Ornament Review: Do You Want to Build a Snowman? - 2016 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great scene coupled with perfect song

Cons: Song is bittersweet

The Bottom Line:

Three young characters

Combine with the perfect song

Disney ornament

Melancholy Moment for Your Tree

Hallmark is still riding the Frozen wave.  For the second year in a row, they have released a musical ornament based on one of the songs from the movie.  Do You Want to Build a Snowman? is a fun ornament, too.

The ornament depicts Elsa, Anna, and Olaf, but not as we know them best from the movie.  Instead, this is based on the scene early on in the movie when the sisters are playing in the snow that Elsa has created and are building a snowman that looks remarkably like Olaf will look when he comes to life.  Elsa is wearing a blue dress, Anna a yellow-green one, and all three characters look very much like they do at that point in the movie.

And just based on the look of the ornament, any fan of the movie will want it.  It’s not going to be often that we get these characters at this point in the film, so any chance to get them is wonderful.  The pose is great, and the sisters having fun together is cute.

But there is the melancholy.  This ornament includes a sound clip, the first verse of the song “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”  That song always breaks my heart in the film because Anna is so obviously lonely and doesn’t understand why.  Even just one verse does it here.  The clip lasts 30 seconds, and the ornament needs 2 button batteries to play the clip.  Just push the button on the right side to start it playing.

Despite my feelings about the song, I have to admit it is perfect for this ornament.  After all, it is this happy scene that Anna is remembering when she sings the song.  (Yes, I know her memory has been wiped, but still, part of her knows.)  Couple them together, and you’ve got a great piece.

While snowmen and Christmas go hand in hand, there is no reason you can’t leave this ornament out year round to enjoy.  That’s why it is nice that the ornament has a flat base.  It serves a dual purpose of holding the electronics for the sound clip and making a nice platform if you want to set this ornament out year round.

But if you want to hang this ornament on your tree, you’ll find the loop in the top of Olaf’s head.  Since he’s in the middle of the action, but the ornament still tips forward ever so slightly.  It’s easy enough to disguise that with a branch on your tree, however.

While I find the song bittersweet, I can’t complain about it here, especially paired with this scene.  While the interest in all things Frozen seems to be fading, any fan of the movie or Disney in general will be glad to add Do You Want to Build a Snowman? to their collection.

Original Price: $24.95