End Of The Season, The 2014 Jessica Rabbit Who Framed Roger Rabbit Ornament Remains Worth Picking Up!

The Good: Decent sculpt, Detailing on the base, Good balance, Good coloring
The Bad: No sound chip/feature, No collectible value
The Basics: The 2014 "Jessica Rabbit" ornament is a good Who Framed Roger Rabbit ornament and one of the late-release 2014 Hallmark ornaments worth picking up!


With the various Hallmark stores doing their post-holiday clearance, there are some great opportunities now to get holiday ornaments at severely reduced prices. As a genre fan, I tend to look for the few lingering ornaments that might have been overlooked in primary shopping. Perhaps the best overproduced ornament is the Jessica Rabbit ornament from the classic 1980s film Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

For those unfamiliar with Who Framed Roger Rabbit (reviewed here!), Jessica Rabbit was the occasional villainess, ultimate sidekick heartthrob in the film. Jessica Rabbit is married to the cartoon actor Roger Rabbit. She sings at a night club, plays pattycake with a mogul in the industry and ultimately helps the private dick in the film foil the evil Judge Doom.

The Jessica Rabbit ornament was one of the early release ornaments and it had an original release price of $17.95. It is Jessica Rabbit on her own that is the subject of the 2014 Who Framed Roger Rabbit ornament.

Basics

The "Jessica Rabbit" ornament recreates Jessica Rabbit as she appeared in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, strutting toward the consumer. The ornament, released in 2014, is a pretty wonderful and accurate of Jessica Rabbit. Jessica Rabbit is the night club singer wearing a cocktail dress with bright red hair that is iconic of the character. Measuring four and one-half inches tall from the bottom of her shoes to the top of her head, the "Jessica Rabbit" ornament is on-scale with similar character ornaments. The ornament is 1 3/4” wide by 1 1/4" deep and can easily be found in Hallmark Keepsake stores, at least the ones I have around me, even now, on clearance.

The Hallmark "Jessica Rabbit" ornament is made of durable plastic and has Jessica Rabbit, arms by her side on her hips, looking like she is striding toward whomever is looking at her. The ornament is sculpted perfectly accurately, which makes sense because Jessica Rabbit was a virtual character. The animated reference translates well to the 3-D ornament. Jessica Rabbit’s round face, busty figure, incredibly thin waist and the way the dress is sweeping back from her one leg look exactly like the animated character. What impressed me most on the sculpt front was that there is no apparent seam on the ornament’s hair!

The paint job on Jessica Rabbit is great. The dress is made with sparkles, which are even better than the skin tones! The skin tones look as realistic as they can given that the character is animated and the animation was fairly simple. Still, the paint job on such things as Jessica Rabbit’s eyes and gloves is immaculate!

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "Jessica Rabbit" could have a sound or light function, but it does not. Given that there are some truly distinctive quotes from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, it is disappointing that Hallmark did not add a sound chip to the ornament, especially with its original release price of $17.95!

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "Jessica Rabbit" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate vintage movie Christmas Tree, the "Jessica Rabbit" ornament is a very cool addition! The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top center of the top of Jessica Rabbit’s head. From that position, the Jessica Rabbit ornament hangs perfectly level. This ornament is well-balanced and she looks great when hung from a tree!

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 (reviewed here!). Within a few years, every major franchise from Star Wars to Barbie to all things Disney started making Hallmark ornaments. "Jessica Rabbit" is the only Who Framed Roger Rabbit ornament that Hallmark released in 2014, but it was one of many movie-themed ornaments on the market. This ornament seems pretty well-stocked, so there seems to be no reason to go to the secondary market for them, even now.

Overview

Fans of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Kathleen Turner, Jessica Rabbit, and Hallmark ornaments are likely to be impressed by how the Jessica Rabbit ornament recreates the film’s animated sex-symbol. She might not be very Christmas-y, but the Jessica Rabbit ornament is well worth picking up!

For other genre-themed Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2014 Queen Elsa Frozen ornament
2014 Thorin Oakenshield The Hobbit ornament
2014 Flying Time Machine Back To The Future ornament

7/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Overly Simplistic For The Price, The 2014 Toy Story Bank On Hamm Ornament Underwhelms!

The Good: Generally good sculpt, Sound clip
The Bad: Very simplistic coloring/sculpt, Poor balance, Overpriced
The Basics: Somehow separated from the regular Disney ornaments, the Pixar Toy Story Bank On Hamm ornament is a simplistic ornament based on an utterly simple source, which is more likely to disappoint ornament fans than Disney aficionados.


As Christmas is about to hit, I’m hitting a neat milestone in my ornament reviews! With my review of the 2014 Bank On Hamm ornament from Toy Story, I have reviewed more ornaments from this year’s ornament releases than in any prior years! The Toy Story ornament is, oddly, separated in the Hallmark stores and catalogs from the rest of the Disney ornaments this year. The Bank On Hamm ornament is an ornament featuring the piggy bank character from the Toy Story franchise.

Hallmark created an ornament that is recognizable as Hamm from the Toy Story franchise. For those not familiar with the Toy Story films, one of the characters that has been in the entire franchise is a talking Piggy Bank named Hamm. Voiced by John Ratzenbeerger, the pig Hamm was similar to his Cheers character, acting as a know-it-all in the toy world. The piggy bank character on his own is the subject of the 2014 Bank On Hamm ornament!

Basics

Bank On Hamm ornament faithfully presents the simple, walking and talking piggy bank with no real flourishes or accents atypical to the basic character. The sculpt is simple, but recognizable for anyone who has seen Toy Story. The ornament, released in 2014, is one of the larger ornaments Hallmark released this year. Measuring three and a half inches long by two inches tall by two inches wide, the Bank On Hamm ornament came with an original retail price of $17.95 and I have not found it sold out at any Hallmark stores I have yet been to, which says something given that the ornament was part of the original July preview ornament push.

The Hallmark Bank On Hamm ornament is made of durable plastic. The piggy bank is colored in simplistic pink with black accents. The thing sculpt might be accurate, but it is very simple and not at all exciting. The coloring of the subject of Bank On Hamm ornament is perfect, if basic. This bright pink pig is accented only on the hooves, eyes, nostrils and ears. The fat-backed cartoonish pig has the appropriate slot on the top, so it looks like a piggy bank. It can actually hold a few pieces of change, if one actually wants to use it as one!

Unfortunately, the Bank On Hamm ornament has noticeable seams. While the one at the neck is appropriate for the character, the ones on the base are somewhat troubling and inaccurate, giving the ornament an assembled look.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Bank On Hamm has a sound chip, but not a light-up function. The Bank On Hamm ornament comes with batteries and with the push of a button on the ornament, the ornament plays one of five sound clips from Toy Story. John Ratzenberger’s voice is played loudly from the speaker on the bottom of the ornament. The sound clip is pretty neat.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Bank On Hamm ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. For those creating the ultimate Disney Christmas Tree, the Bank On Hamm ornament should have been an indispensible ornament. Unfortunately, its simplicity and balance cause it to fall a little short. The ornament has the standard steel hook loop embedded into the top of the ornament, right in front of the coin slot. From there, the ornament, when affixed to a tree with a hook, swings very easily and is noticeably back-heavy. Because of fidelity to the ornament’s subject, the Bank On Hamm ornament has to place the ornament hook loop too far forward to give the ornament good balance. The majority of the ornament is behind the hook loop – between that and the location of the equipment to activate the sound clip, the ornament is noticeably heavy in the back.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas of almost all major franchises like DC comics, The Wizard Of Oz and Harry Potter. Bank On Hamm ornament is one of several from Toy Story, albeit the only one for this year, and it is one of several Disney film-themed ornaments on the market this year. Sadly, this does not seem to be lighting the world on fire. It is, instead, a very cold seller, at least locally. I suspect that this will be easy to find after the holidays and when it is discounted, I doubt the price will rebound after the holidays.

Overview

Fans of John Ratzenberger, Disney, Pixar and Toy Story are likely to find the Bank On Hamm ornament unimpressive and overpriced. While not many Hallmark ornaments suffer from that, the Toy Story one this year, alas, does.

For other Disney-themed Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2014 Queen Elsa Frozen Limited Edition
2014 Jack's Peculiar Pet The Nightmare Before Christmas ornament
2014 The Daring Princess The Princess And The Frog ornament
2014 Rapunzel's Long Locks Tangled ornament
2014 The Little Mermaid 25th Anniversary ornament
2014 "This Is Halloween" The Nightmare Before Christmas ornament
2014 All Eyes On Belle Beauty And The Beast ornament
2014 Olaf Frozen ornament
2013 Under The Sea The Little Mermaid
2013 The Nightmare Before Christmas Jack’s Sleigh O’Scares
2013 Tiana's Party Dress The Princess And The Frog ornament
2013 Beautiful Belle Beauty And The Beast
2013 Fierce With A Frying Pan Tangled ornament
2013 Ariel's Big Dream The Little Mermaid ornament
2013 Merida The Archer Brave ornament
2012 The Circle Of Life The Lion King ornament
2012 Jack Sneaks A Peek The Nightmare Before Christmas ornament
2012 Monsters, Inc. ornament
2012 Merida Brave ornament
2012 It's All About The Hair Tangled ornament
2011 Rapunzel Tangled ornament
2011 CLU’s Light Cycle from Tron: Legacy ornament
2011 Up ornament
2011 A Snowy Surprise The Nightmare Before Christmas ornament
2011 Captain Jack Sparrow Pirates Of The Caribbean ornament
2010 Tron: Legacy Light Cycle ornament
2009 Welcome To Christmastown The Nightmare Before Christmas ornament

3.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Not As Intricate As It Is Expensive: The 2014 Flying Time Machine Back To The Future II Ornament Underwhelms!

The Good: Generally good sculpt, Generally good coloring
The Bad: Wheels don’t move, EXPENSIVE, No sound function, Seems small for the price.
The Basics: Fans of genre films might be surprised that Back To The Future II got Hallmark ornament treatment, but the 2014 Flying Time Machine ornament is, sadly, not enough to write home about!


When it comes to genre-themed Hallmark ornaments, one might be surprised by how many retro films are getting treated to ornaments this year. In fact, one of the oddest choices for an ornament is the Flying Time Machine ornament from Back To The Future, Part II, which was a fairly unpopular sequel. The ornament is recognizable as the pop culture icon of the Delorean-turned-time machine from the climax of Back To The Future and its sequels.

For those unfamiliar with the film, Back To The Future II (reviewed here!), Marty McFly and Doc Brown fly off into the future in an altered version of the Delorean, which had been retrofitted into a time machine twice. The 2014 Back To The Future II film ornament is the Flying Time Machine and it is very basic and very expensive for what it is.

Basics

The Flying Time Machine ornament features just the Delorean-turned-time machine, without any characters evident in it. The simple ornament is cast in sparkly sliver plastic and measures 4” long by 2" wide by 1 1/2” tall. With its light feature, the 2014 Flying Time Machine ornament commanded a $19.95 initial price, which made it one of the more expensive ornaments of its size.

The Hallmark “Flying Time Machine” ornament is well-cast in silver-gray plastic for the bulk of the vehicle ornament. The sculpt includes the Delorean’s boxy frame, turned down wheels (the time machine version of the Delorean turned the wheels and used them to levitate the vehicle), and the garbage-powered fusion engine affixed to the back of the vehicle. The Flying Time Machine ornament features the blue light strip that goes around the back of the car and is part of the front bumper.

The ornament features a surprising lack of fine details. The Delorean Flying Time Machine does not have movable wheels, translucent windows or actual mirrors. The light strip that surrounds the ornament is not in scale with the one on the time machine in Back To The Future Part II. On the basics, though, Hallmark got the sculpt and basic coloring of the Delorean right.

Features

Unlike most Hallmark Keepsake ornaments, the 2014 “Flying Time Machine” has no sound effect, but it does have a light function. Powered by watch batteries, with the press of a button found on the top of the ornament, the Flying Time Machine lights up. There is a two-part neon blue light strip on the front and back of the ornament and it lights up a little when the button is pressed. Given that the scenes from Back To The Future that have the flying version of the Delorean have decent dialogue, it is surprising that Hallmark could not get a sound clip to accompany the light effect.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake “Flying Time Machine” ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate genre movie Christmas Tree, the “Flying Time Machine” ornament is a mediocre addition. The ornament has a steel hook loop embedded into the top of the Delorean, at about the center of the car-turned-flying time machine. The loop's location is entirely necessary for the ornament and fairly obvious there. The “Flying Time Machine” ornament is noticeably back heavy from that location. Because the vehicle is supposed to be level, the fact that it has an upward pitch makes it look off.

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 (reviewed here!). Within a few years, virtually every classic film franchise, persona, and pop culture icon jumped on the bandwagon and began merchandising with Hallmark as well. Classic properties like Marilyn Monroe, The Wizard Of Oz and both Marvel and DC Comics have been made into Hallmark Keepsake Christmas ornaments. The “Flying Time Machine” is the only Back To The Future II ornament on the market in 2014 and one of only two from the franchise that Hallmark has produced. Fans of the film do not seem to be finding this ornament irresistible, as it appears perfectly available at every Hallmark Keepsake store I have been to since it was released in October. The ornament might end up being clearanced after the holidays, but it is unlikely to be a good investment piece; the balance issue and underwhelming nature of the ornament for the price make it a poor bet for appreciating back to the high original sticker price of $19.95.

Overview

Fans of Back To The Future II, science fiction movies and Hallmark ornaments will find the Flying Time Machine ornament to be overpriced, backheavy, and underdetailed for the price, making it a harder sell than it ought to have been.

For other genre movie vehicle Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2014 1989 Batmobile Batman ornament
2014 Sandcrawler Star Wars ornament
2014 U.S.S. Vengeance Star Trek Into Darkness ornament

4/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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An Annoying Concept Executed Very Well: The 2014 Yoda Peekbuster Ornament!

The Good: Great sculpt, Good sound effect, Most of the coloring.
The Bad: Monotones for the costume, Frontheavy, Sound clip plays poorly over time!
The Basics: The October Star Wars ornament release from Hallmark was a concept ornament in the form of the Yoda Peekbuster, which is pretty good . . . for what it is!


More than any other fandom that I have yet encountered, Star Wars fans seem to be the most receptive to concept figures and designs. For those unfamiliar with the terminology, concept figures are toys that are based upon original designs or ideas insinuated in, but not a part of, what is considered to be the canon of the franchise. Concept Star Wars figures include the likes of Bastila Shan (reviewed here!), a character who only appeared in the Star Wars novels and comic books. Hallmark has been expanding their ornament line in Star Wars and as they reach the end of their canonized characters, ships and situations, they have gotten creative. This year, Hallmark released a LEGO Boba Fett ornament (reviewed here!) and in October, they put out the Yoda Peekbuster ornament. When it comes to Star Wars, it is hard to go wrong with Yoda, Darth Vader and Boba Fett when testing the waters and because last year saw the emergence of the Darth Vader Peekbuster ornament, it is somewhat unsurprising that Yoda was next.

Yoda Peekbuster is a late-release Star Wars Hallmark character ornament that features a motion sensor and a series of unique sound clips designed to startle and delight those who come near it . . . and the presents it is set beside to guard! Based upon Yoda from the original Star Wars Trilogy, the Yoda Peekbuster looks like Yoda from The Empire Strikes Back (reviewed here!), save that he is on a snowy base with presents and cloaked in a Santa outfit, instead of being cast on the swamps of Dagobah.

Basics

The Yoda Peekbuster ornament recreates the alien Jedi in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2014, is the small creature staring outward, perhaps judgmentally, while wearing an incongruently festive Santa Claus outfit. Yoda is cast standing on a white snow-like base. He is wearing a red Santa hat and red Santa robe and leaning on his gimmer stick with his left hand while slightly extending his right. This Yoda ornament is just over 3 1/2" tall, 2 1/2" wide and 1 3/4" deep. Hallmark charged $19.95 for the ornament originally and I suspect I can still find it because that price is just a little steep for some people.

The Hallmark Yoda Peekbuster ornament is made of a durable plastic and has him holding his gimmer stick, standing amid presents with a noticeable Rebel insignia on one! He is the green-skinned humanoid originally embodied by a puppet. The ornament is molded with a decent amount of detailing. The character has the brow lines, toenails and fingernails that helped give Yoda more definition than the average puppet back in the day. The Santa outfit is molded to look like it has puffy fringe on the hat, cuffs, and bottom.

The coloring detail on Yoda Peekbuster is unfortunately erratic. Yoda himself is rendered and painted with such a level of detailing that he almost looks like a CG model could be made from him. The nooks and crannies on the characters face and the coloring of his nails and eyes are live-action quality and Hallmark has a lot to be proud of with that. Unfortunately, the costume and presents are colored in simple monotones. The result is incongruent; Yoda looks real, but enrobed in a perfectly clean costume that lacks the same level of realistic depth and shading.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Yoda Peekbuster has a sound chip but no light effect. When turned on, the Yoda Peekbuster is a motion-activated ornament. When it senses movement in the field before it, the Yoda Peekbuster speaks one of five admonishments to the person making the movement. Yoda calls out about how looking at presents early is not the way of the Jedi and how those who take presents early will be caught! The voice is close-enough to Frank Oz’s Yoda to make one believe they are being yelled at by Yoda!

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Yoda Peekbuster ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Wars Christmas Tree, the Yoda Peekbuster is very much a luxury which is likely to appeal only to the die-hard collectors or those who want to freak out their geeky children! This ornament has a steel hook loop embedded into the top center of the back of Yoda’s hat. From that hook, the Yoda Peekbuster ornament hangs noticeably downward. The ornament sways when rocked, but it is frontheavy, a fact accented by the slope of the base upon which Yoda stands.

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 (reviewed here!). Since then, they have branched out into other popular franchises like Star Wars and The Wizard Of Oz. The Yoda Peekbuster ornament is not as limited as many other Star Wars ornaments and has not appreciated in the secondary market yet, which makes sense because many Hallmark stores still have him on their shelves. At this point in the Star Wars ornament collections, fans are either sticking with what they know or accepting concept ornaments like the Peekbuster and LEGO Star Wars ornaments. I suspect that the novelty of this ornament will wear thin with people other than just myself and that it will be a while before it appreciates in value, especially because of its hefty initial price.

Overview

Untike most Star Wars ornaments, the Yoda Peekbuster has a lot to do with the Christmas holiday, but because the Star Wars Universe is not set in a place and time that would logically accept such a holiday, the ornament is a crapshoot with the fans. But, because concept figures go over so well with Star Wars fans and because there is some novelty and quality to it, I very lightly recommend the Yoda Peekbuster ornament to the open-minded collectors.

For other Hallmark ornaments of Star Wars characters, please check out my reviews of:
2014 Imperial Scout Trooper
2013 Jango Fett
2013 Wicket And Teebo
2013 Lego Yoda
2013 Boushh Limited Edition
2012 Lego Imperial Stormtrooper
2012 Sith Apprentice Darth Maul
2012 General Grievous
2012 Momaw Nadon Limited Edition
2011/2012 Lego Darth Vader
2011 Jedi Master Yoda
2011 Bossk Limited Edition ornament
2010 Lando Calrissian Limited Edition ornament
2010 Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot
2010 Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite mini-ornament set
2009 Greedo Limited Edition ornament
2009 Han Solo As Stormtrooper
2008 Emperor Palpatine ornament
2005 Slave Leia ornament
2000 Darth Maul
1999 Max Rebo Band mini-ornament set
1998 Princess Leia

6.5/10

For other holiday ornaments, please check out my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Neat Concept, Light On Detailing: The 2014 Cornelius Planet Of The Apes Hallmark Ornament Is Only Average!

The Good: Good sculpt, General coloring, Affordable
The Bad: Weird balance issue, Simplistic coloring, No feature
The Basics: The 2014 Hallmark Planet Of The Apes ornament of Cornelius is objectively average, with an odd balance issue offsetting the very precise sculpt.


As Christmas approaches at what seems to be an accelerated rate, I’m working on Christmas ornament reviews, while shoppers still have a chance to get them before the holiday (or, conversely, for discounts right after Christmas for the ones worth investing in!). One of the last genre ornaments that I had yet to review was the Cornelius Planet Of The Apes ornament that hit stores as part of Hallmark’s October release. The Cornelius ornament is, unfortunately, a study in average. It has a decent sculpt, but one of the weirdest balance issues I’ve seen on an ornament ever. It has surprisingly good coloring for some of its aspects, poor detailing on others. The result is an average ornament, at best.

Hallmark sculptor Kristina Gaughran created an ornament that is evocative of the film persona of Roddy McDowell as Cornelius from Planet Of The Apes for the Cornelius ornament. For those not familiar with Planet Of The Apes (reviewed here!), the villain was Cornelius, an ape who worked to keep apes in power over the human slaves. He and Dr. Zaius disagreed on the intelligence of humans who insisted they were intelligent.

It is Cornelius on a patch of ground, standing, looking slightly angrily, not in any iconic pose or moment, that is the subject of the 2014 Cornelius Hallmark ornament.

Basics

The 2014 Cornelius ornament faithfully recreates Cornelius in sculpt, if not in coloring, in his simple ape garments, standing on a small patch of rocky dirt. The ornament, released in 2014, is fair for an ornament based upon the costume used in the original Planet Of The Apes film. Measuring four and one-quarter inches tall by one and three-quarters inches wide by an inch and a quarter deep, the Cornelius ornament is the only Planet Of The Apes ornament released by Hallmark in stores in 2014 and was part of October’s push for classic genre film ornaments by Hallmark. The Cornelius ornament came with an original retail price of $14.95 and given that it has not been a sell-out at any of the Hallmark Gold Crown stores I have been to, I suspect it will be easily available after the holidays on discount.

The Hallmark Cornelius ornament is made of durable plastic. Cornelius’s costume is simple, but remarkably well-detailed. Cornelius is dressed in a simple tunic with a leather-looking bib. His hands are bare and hairy. His shoes are well-rendered and a cool conceit from the film; they are like gloves for the feet, with an individual compartment for each toe! Cornelius the ape stands, looking askew, with an angry look in his brown eyes.

The Cornelius ornament features a version of Cornelius who looks more like an animated version of the character than the live-action one based on Roddy McDowell. The skin tones have a reasonable amount of depth and shading based on the mask from the 1960s when the film was made. But the costume is clean and simplistic and it seems incongruent with the character in the outfit.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Cornelius could have a sound chip or light-up function. Given how many good lines Cornelius has in Planet Of The Apes, it is surprising that Hallmark opted against doing a sound clip for the ornament.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Cornelius ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate movie nostalgia Christmas Tree, the Cornelius ornament is very much an unnecessary one. Oddly, the ornament is bottom, back heavy, with the front bottom of the ground leaning forward and up at a noticeable angle. The ornament has the standard steel hook loop embedded into the top, center of the back of Cornelius’s head at a pretty obvious position. From there, the ornament, when affixed to a tree with a hook, swings very easily and is clearly weighted more to the back (an effect accented by the base).

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas of almost all major franchises like DC comics, The Wizard Of Oz and Harry Potter. The Cornelius ornament just began selling at the October Preview Weekend and seems to be pretty easy to find still. Given the problems with the balance and inconsistent coloring for this ornament, along with the general lack of relevance for Planet Of The Apes, it is doubtful it will be a sell-out and appreciate in value any time soon.

Overview

Fans of Cornelius, Roddy McDowell, and Planet Of The Apes are likely to be utterly unimpressed by the Cornelius ornament. It is fair and the price is inexpensive, but it is one of those ornaments that is hard to get excited about going out of one’s way for.

For other film-themed Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2014 Alien 35th Anniversary ornament
2014 Bane The Dark Knight Rises ornament
2014 Scarlett’s White Dress Gone With The Wind ornament

5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The 2014 The Daring Princess The Princess And The Frog Ornament Holds Up!

The Good: Decent sculpted details, Cute glitter, Affordable
The Bad: No sound clip, Slightly back-heavy
The Basics: The 2014 "The Daring Princess" from The Princess And The Frog ornament is a well-sculpted, well-colored ornament is cool, but somewhat simplistic.


For no reason I can determine, Hallmark ornaments from The Princess And The Frog tend to get reviewed by me later in the season. I only realized this as I sat down to review this year’s The Daring Princess ornament. Hallmark has an extensive line of Disney-themed holiday ornaments and a number of them are wonderful. The Daring Princess is this year’s The Princess And The Frog and it is actually one of the better ones this year.

For those unfamiliar with The Princess And The Frog (reviewed here!), the young waitress Tiana slowly gets over her preconceptions about life, relationships and work. After an adventure with a transformed man where she is transformed into a frog by a voodoo prince, Tiana is more open minded and adventurous. At that point, she tries kissing the frog/prince and it is Tiana kissing the frog that is the subject of the Hallmark The Daring Princess ornament.

Basics

The "The Daring Princess" ornament recreates Tiana as she appeared at the end of The Princess And The Frog, in the climactic and iconic pose of Tiana kissing the frog. The ornament, released in 2014, is a very accurate sculpt of Tiana the waitress turned princess in the act of kissing the frog. While it is simplistic, it is accurate for the subjects and the frog actually has pretty impressive detailing.

Measuring three and three-quarters inches tall, two and one-quarters inches wide and deep, the "The Daring Princess" ornament is an average-sized Disney character ornament. As well, it is one of the more affordable ones at only $14.95.

The Hallmark "The Daring Princess" ornament is made of a durable plastic and has Tiana, with her gloved hands raised, frog in her right palm, lips about to touch the frog. The ornament is sculpted accurately and looks wonderful, with wonderful detailing for the sash and texturing on the hair. In addition to the costume, Hallmark did an incredibly job with the sculpt of the tiara on Tiana’s head. The Daring Princess is colored in monotones, though there is a little bit of depth and shading to her lips and cheeks. The dress and tiara have glitter on it and the paintjob is good. Tiana’s eyes are perfectly rendered and the coloring on the frog is impressive given how small the frog is!

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "The Daring Princess" could have a sound effect, but it does not. Instead, this is a less-expensive option that is just the character.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "The Daring Princess" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Disney movie Christmas Tree, the "The Daring Princess" ornament is arguably the best of the The Princess And The Frog ornaments. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top center of Tiana’s head. This is fairly well-obscured by the character’s tiara and obviously, it is necessary for the ornament. Unfortunately, at that position, The Daring Princess hangs just a little off. The ornament is a little back-heavy, so Tiana is essentially leaning up.

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 (reviewed here!). Within a few years, every major franchise from Star Wars to A Nightmare Before Christmas to Indiana Jones started making Hallmark ornaments. "The Daring Princess" is one of many The Princess And The Frog ornaments the company has released and one of several Disney ornaments on the market for 2014. This ornament has not sold out at any of the local Hallmarks I’ve been to, but it might still be one of the better investments for collectors as ornaments from The Princess And The Frog have historically held their value at the very least; if found on clearance, the market should bounce back pretty quickly.

Overview

Fans of The Princess And The Frog, Disney, Tiana, and Hallmark ornaments are likely to want the The Daring Princess ornament, which is likely to meet expectations, at the very least.

For other Disney-themed Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2014 Queen Elsa Frozen Limited Edition
2014 Jack's Peculiar Pet The Nightmare Before Christmas ornament
2014 Rapunzel's Long Locks Tangled ornament
2014 The Little Mermaid 25th Anniversary ornament
2014 "This Is Halloween" The Nightmare Before Christmas ornament
2014 All Eyes On Belle Beauty And The Beast ornament
2014 Olaf Frozen ornament
2013 Under The Sea The Little Mermaid
2013 The Nightmare Before Christmas Jack’s Sleigh O’Scares
2013 Tiana's Party Dress The Princess And The Frog ornament
2013 Beautiful Belle Beauty And The Beast
2013 Fierce With A Frying Pan Tangled ornament
2013 Ariel's Big Dream The Little Mermaid ornament
2013 Merida The Archer Brave ornament
2012 The Circle Of Life The Lion King ornament
2012 Jack Sneaks A Peek The Nightmare Before Christmas ornament
2012 Monsters, Inc. ornament
2012 Merida Brave ornament
2012 It's All About The Hair Tangled ornament
2011 Rapunzel Tangled ornament
2011 CLU’s Light Cycle from Tron: Legacy ornament
2011 Up ornament
2011 A Snowy Surprise The Nightmare Before Christmas ornament
2011 Captain Jack Sparrow Pirates Of The Caribbean ornament
2010 Tron: Legacy Light Cycle ornament
2009 Welcome To Christmastown The Nightmare Before Christmas ornament

7.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Good, But Not Extraordinary: The Hallmark 2014 1989 Batmobile Ornament Is Cool!

The Good: Generally good sculpt, Generally good coloring
The Bad: Wheels don’t move, Seems small for the price.
The Basics: For 2014, the 25th Anniversary of Tim Burton’s Batman is commemorated by the Hallmark 1989 Batmobile ornament, which is all right.


With all of the reviews I have done, it actually surprised me to learn that I have never reviewed an ornament of a vehicle before! The closest, it turns out, that I ever came, was the Mr. Plow ornament (reviewed here!). But, with my love of most things from DC Entertainment, I felt compelled to give this year’s Hallmark ornament from Tim Burton’s Batman. The ornament is the 1989 Batmobile ornament and it is a fair, but not superlative, ornament.

For those unfamiliar with the film, Batman (reviewed here!), Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego drives around in a sleek black vehicle that allows him to survive attacks from bullets and rescue Vicki Vale. Batman drives around Gotham City in the Batmobile and each film features a different one. The 2014 Batman film ornament is the 1989 Batmobile and it is pretty cool.

Basics

The 1989 Batmobile ornament features just the Batmobile, without any characters evident in it. The simple ornament is cast in glossy black plastic and measures 4 1/4” long by 1 3/4" wide by 1” tall. With its sound feature, the 2014 1989 Batmobile ornament commanded a $17.95 initial price.

The Hallmark “1989 Batmobile” ornament is well-cast in black plastic. It includes the Batmobile’s wings, boxy cockpit and missile-like shape. The 1989 Batmobile ornament features such precisely-sculpted molded details like the tiny bat symbols on hubcaps. The symbols are painted on with gray paint and are one of the few painted accents on the ornament. The 1989 Batmobile has very simplistic coloring to it, but the Batmobile did as well.

While the ornament features a surprisingly ornate level of sculpted detailing to the bottom of the Batmobile, the 1989 Batmobile does not have movable wheels. That undermines the feeling of value to this ornament.

Features

Unlike most Hallmark Keepsake ornaments, the 2014 “1989 Batmobile” has no light effect, but it does have a sound clip that it plays. Powered by watch batteries, with the press of a button found on the back, top, of the ornament, the 1989 Batmobile plays the Danny Elfman theme to the film Batman. This seemed to be one of the more energetic themes from Batman, as opposed to the brooding piece that is perhaps more familiar to fans of the franchise. Regardless, the action-oriented theme is a decent one and fits the ornament well.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake “1989 Batmobile” ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate DC Comics-themed Christmas Tree, the “1989 Batmobile” ornament is a good addition. The ornament has a steel hook loop embedded into the top of the Batmobile, back near the “wings.” The loop's location is surprisingly unobtrusive given it is on top of the vehicle and it is necessary for the ornament. The “1989 Batmobile” ornament is well-balanced from that location. Because the vehicle is supposed to be level, the fact that it is well-balanced makes the ornament work conceptually like it is supposed to.

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 (reviewed here!). Within a few years, virtually every classic film franchise, persona, and pop culture icon jumped on the bandwagon and began merchandising with Hallmark as well. Classic properties like Marilyn Monroe, The Wizard Of Oz and both Marvel and DC Comics have been made into Hallmark Keepsake Christmas ornaments. “1989 Batmobile” is one of three Batman ornaments on the market in 2014. Fans of the film do not seem to be finding this ornament irresistible, as it appears perfectly available at every Hallmark Keepsake store I have been to since it was released in October. The ornament might end up as a decent investment piece if it is picked up on clearance after the holidays.

Overview

Fans of Batman, Tim Burton and Hallmark ornaments will find the 1989 Batmobile ornament to be worthwhile, even if it is not quite as nice in reality as the promo pictures for it made it out to be. The ornament is immaculately sculpted, but feels bland for its price. It is, still, worthwhile!

For other DC Universe Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2014 Bane The Dark Knight Rises (Limited Edition)
2014 Defender Of Mankind Superman
2013 Man Of Steel
2013 Descending Upon Gotham City Batman ornament
2012 The Bat The Dark Knight Rises Limited Edition Ornament
2012 Catwoman ornament
2012 "Beware My Power" Green Lantern ornament
2012 The Dark Knight Rises
2011 Batman Takes Flight
2011 Green Lantern
2010 Limited Edition Harley Quinn
2009 Wonder Woman ornament

6.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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For The 75th Anniversary, Hallmark’s Gone With The Wind Limited Edition Ornament – Scarlett’s White Dress – Underwhelms!

The Good: Generally good sculpt, Generally good coloring
The Bad: Animated look, Overpriced, Overproduced, No functions, A few paint issues, Balance issues
The Basics: For 2014, Gone With The Wind got a 75th Anniversary ornament from Hallmark, but Scarlett’s White Dress is a tougher sell to discriminating collectors!


This year, I’m learning a lot about film and pop culture history. It turns out that this is the 75th Anniversary of both Marvel Comics and Gone With The Wind’s theatrical release. As a part of their celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Gone With The Wind, Hallmark released a limited edition ornament. Out since Ornament Preview Weekend, the Gone With The Wind Scarlett’s White Dress ornament might be limited edition, but it is hardly extraordinary.

For those unfamiliar with the film, Gone With The Wind (reviewed here!) is led by a female protagonist, Scarlett O’Hara. At one point in the film – I’ve not seen it in years! – Scarlett gets dolled up in a puffy white dress. In that, she is the model of Southern affluence and society.

Basics

The Scarlett’s White Dress ornament features Scarlett O’Hara in her white cotton dress standing with her hands in front of her, with flowers in her right hand. The ornament includes Scarlett with her hair down and red sash. The ornament, released in 2014, is cast in solid ceramic and is one of the heaviest Gone With The Wind ornaments yet made. This incarnation is an iconic Scarlett O’Hara look and outfit.

Scarlett’s White Dress is a decent sculpt for an ornament, albeit a bit simple. This version of Scarlett’s White Dress lacks a realism of human qualities that is possible in ornaments today. If there was an animated version of Gone With The Wind, this would be a great sculpt and coloring job. But Gone With The Wind was not an animated movie, so having ornaments that look that way is just problematic, especially for an anniversary celebration ornament. Measuring four and one-half inches tall, the ornament is three and a half inches wide and three and a quarter inches deep. The “Scarlett’s White Dress” ornament is a surprisingly lackluster Hallmark ornament for the higher-than-average issue price.

The Hallmark “Scarlett’s White Dress” ornament is made of ceramic and is one of the more breakable ornaments Hallmark released this year. This ornament features Scarlett alone. The coloring on Scarlett’s White Dress is generally good. The face actually looks pretty good and the flowers are well-colored. The fingers are the only issue for the coloring; the hands are pretty decently colored, but the lines between them are disappointingly pink!

Features

Unlike most Hallmark Keepsake ornaments, the 2014 “Scarlett’s White Dress” has no sound or light effects.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake “Scarlett’s White Dress” ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate movie nostalgia Christmas Tree, the “Scarlett’s White Dress” ornament is a mediocre one. The ornament has a somewhat occluded copper hook loop embedded into the top back center of O'Hara's head. The loop's location is fairly unobtrusive and necessary for the ornament. The “Scarlett’s White Dress” ornament is incredibly heavy and it sways slightly when hung from a hook on the loop. In addition to being heavy, the balance for the ornament is a bit off; the back of the ornament is heavier than the rest, so the ornament leans forward from the back in a noticeable and troubling way.

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 (reviewed here!). Within a few years, virtually every classic film franchise jumped on the bandwagon and began merchandising with Hallmark as well. Classic properties like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, The Wizard Of Oz and Gone With The Wind have been made into Hallmark Keepsake Christmas ornaments. “Scarlett’s White Dress” is one of the only Gone With The Wind ornaments on the market and one of two for the franchise in 2014. Fans of the book and film did not buy up the ornament its first weekend out. Given how many of this ornament were easily available at three of my local Hallmarks, I suspect that this did not land any better with fans and will make for a poor investment ornament.

Overview

Fans of Gone With The Wind, Scarlett’s O’Hara, Vivien Leigh, and Hallmark ornaments are likely to be utterly unimpressed by the Scarlett’s White Dress ornament. Given how heavy it is and how the coloring is not as precise as it ought to be, it is one that fans may pass by, anniversary or not!

For other Gone With The Wind Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2013 Scarlett’s Green Gown
2012 Scarlett Meets Her Match
2011 Almost A Kiss
2010 Scarlett O’Hara
2009 Frankly, My Dear

4/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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An Ornament Worth Breaking Out To Find: The 2014 Hulk Smash! Ornament!

The Good: Good casting of the character, Neat sound clip, Good balance, Price.
The Bad: Coloring is just off enough to be problematic!
The Basics: Even those who are not a fan of the comic book version of the Incredible Hulk will find a lot to like in Hallmark’s 2014 Hulk Smash! ornament.


When it comes to Hallmark ornaments, there are so many great ones worth picking up that the purpose of a review like this can be to help consumers decide which ones are essential and which are less so. When it comes to superhero ornaments, most fans of specific heroes are going to buy the ornaments regardless of their actual quality. But for those who are more discriminating, things like balance, cost and coloring do have an effect. With Hallmark’s 2014 Hulk Smash! ornament, consumers get quite a lot to enjoy. When the biggest critique one might come up with for the ornament is that its coloring makes it unclear if it is trying to emulate the CG-rendered live-action version of the Hulk or the comic book character, the ornament is probably still worth buying, regardless of the answer!

For those unfamiliar with the concept, the Hulk returned to the big screen with The Avengers (reviewed here!), this time played by Mark Ruffalo. In The Avengers, the Hulk is manipulated by Loki to engineer the Asgaard trickster’s escape and try to break up Nick Fury’s team.

It is the Hulk, mid-step, mid-punch, that is the subject of the 2014 Hallmark Hulk Smash! ornament!

Basics

The Hulk Smash! ornament recreates the out-of-control hero in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2014, is a pretty incredible recreation of the popular character as he appears in the film The Avengers or in the comic books. In addition to the Hulk himself, there is a piece of ground, which ic being crushed under his right heel that is attached to the ornament.

Hulk is the crazed green giant and for this ornament, he appears to be running and about to punch someone or something! The ornament, like the character, is dominated by green. The thing is, the Hulk in The Avengers was barely seen in ridiculous purple shorts; that is his outfit in the comic books. But the coloring on the Hulk Smash! ornament features fine green veins that accent the bulging, sculpted muscles. That level of color detailing is much more precise and intricate than the comic book version of the character!

The Hallmark Hulk Smash! ornament is made of a durable plastic and is rendered without any noticeable seams between the character and the ground upon which he stands. The Hulk Smash! ornament measures out at 4 1/2" tall, 3 7/8" wide and 3” deep. His coloring is weird; too monotonal to be the movie version, too many accents to be the comic book version. The base is an amazingly realistic looking little chunk of rock that is being crushed under the Hulk’s foot.

The Hulk in the Hulk Smash! ornament is sculpted with wonderful muscle details, a disproportionately small head (which is realistic) and good texturing on the character’s hair.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Hulk Smash! has a sound chip, but no light effect. When a decently-disguised button on the base of the ornament is pressed, the batteries powering the ornament allow a sound clip to be played. The Hulk delivers dialogue about crushing things and he roars and the effect is pretty neat. It does not, also, appear to be Mark Ruffalo’s voice that is used for the ornament’s sound clip. The sound clip is a pretty neat accent for the ornament and regardless of whose voice is being used, they got the sound of the Green Goliath right!

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake The Amazing Hulk ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. For those creating the ultimate Marvel Universe Christmas Tree, a Hulk ornament is essential and this one is arguably the best Hallmark has done for the character so far. The ornament has a steel hook loop embedded in the top of the right shoulders of the ornament. From that loop a hook allows the Hulk Smash! ornament to hang without any awkward bias or balance issues. It still moves when one’s tree is knocked, but generally, this hangs quite nicely and looks very well-balanced, like Hulk is mid-step.

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 (reviewed here!). Since then, Hallmark has gotten into every major franchise from Disney to Twilight to the Marvel Comics universe. The Hulk Smash! ornament was not at all limited, but given how good the ornament is, it is hard not to bet that it will sell-out before it is clearanced. As one of the larger Marvel ornaments and one of the few with a feature, the Hulk Smash! ornament seems reasonably priced at $17.95. If any do remain after the holidays, it is a “strong buy” for investors who should be able to at least get the full retail price for it right away!

Overview

The Hulk Smash! ornament might not clearly be the Hulk from The Avengers or the comic book, but he is undeniably The Hulk in look and sound clip, which should be enough to please virtually all Marvel Universe fans!

For other Marvel Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2014 War Machine Iron Man 3 ornament
2014 Captain America from Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2014 Web-Slinging Wonder The Amazing Spider-Man 2
2013 Iron Patriot Iron Man 3 ornament
2012 Captain America The Avengers ornament
2012 Iron Man The Avengers ornament
2012 Thor The Avengers ornament
2012 The Amazing Spider-Man ornament
2011 Spider-Man ornament
2011 Thor ornament
2010 Defender Of Justice Iron Man 2 ornament

8/10

For other ornament reviews, please check out my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Ornate, Delicate, Unremarkable: The 2014 Limited Edition Sound The Trumpet Hallmark Ornament Is Mediocre!

The Good: Generally decent sculpt, Well-painted, Neat sparkles on the snowflake
The Bad: Odd balance, Low collectible value, breakable/fragile
The Basics: The 2014 "Sound The Trumpet!" limited edition ornament is a cute reward for Hallmark shoppers . . . but not an ornament worth going out of one’s way to track down.


It is worth noting right at the top of my review of the Sound The Trumpet! Hallmark ornament that I am always thrilled to get anything for free at any place that I regularly shop. As an avid collector and reviewer of Hallmark ornaments, I have done quite a bit of shopping at Hallmark Keepsake stores this year. As a result, I was one of many people who was rewarded with a free ornament this year. That is a cool thing, getting something for nothing (save the cost of the trip . . . and buying things I would have bought anyway at set times!).

All that said, reviewing an ornament objectively, there is something unsurprising about Hallmark using the Sound The Trumpet! ornament as a freebie; the ornament is fragile and I’m not sure who the market is that the ornament is trying to appeal to. In other words, I’m not sure who would have paid for the Sound The Trumpet! ornament.

Basics

The Sound The Trumpet! ornament is a marching band member, dressed almost like a nutcracker, carrying a disproportionately large trumpet! Emerging from the trumpet is an even bigger snowflake. The ornament, released in 2014, is a limited edition ornament that was released in November as a reward to customers who bought ornaments during Ornament Preview and Release weekends.

Hallmark made a very simple ornament with an odd sense of balance for the Sound The Trumpet! ornament. Measuring two and three-quarters inches from back to front, two and three-eighths inches tall and one and a quarter inches wide (thanks to the trumpet’s bell), the "Sound The Trumpet!" ornament is a small Hallmark ornament.

The Hallmark "Sound The Trumpet!" ornament is made of plastic and because it has very thin pieces for the legs, arms and feet, it is a bit more fragile than many other Hallmark ornaments. As well, my local Hallmark had taken to opening the Sound The Trumpet ornaments they received up because the snowflake inside, apparently, had broken out of the trumpet’s horn on some! Potential breakage aside, the Sound The Trumpet! ornament is constructed recognizably-enough. The coloring is done entirely in monotones, which is fine. Most of the musician is red and brown with bronze accents. The painted details are rendered fairly well on this with nice detailing for things like the rosy cheeks and tiny eyes. Like so many Hallmark ornaments this year, the snowflake has glitter accents. The sparkle effect is neat.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "Sound The Trumpet!" could have a sound effect, but it does not. Instead, this is a less-expensive option that is just the very basic, animated-looking character.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "Sound The Trumpet!" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas tree. And the "Sound The Trumpet!" ornament is all right, though the balance is weird. The ornament has the brass hook loop embedded firmly into the body of the trumpet’s horn. From there, the Sound The Trumpet! ornament hangs with the trumpet bell ascending at a decent angle upward. The thing is, the placement of the feet make the ornament look like it is off-balance because neither foot hangs in a way that makes it look like a realistic step; one foot is descending, the other is kicking up! Despite that, the ornament looks good when hung.

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 (reviewed here!). Within a few years, every major franchise from Star Wars to A Nightmare Before Christmas to Indiana Jones started making Hallmark ornaments. "Sound The Trumpet!" is a non-genre ornament that is limited edition, which leads buyers to hope it has an inherent collectible value. Honestly, given how many my local Hallmark said were broken in the initial release and the otherwise unremarkable nature of it, it seems like it would be a tough ornament to want to invest in . . . if it could even be bought!

Overview

Fans of Christmas in general and generic Christmas ornaments are likely to find the Sound The Trumpet! ornament a safe buy, but even for them, it is unremarkable.

For other non-genre Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2014 White Chocolate Moose Limited Edition ornament
2014 Mice Cream Sundae Limited Edition ornament
2014 Kissed For Kaycee Limited Edition ornament

4/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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D’Oh! Ho! Ho! Returns The Simpsons To Hallmark Ornaments For My 200th Ornament Review!

The Good: Good detailing, Great sculpt, Neast sound clip
The Bad: Front-heavy, Only one sound clip
The Basics: Hallmark's "D’oh! Ho! Ho!" ornament is a worthwhile new The Simpsons ornament, despite its few faults.


It seems like it has been a long time since Hallmark Keepsake produced an ornament from The Simpsons. In fact, in my years of reviewing ornaments, the only The Simpsons ornament I’ve tracked down and reviewed so far is the Mr. Plow ornament (reviewed here!). For 2014 and in time to be my 200th ornament review, I managed to track down a new ornament from The Simpsons! This year, the ornament is the "D’oh! Ho! Ho!" ornament.

For those unfamiliar with "D’oh! Ho! Ho!," early on in The Simpsons, Homer takes a job as a mall Santa. At that time, Bart encountered him and unbearded Santa. It is Bart, sitting on Santa Homer’s lap, pulling off his beard, that is the subject of the “D’oh! Ho! Ho!” ornament. To add extra value to this ornament, Hallmark provided the "D’oh! Ho! Ho!" ornament with an impressive sound chip.

Basics

The "D’oh! Ho! Ho!" ornament recreates Homer Simpson on his stuffed chair, dressed as Santa Claus. Bart sits on his right knee, looking at him and pulling off Homer’s fake Santa beard. The ornament includes Homer, Bart and the chair as one solid piece. The ornament, released in 2014, is as authentic-looking as it can be considering it is based upon an animated work for the source material. Because everything in The Simpsons is colored in simple solid colors (without human shading or details), the ornament appropriately does not have any coloring depth or shading to it.

Still, Hallmark clearly made an effort on the "D’oh! Ho! Ho!" ornament and almost everything about the ornament looks good and functions well. Homer Simpson has adequate detailing in his eyes and on his beard. While the chair is incredibly simple, Bart is detailed in his jacket, with its hood and zipper front. Santa Homer has buckles on his shoes and a wonderfully-detailed grimace. I was impressed by the jagged look to the Santa beard; it looked just like the style of the animation of the early The Simpsons. Measuring four inches tall, two and three-quarter inches wide and two and three-eighths inches deep, the "D’oh! Ho! Ho!" ornament is one of the larger Hallmark ornaments this year. Given that it has a sound feature, it has a fairly competitively-priced release price of $19.95, though that still seemed near being “expensive” to me.

The Hallmark "D’oh! Ho! Ho!" ornament is made of a durable plastic, but because it is colored in simple bright colors, it looks a little cheaper, though it is just as strong as other Hallmark ornaments. This ornament remains fairly easy to find at Hallmark stores, so there is no reason (yet) to look for it in the secondary market, despite the fact that The Simpsons and sound chip are pretty popular. This ornament features a battery to power the sound effects. I was impressed by how the ornament is put together without any major exposed seams!

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "D’oh! Ho! Ho!" has a sound effect, but no light effect. On the chair, there is a fairly-concealed button. The button, when pressed, activates the sound chip. The sound chip actually contains a single sound clip from The Simpsons. This sound clip is not just an exchange of dialog between Homer and Bart. After slipping and calling Bart by his name, the boy presses Homer and bugs him into getting angry. That’s pretty cute, but it is a clip with low replayability; it is hardly one of the more interesting exchanges of dialog between Homer and Bart, though it fits the theme of the ornament well.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "D’oh! Ho! Ho!" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Christmas Tree for The Simpsons, the "D’oh! Ho! Ho!" ornament is a worthwhile addition. The ornament has the standard steel hook loop embedded into the top center of the back of the chair. This is fairly obvious and necessary for the ornament.

From the steel hook loop, the D’oh! Ho! Ho! ornament hangs as best it can, but it is very front-heavy. The ornament leans forward in a pretty dramatic way that is very noticeable, especially considering the fact that the chair should look like it is sitting flat on the ground, but it is tipped.

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, Fox jumped on the bandwagon and began merchandising The Simpsons in the Christmas ornaments. "D’oh! Ho! Ho!" was the only The Simpsons ornament released for 2014 and fans seem to like it, though it is quite common. Even so, this ornament appears to be more than adequately produced and is not likely to be a great investment piece.

Overview

Fans of the The Simpsons franchise, Homer Simpson, Bart Simpson, and Hallmark ornaments are likely to find this to be a cute and well-made ornament that is worth picking up, even if it is not quite perfect!
For other Hallmark ornaments from different genre works, please check out my reviews of:
2014 Alien Alien30th Anniversary ornament
2014 Bane (Limited Edition!) The Dark Knight Rises ornament
2014 Queen Elsa Frozen ornament

9/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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