Ornament Spotlight: Stocking Stuffers

“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.

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2022 SNEAK PEEK

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.