I remember friends and family planning their ‘day after Christmas’ strategy to get to the Hallmark Store first to snatch up bargain Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments on sale. Others ‘gift’ a Hallmark Keepsake ornament to their children or grandchildren each year as a tradition.  And many are part of clubs who collect and thrive on finding certain ornaments to complete their collection. What about you? Are you hooked on Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments?

Where did all this ornament business begin anyway?

“The practice of decorating trees with ornaments was one that was brought to the US by those arriving from Europe to settle in the States. It can be traced to around the mid 1840s and the business really started to take off at the end of the 1800s when the Woolworth stores sold and made big profits off cheap but desirable Christmas tree decorations.

It was much later in the 1970s when Hallmark first entered the Christmas Ornament business – six glass balls stood as the initial offering in what was to become a highly sort after and collectable business – Hallmark Keepsakes – Keepsakes.  What made the Hallmark ornaments stand apart from the competition, is the same thing that makes them unique today – they are all dated, they are unique and they can only be purchased for a limited period of time – when they are sold, they are sold; leaving the collector to seek out sites such as eBay in order to trace their coverted piece!

Each year the ornaments reflect the time in which we live and the collection has expanded to over 3000 pieces in a variety of mediums, colors and themes. What started as a glass ball has changed very drastically over the years with the latest collection of ornaments not only featuring some of the old favorites   -such as one of the many series pieces that Hallmark has produced over the years – Lionel Trains, Celebration Barbie and Madam Alexander; to a beloved favorite character or theme – Mickey Mouse, Scooby Doo and Star Trek; to something that reflects the time and place we find ourselves in today – yes, the 2006 collection features a MP3 player, a Cellphone, a large cup of coffee that looks remarkable similar to one we would find at a well known nationwide coffee chain and a laptop!!” from the article Knowing and Collecting Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments.

Lookie What I Did blog shares their adorable “Hallmark Tree,” dedicated to Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments they have collected over the years.

We offer four collectible ornaments in Grandma’s Treasures Online! None are pricey and each are very endearing in their own way.