A Selection of Hallmark Ornaments: Light, Motion & Sound

The Keepsake Lighted Ornament Collection debuted in 1984--this ornament is one of the first. The scene is softly lit as Santa looks in on a sleeping child before making his delivery.

For some, setting up an electric toy train to circle underneath the Christmas tree is a tradition. In "Village Express," Hallmark artist Linda Sickman translated this custom into an ornament with motion that is placed on a Christmas tree--the train travels around a village in this lighted scene.

Lights blink as players move across the field while quarterback Santa and his receiver spin to elude opponents in this football-themed "Arctic Dome" ornament. As a curious kid, Hallmark artist Ken Crow took apart his toys to see how they worked and made other toys out of the spare parts--setting the stage for his expertise in designing mechanical Christmas ornaments like this one.

The Road Runner dashes around the mountain with Wile E. Coyote in hot pursuit in this scene evocative of the Looney Tunes cartoon. In 1990, Hallmark added on/off controls to the ornaments. To start the chase, simply turn a switch on the bottom of the ornament, then turn it once again to give the characters a "rest."

Toys that delighted us as kids have found their way into Hallmark's light, motion, and sound ornaments as well. In "My First HOT WHEELS," Santa shares in the excitement of a boy and his pet, as Hot Wheels cars loop again and again around the track at the flip of a switch.

Darth Vader is one of the most terrifying villains in popular culture history. Commander of the Imperial forces, Vader stands cloaked in black and ready to challenge those in the Rebel Alliance. In this "Darth Vader" ornament, the formidable Sith Lord's lightsaber glows continuously, as he delivers this memorable line from the movie, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back: "The Force is with you, young Skywalker. But you are not a Jedi yet!"

Many Hallmark ornaments reflect the tradition of placing small buildings under the Christmas tree to create tiny "villages." This ornament depicts a house--but transforms into a humorous scene with light, motion, and sound effects. Santa's reindeer pull him back and forth as they attempt to free him from the chimney. The racket wakes everyone up, lights come on, and family members appear to rush to the windows to the tune of "Up on the Housetop."

Some ornaments "reenact" favorite movie scenes. Here, the Wicked Witch "melts" after Dorothy accidentally dowses her with water, as the witch cries out memorable lines from the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz: "Ahhh!!! You cursed brat, look what you've done. I'm melting! Melting! Oh, what a world, what a world. Who would have thought a good little girl like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness?"

When Hallmark artist Ken Crow got the idea for an amusement park-themed ornament, his research led him to the real thing in Kansas City. While Ken and his son rode rides and took photographs, a sound crew recorded the screams of riders on the park's roller coaster. That recording, placed on a sound chip, provides the "soundtrack" for Ken's "Polar Coaster" ornament, as the cars on the roller coaster move and the carousel and Ferris Wheel turn.

Hallmark artist Sharon Visker modeled her "Noah's Ark" on the wood-carved folk-art style toys of the 1800s. The ornament comes alive at the turn of a crank, just like some antique toys. Spinning the crank makes the waves roll by, the propeller turn, monkeys scamper, and a dove flies overhead. The cargo door opens, revealing a pair of alligators making their way into the safety of the ark. Noah paces the deck in his raincoat as he scans the sea.

Hallmark's "Christmas Cookies!" ornament delights--not with movement and sound--but with light and scent. The ornament's oven lights glow, and a fragrance insert emits a sweet smell--warm cookies just out of the oven! This ornament evokes pleasant memories of holiday baking with family and friends.

The "Letters to Santa" ornament depicts an amused Santa looking over his correspondence from hopeful children. By pulling the bell below the ornament, you hear actual kids' voices read the letters, while several of the toys around Santa's desk move. Hallmark writers created the scripts for the eight humorous letters. The children's voices? Moms, dads, and grandmas who work at Hallmark brought in their young family members for the recording.

Hallmark's light and sound effects transform this "Swingin' into Christmas" jukebox ornament into a tiny version of the real thing. This iconic 1940s-era brand jukebox plays four classic Christmas tunes in swing-era style--lights on the front are synchronized with each of the songs. The "Nellco" brand jukebox? This is a subtle reference to the Hallmark artist who designed the ornament--Nello Williams!

With its light and sound effects, Hallmark's "Galaga" captured the sights, sounds, and excitement of the popular 1980s arcade game from the golden age of video games. Nearly 30 years after Galaga's debut, this small ornament version delighted video arcade fans with a reminder of hours spent battling aliens in the darkest corners of the galaxy. It was designed by Orville Wilson--a Hallmark artist who loves playing video games.