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Stocking Stuffers
1st in the series.

“All of the critters in this stocking are pets I’ve personally known and loved. The bird is my beloved cockatiel Opie, who lived to the ripe old age of 25. The hamster is Wiley, a friendly little hammie I had in college. The dog was inspired by my sister’s feisty schnauzer, Russell. The kitten has the same sweet face as my niece’s cat, Nala. And as a child, I had a bunny named Thumper that looked just like the bunny in the stocking!”

Nina Aubé’s family didn’t have a fireplace mantel when she was growing up but that didn’t stop them from hanging Christmas stockings. They simply improvised and hung them on their buffet drawer handles! So, creating this first in the Stocking Stuffers series brought back great memories for Nina.

“Upon awakening at the crack of dawn, it was tradition for my two sisters and me to make a beeline for our stockings. We’d immediately start gobbling up the candy inside. There was always a small gift in each stocking, in my case usually a small animal figurine or doll. I adored tiny toys and objects and still do, so perhaps that inspired me to put cute little animals in this ornament. Plus, I love animals, of course!”

Nina hopes the personal connections that inspired her design of this ornament will bring you fond memories of your own traditions that you’ll share those memories with loved ones.

2022 SNEAK PEEK

Stocking Stuffers
2nd in the series.

You can look forward to a different Keepsake artist creating a new Stocking Stuffers ornament for this series every year, adding to the meaning and memories behind each design. Anita Marra Rogers will bring you the second in the series in 2022.

Gnome for Christmas
1st in the Series.

Introducing Gregor Benedetti’s new series, Gnome for Christmas! Featuring playful pals good Gnaughty and Gnice, the series highlights their mischievous antics and festive fun.

“My initial inspiration was to come up with my own unique brand of good storytelling with a little humor sprinkled in. These two characters celebrate Christmas in different but complementary ways. And although all their future festive misadventures, at the end of the day they’ll always know how to sit back, relax and have a good laugh just like all the best, odd couples.”

Gregor also credits members of the Keepsake Ornament Club for inspiring him. “I had my first opportunity to meet the amazing Keepsake fans at the 2019 KOC Convention. Chatting with them and seeing their passion for ornaments influenced me greatly!”

2022 SNEAK PEEK

Gnome for Christmas
2nd in the series.

Here’s a little sneak peek at Gregor’s second ornament in the series, available in 2022.

“It’s my love letter to the fans and club members that I met at the Keepsake event. And keep a look out because coming up with new ideas for this series will be mostly inspired by you in years to come!”

Holiday Parade
3rd in the series.

Tammy Haddix loves to put as much storytelling as she can into her ornaments, and her Holiday Parade series is a great example of how she brings those stories to life. Each vehicle in the parade tells a mini-story about a fellow Keepsake artist!

The third ornament in the series joins the parade this year, featuring Robert’s snow removal truck. “This design is inspired by Robert Hurlburt and the fact that he lives in the country, over an hour away from Hallmark headquarters. Several times he has gotten trapped and was unable to make it into work because of flooding or snowstorms. I thought Robert definitely needed his own snow plow, so he can clear his own path!”

As she began this series, Tammy found inspiration in the quaint, small-town feel of North Kansas City. “My husband and I love taking our boys to the Snake Saturday Parade in North Kansas City. I also love how the town decorates for Christmas, so I thought a parade in a cute little Christmas Town would be a fun idea, using trucks as a way to tie it all together.

Tammy hopes having a glimpse into the stories of each artist she features will be a fun way of getting to know them all.

2022 SNEAK PEEK

Holiday Parade
4th in the series.

Here’s a sneak peek of the next ornament in the parade, inspired by Kristina Gaughran!

“The Christmas tree is a fairy house, and there are lots of little touches to tell Kristina’s story that you’ll hear later!”

Cookie Cutter Christmas
10th in the series.

Nina Aubé’s Cookie Cutter Christmas series turns 10 this year, and she has warm memories of what started at all.

“I’ve always loved baking and decorating Christmas cookies for the holidays. I have all of my grandmother’s aluminum cookie cutters that I used as a child, and I still use them. Their nostalgic look and shapes were my inspiration for the series.

As for the little skier in this year’s ornament, Nina says, “I thought it would be fun to have the mouse using skis that look like taffy, which was another childhood favorite of mine. In fact, most of the candy that the mouse uses as everyday objects is inspired by my childhood faves, especially the ‘penny candy’ I loved as a kid. I also have fond memories of learning how to ski in Wisconsin as a child and taking subsequent trips to Colorado as an adult.”

Sweets always figure prominently as props in the series and Nina enjoys researching and buying candy and cookie-shaped treats. And the best part of all that planning?

“Well,” smiles Nina, “I get to eat my research when I’m finished!”

“The snowman silhouette, with it’s vertical shape, worked well as a vehicle to contain the ski scene. Sometimes it’s challenging coming up with a shape that will fit all the design elements I want to include in a particular story, but this one worked really well!”

2022 SNEAK PEEK

Cookie Cutter Christmas
11th in the series.

Nina’s excited about what’s coming next in this series, too.

“For the 2022 ornament, the cookie cutter will be in the shape of a present, and the inside scene will show the little mouse opening gifts on Christmas morning.”

“Cookie Cutter Christmas.” Behind the Designs. 22-23