With the Dream Book Party, and its accompanying Keepsake Ornament Sneak Peek presentation, being Saturday, this week’s throwback Thursday takes you back to the very first sneak peek, a sneak peek that predates the ornament line itself.

The First Four
Sue Tague’s Elves Were There at the Start

Artist Sue Tague can personally trace Keepsake Ornaments’ history back full circle–and for her the circle is actually a ball ornament.

The story really begins with four ball ornaments decorated with original artwork–something that hadn’t been seen on the market before.

On December 13, 1972, Hallmark explored the ornament marketing potential by shipping boxes, each containing four ball ornaments, to drug stores around the country. An accompany letter asked the drug store owners to evaluate the ornament samples–because they might be part of a new Hallmark product line.

One of the ornaments in the box was called Elves, and Sue’s original artwork was on it. The others were Betsey Clark (Musicians), Santa With Elves, and Manger Scene.

Needless to say, those who saw the ornaments were enthusiastic. The original four ornaments went from being samples for drug store owners to becoming part of the first Keepsake Ornaments line–comprised of only 18 ornaments–shipped in 1973.

After her initial ornament success, it took Sue almost 20 years to officially become a Keepsake Ornaments artist.  Though she began working for Hallmark in 1964, she joined the Keepsake studio in 1994. For most of her Hallmark career she illustrated greeting cards and books–specializing in a kind of character style called “Charmers.” In fact, it was her illustrations of charming little elves that earned her the chance to join the select group of artists designing the first set of Hallmark ornaments.

“I had done drawings of tiny elves in Little Seeds of Wisdom, which was a card line that was made into a gift book,” Sue recalls. “Since elves are part of holiday legend, I was asked to design an ornament with elves.” And the rest is history.  Sue says she’s still a bit surprised at how quickly Keepsake Ornaments became popular.

“At the time, I hadn’t seen Christmas ornaments with original artwork on them,” she recalls. “I remember asking myself if anyone would like them. I guess they did!”

Reprint of: “The First Four, Sue Tague’s Elves Were There at the Start”
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments, The Inside Stories From the Artists Who Create Them by John Peterson.