This is the first to the best of my recollection for the company in conjunction with the most popular pop culture convention in the world.  All of the ornaments definitely appeal to the usual audience for this convention and are sure to be quite popular.

They include:

• DC Comics 75th Anniversary (pictured)
• Mr. Burns from The Simpsons holding a candy cane
• K-3PO (red) and R-3PO (white) two pack of protocol droids from The Empire Strikes Back

The ornaments are limited to just this weekend, so don’t be expecting to find these at your local Hallmark store any time soon.

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San Diego Comic Con 2010 Hallmark Exclusive Ornaments

Of course the most important ornament to me was Frosty Friends 2010, the 31st in the series.  I have collected this series since 1981, when the second one was released.  yes, sadly I am missing the first in the series from 1980, and if you can find one of those for under $400 now, it’s a miracle.

The only thing that disappoints me is I have to head back in October to pick up the Christmas Vacation ornament, but smart marketing on their part as it gets me back in the store again.

Here is what I picked up so far for this year:

• Frosty Friends 2010, 31st in series
• Triple-Dog Dare (A Christmas Story)
• Poor Ralphie’s One Chance (A Christmas Story)
• U.S.S. Enterprise (Star Trek)
• A Star Is Born (Rudolph, Red-Nosed Reindeer)
• Jack Skellington’s Surprise (A Nightmare Before Christmas)
• Snow One Like Tinker Bell

I know this sounds like an awful lot of ornaments, and I’m heavy on characters, but I use Hallmark ornaments for more than just my main Christmas tree.  Like, I have all the Jack Skellington ornaments with my other Nightmare Before Christmas collectibles.  (What can I say, I love Halloween, too)

Which ornaments have you picked up so far this year?

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The First 2010 Hallmark Ornaments Have Arrived

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Fred – Christmas is Creepy

With your kids at home for the summer, you’re bound to hear a lot of moans about “I’m bored!”  Instead of giving them a couple dollars to go buy junk food, or setting them down in front of the TV, why not start working on some crafts for this coming Christmas?

Now of course we aren’t talking making a gingerbread house in July (ignore the picture in this post on that part), but instead things like making ornaments.  Name a grandparents that wouldn’t love getting a handmade ornament from their grandchild.  Exactly, you can’t do it.  Instead of waiting to until a week before Christmas when everyone is busy, you can do it now and take your time with the project.

And also think about the lessons you can teach your kids with this.

• Christmas is about a spirit of giving, and you can keep it in your heat all year long.
• Handmade gifts can always beat store bought ones.
• It’s never too early to get an “assignment” done.

So it may seem a little odd to be making a Christmas ornament with fireworks going off, but it can keep kids entertained while teaching them sneaky lessons about life and family.

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Summer Activities To Prepare For Christmas

Back at the end of May we brought you information on the 2010 Keepsake Ornaments Dream Book being released, and already it’s time for the Premiere Weekend.  Is it just me or is this getting earlier every year.  Are we going to see it on New Year’s Day eventually?

There will be lots of reasons to drop by your local Hallmark store that weekend, from special ornaments to bonus points for your purchases:

• Ornament Club members will receive the Smiling Soldier ornament (pictured to the right) for a purchase of an ornament priced at $7.95 or more.
• The first two ornaments in the Peanuts Fun on Ice series will be released that weekend (with the other three released over the following months)
• Disney and Peanuts ornaments will get you 100 bonus points.

You can see all of the offers at the member’s exclusive page.

It looks like it will be a good launch weekend, although some ornaments won’t be available until the fall (like the Christmas Vacation one I am waiting for … darn it!).

The stores will be opening at 8 AM local time, so if you’re really anxious for something, you may want to be there early rather than later.

Is there anything you are really anxious for?

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Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Premiere Weekend Coming July 10 & 11

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Heidi Klum Christmas Song Wonderland

The folks over at NeverEnoughLights.com (about four hours away from my home! I may have to go see it!) don’t do just one song, they do multiple songs!  Be sure to check out their site for the full selection of songs they’ve used each year since they started doing this in 2006.

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75,000 Christmas Lights Set To Trans-Siberian Orchestra – Nutrocker

A word of warning that there are few colorful words, but not anything too horrible.

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Jeff Dunham Achmed’s “Jingle Bombs”

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Nat King Cole “Christmas Song” Music Video

Hallmark has released its Keepsake Ornaments Dream Book online so you can browse through the entire catalog of this year’s ornaments, and it clocks in at a whopping 71 pages this year.  Sadly, a couple series are coming to an end this year:

• At The Ballpark
• Doorways Around the World
• Noel Nutcrackers
• Yuletide Treasures

However, my personal favorite series, Frosty Friends, which I have collected since the second in the series, is continuing for its 31st year.  I’m not sure how many more ideas they can come up with for this list Eskimo and his friends. Although, I do have to say, this year’s is pretty darn cute.

Some popular Christmas movies are also getting some nice ornaments this year such as A Christmas Story, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Polar Express and one my personal favorites, Christmas Vacation. (see picture at bottom)

Hallmark ornaments usually start releasing in August, although some do not hit the stores until October.  Which ornaments are you most excited about this year?

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Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments Dream Book 2010 Released