What’s your favorite?

When people find out how many penguin ornaments I have, they often ask me which is my favorite. There’s no way to answer, because there are so many and they are all different. Now that I’ve reached the one thousand mark, I should probably try to come up with a top ten list and force myself to rank them in order. This ornament might not make the final cut, but it would certainly be in the running. It has a unique shape, a nice penguin with traditional Christmas tree and Santa hat, and the finishing touch of dangling crystals.

Do you have a favorite? Cast your vote in a comment.

3D clear glass snowflake, penguin with tree, crystal pendant

Acquired: September 23, 2011, Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, Frankenmuth, Mich.

Number: 0960

Size: 7.5 inches tall

Price: $9.99

Snow show

My sister Xena took me and our nieces, Becky and Jenny, to see Slava’s Snow Show, a theatrical evening of clowning around that ends with the audience in the middle of a blizzard of tissue paper bits. If that were not enough, she also gave me this glass penguin from the Museum of Modern Art that has its own snowstorm going on inside his round belly and some penguin gel stickers for my windows. That’s three excellent gifts from one great sister.

Museum of Modern Art hollow, frosty glass penguin with snowflakes inside

Acquired: December 2006

Number: 351           

Size: 5.75 inches tall 

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

Looks like a snow globe

You want to shake this ornament and watch the snowflakes dance around the penguin and two fir trees, but there’s no liquid inside and no loose snow flakes either. Another great find from my sister Xena and brother-in-law John.

Crate and Barrel penguin and two trees in a glass dome

Acquired: December 2007

Number: 577

Size: 3 inches tall

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

Belly blizzard

It’s hard to make out, even when you zoom in, but it almost looks like there’s a snowstorm going on inside this small solid glass penguin’s belly. It’s reminiscent of the cloudy patterns in some of the glass marbles we cherished in childhood. The delicate red scarf is a nice finishing touch. Christmas Past in New Hope, where I bought this ornament, is one of my favorite regular stops when I’m in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Department 56 solid glass penguin with snowy belly and skinny red scarf, made in China

Acquired: October 14, 2007, Christmas Past, New Hope, Pa.

Number: 389

Size: 2.75 inches tall

Price: $7.50