Ornament Review: Fisherman Snoopy - Spotlight on Snoopy #15 - 2012 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun Snoopy ornament for fisherman

Cons: Fishing rod too bright, balance issues

The Bottom Line: 

Snoopy catching fish

Makes a fun if unbalanced

Christmas ornament

You Should Really See the One that Got Away

The nice thing about Snoopy is that you can do just about anything you want with him.  He did so much in the comic strip Peanuts that it's hard not to picture him doing just about any hobby or task.  That means the sky is the limit as far as choices for the Spotlight on Snoopy ornament series from Hallmark is concerned.  And while some in the past I haven't cared for, I do think the 2012 choice, Fisherman Snoopy, is fun.

As always with the series, the ornament features Snoopy andWoodstock.  Snoopy is dressed in an olive green fishing vest and hat.  In his right hand, he is holding a bright red fishing rod. Woodstockis standing just in front of Snoopy, and he's holding a silver fish that's bigger than he is.  In fact, the tail is resting on Snoopy's foot.

In addition to being part of the Spotlight on Snoopy series, I think this ornament will appeal to those who like to fish.  Snoopy really does look like he's coming back from a successful day at the water's edge.  It's not quite Christmassy, but many in the series aren't.  AndWoodstockholding that fish really adds to the fun.

Having said that, there are some problems with the ornament.  The fishing rod is bright red.  Yes, it matches the collar Snoopy is wearing, but it's too red.  It looks almost cartoonish, which is a funny charge in an ornament based on comic strip characters, I know, but it's how it comes across to me.  It's a true Christmas red, but it doesn't seem to quite go with the olive green Snoopy is wearing to me.  Plus the paint around Snoopy's hand and the rod isn't quite right, at least on mine.  They got some paint on his hand and not on the rod.

The other issue is the balance.  The hook for hanging the ornament is a little to Snoopy's left side.  I'm really not sure why they did this because it makes him tilt to the right.  And we're not talking about just a little bit but enough to be really noticeable.  You can use a branch to disguise it, but it means more careful placement than you should have to do.

On the other hand, Snoopy's feet are big enough that you can set him out in a display to enjoy year round if you want.  He's a little uneven, but he should be able to stand up unless there's a huge bump or earthquake.

Speaking of his feet, you'll find the 15 in a Christmas tree Hallmark uses to denote this ornament's place in the series.

On a trivia note, this is the first time Hallmark Keepsake artist Anita Marra Rogers has designed an ornament for this series.  She makes the third official person to sculpt for it (last year's entry went uncredited).

Fisherman Snoopy isn't my favorite in the Spotlight on Snoopy series from Hallmark because of a couple of design flaws.  But while not the best, it's still fun and worth getting for Peanuts fans or fishermen.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Spotlight on Snoopy series.

Original Price: $12.95