The Good: Cute, Affordable, Decent balance
The Bad: Not as distinctly sculpted and colored as it ought to be, Coloring contrast
The Basics: Partially cute, partially simplistic, the 2016 "Season's Treatings" ornament is not nearly as consistent as fans of Hallmark ornaments might hope!
Last year, my wife discovered a delightful little Hallmark ornament in the Season's Treatings ornament (reviewed here!) and this year, I discovered that it was part of a series. The 2016 Season's Treatings ornament is a similar ornament to the 2015 ornament, but not nearly as distinctive. In fact, the contrast between the elements makes for a very unsatisfying and slightly unsettling ornament, especially in contrast to the very cute ornament from last year!
The 2016 Season's Treatings ornament is a food-based ornament that is vaguely amusing, but features elements that contrast - some look realistic and cool, others that look cartoonish and plastic.
Basics
The Season's Treatings ornament is an ornament that features a baking sheet with cinnamon rolls on it that have the vague form of a reindeer head. In addition to the realistic-looking cinnamon rolls, the ornament features a very plastic-looking rolling pin, icing cup and cake knife. The ornament, released in 2016, is a standard-release ornament that came out during Ornament Preview Weekend and it did not sell out at any of the Hallmark Gold Crown stores I went to.
Hallmark made a fair attempt to make a cute ornament with the Season's Treatings ornament, but the ornament is very simple and does not have the contrast needed to sell the reindeer head that the cinnamon rolls form. Measuring three and a half inches tall, three and one-quarter inches wide and three-quarters of an inch thick, the "Season's Treatings" ornament is a small Hallmark ornament. This is also one of the least expensive Hallmark ornaments. It originally retailed at $12.95, which makes it one of the most affordable Hallmark Keepsake ornaments released this year. It is, it turns out, the 8th ornament in the Season's Treating ornament line.
The Hallmark "Season's Treatings" ornament is made of plastic and metal (for the pan and the ring that attaches the ornament to an ornament hook). The cinnamon rolls look very plasticy and the accoutrements for baking look very much like plastic as well. The fundamental problem with the 2016 Season's Treatings ornament is that the coloring of the cinnamon buns is realistic, in contrast to the baking tools. Furthermore, the seams between the cinnamon buns on the baking tray are virtually non-existent. The result is that the baking sheet looks like it has a reindeer head upon it, as opposed to a collection of cinnamon rolls that have been arranged to look more like a reindeer head.
Features
As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "Season's Treatings" could have a sound effect, but it does not. Instead, this is a less-expensive option that tries to make food look adorable!
Balance
As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "Season's Treatings" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas tree. And the "Season's Treatings" ornament is a mediocre option for anyone who likes sugary treats. The ornament has the steel hook ring in the top of the cookie sheet. When one puts a hook loop through the ring, the Season's Treatings ornament hangs perfectly level such that the reindeer face hands like it is cocked with a curious look to it.
Collectibility
Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Within a few years, every major franchise from Star Wars to A Nightmare Before Christmas to Indiana Jones started making Hallmark ornaments. "Season's Treatings" is a non-genre ornament that is part of an annual series. This is the eighth ornament in the Season's Treatings series and none of the numbered-release ornaments from the set have significantly appreciated (the repaints and limited edition versions have) in value. That makes me suspect that the 2016 Season's Treatings ornament will not be an exceptional investment piece.
Overview
Fans of cute food, Christmas baking, Hallmark ornaments, and generic Christmas ornaments are likely to find the Season's Treatings ornament too inconsistently-rendered to be worth shelling out for, at least at full price.
For other non-genre 2016 Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
Paratrooper Snoopy ornament
Ballet Wishes Barbie
2016 Winter Wonder ornament
5.5/10
For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!
© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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