Raggedy penguin

I’m pretty sure this isn’t really a penguin ornament, but I decided to make it one when it was given to me. For the last two years it hasn’t been on any of my Christmas trees, but neither have any of the other stuffed ornaments. Two years ago, we ran out of room on the trees and my sister Gale suggested hanging the fabric ornaments on garland in the windows. It was a good idea that we repeated last year because we ran out of room again even though I had expanded to three trees.

Stuffed penguin with patched knit hat and plaid vest

Acquired: unknown

Number: 0170

Size: 8 inches tall

Pyramid power

That strongman penguin at the top of the pyramid is flexing some pumped up wing muscles, but the true tough guys are the dressed up dudes on the bottom who are holding all the weight. This ornament is one of my favorites, not just because it’s so much fun, but because it was a gift from my Aunt Lillian Truitt in New Mexico. I had just moved west and didn’t have a steady job yet, so I was watching my pennies. I was going to pass on this one, but she insisted that I needed it. She and her family, my cousins, are responsible for a lot of the penguins in the ornament collection and a lot of the other penguins that are all over my house. Aunt Lillian was married to my mother’s brother Lee. They were considerably older than her and moved to New Mexico before I was born, so I hardly knew them for the first half of my life, but we were able to make up for lost time later on. You were always welcome at Aunt Lillian’s house and you never went hungry. The food was always good and there was plenty of it. Grocery shopping with Aunt Lillian was an adventure that usually meant going to one or two supermarkets to get what was “on special” or to get a particular brand, followed by stops at one or two local produce markets for fresh fruits and vegetables. She had a great sense of humor, and she loved the outdoors and everything about New Mexico, from its history to its music to its food. She was one of my favorite relatives and also a great friend.

Wooden penguin pyramid

Acquired: probably November or December 1993, JC Penney, Winrock Mall, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Number: 0169

Pulling strings

I think I got two of these in one of my Macy’s shopping sprees and another at a different place. Or maybe one of them was a gift. I’m glad to have all three of them, however they came my way. I’m sorry that the one on the bottom has lost whatever used to be attached to his right wing. Maybe it was gone when I bought it or when it was given to me. I’ve never found a missing thing that looks like it belongs there, but there is a wooden peg where something was attached.

Three wooden pull string penguins

Acquired: unknown

Number: 0166, 0167, 0168

Size: about 5 inches tall

More red lips

Who knew red lips were so fashionable in the penguin world? Here’s another painted papier-mâché penguin, not so glossy as the one in yesterday’s post, but with a similar red liner on its beak.

Painted papier-mâché penguin with red lips

Acquired: unknown

Number: 0164

Size: about 5 inches tall

Red lips

This ornament is so shiny you might think its glazed pottery, but it’s not. It feels very light, like papier-mâché, but it looks heavier because of the paint and lacquer.

Lacquered penguin with red lips

Acquired: unknown

Number: 0162

Size: about 4.5 inches tall

Buttoned up

This penguin has no overcoat, but he’s definitely buttoned up and bundled up too in knitted burgundy scarf and hat.

Felt penguin with knitted burgundy hat and scarf and two big, black buttons

Acquired: unknown

Number: 0161

Size: 5.75 inches tall

Big tree

This is another of the wooden ornaments that I bought at Macy’s in the 1980s. He resembles some of those other penguins, but is considerably bigger. It seems like it should be part of a set, but he’s the only one of this kind in the collection.  It’s nicely assembled and painted, but showing signs of wear and tear.

Wooden penguin in a red jacket carrying a big flat Christmas tree

Acquired: 1980s, Macy’s Herald Square, New York City

Number: 158

Size: about 2.5 inches tall