of Trees at the Electric City Trolley Museum in Steamtown National Historic Park in Scranton. The show, which benefits Toys for Tots, officially opens Friday, Dec. 10 and runs through Dec. 31. Did you know that Walt Disney designed the Toys for Tots logo? You can see it here.

Acquired: January 5, 2009, Jay’s Hallmark, Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York City

Snow What Fun Sledders

Number: 0610

Size: 3 inches tall, 3.75 inches long

Price: $8.25 (originally $16.50)

Antarctic Antics South Pole Pals

Number: 0611 0612 0613 0614

Size: 1.25 to 1.75 inches tall

Price: $7.50 (originally $15)

Downhill Fun Spin A Majig

Kicking It Spin A Majig

Number: 0615 0616

Size: 3.5 inches tall and wide

Price: $7.50 each (originally $15)

Gifted trio

Not only can these penguins sled and skate, they can do it while loaded down with presents and a Christmas tree. You can’t tell from this photo, but the Christmas tree top is broken off. I knew it when I bought the ornaments, but this was the only one of its kind left, even with months to go before Christmas.

Holiday Living penguins on toboggan, with candy cane skates, and wearing a long Santa hat

Acquired: October 11, 2008, Lowe’s Home Center, Bartonsville, Pa.

Number: 0521 0522 0523

Size: 3.5 to 4.5 inches tall

Price: $2.97 each

Wrong year

I have a number of ornaments that are inscribed with the year I bought them, but this one found it’s way to a clearance table where it languished for about five years until I found it. I was on my home from a trip to Montreal and had to stop at a souvenir shop for a rest room break. Once inside, I decided to snoop around just in case there were any Christmas ornaments. There were only a few and this was the only penguin. He resembles another ornament that I posted so long ago, also an Old World Christmas creation. Zoom in and you’ll see the OWC mark on the metal hanging cap.

2003 candy cane toboggan, lots of glitter and a long flowing gold and purple scarf

Acquired: April 20, 2008, Country Kettle Gift and Candy Outlet, East Stroudsburg, Pa.

Number: 0461

Size: 3.25 inches tall           

Price: $9.95

Three wise penguins

For some reason, these three winter sports enthusiasts have taken on the guise of the three wise monkeys from Japanese lore — See No Evil, Hear No Evil and Speak No Evil. Maybe they represent Ski No Evil, Sled No Evil and Skate No Evil.

Kurt Adler ceramic trio of sledding, skating and skiing penguins in the guise of the three wise monkeys

Acquired: July 21, 2007, Christmas Cottage, New York

Number: 0362 0363 0364

Size: 3 to 3.5 inches tall

Price: $3.95 each

Mini racers

These three tiny penguins are a Hallmark Keepsake Miniatures set from a few years ago. One is on a sled, one on a toboggan and the other on a saucer. I didn’t have to position them to look they are racing downhill. They really hang that way, a nice touch from Kristina Kline, the Hallmark artist. The Hallmark store was on my way from Penn Station to Times Square when I used to commute to work by train, but I think the store is closed now. I picked up a couple other Hallmark ornaments that you’ll see in the next two posts.

Penguin Races, Hallmark Keepsake Miniatures

Acquired: December 21, 2005, Hallmark store, 7^th Avenue, New York

Number: 0278 0279 0280

Size: each about 1 inch long

Similar stripes

These two aren’t part of a matched set, but they have a lot in common, so I’m posting them together. Both are clear acrylic and both are ready to slide downhill on a sled and skis decorated with candy cane stripes. I bought them the same day in the same store. I think it’s odd that I didn’t assign them consecutive numbers, but when you buy a dozen ornaments at once it’s hard to figure out which came first. I have two other similar ski ornaments that you can read about here.

Candy cane skier

Acquired: April, 3, 2004, The Christmas Mouse, Williamsburg, Va.

Number: 243

Size: 5 inches tall

Price: $7

Candy cane sledder

Acquired: April, 3, 2004, The Christmas Mouse, Williamsburg, Va.

Number: 245

Size: 2 inches tall, 3 inches long

Price: $4.50

Feet first

This sledder seems to be racing along with his scarf and hat flapping behind him. He’s covered with glitter that looks like a wake of snow crystals streamlining by him as he speeds down his imaginary hill.

Ceramic glittery penguin on a sled

Acquired: 1980s, Macy's Herald Square, New York City
Number: 0149

Size: 4.5 inches long