Ornament Review: Pirates of the Caribbean - 2006 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun moment, great look

Cons: Pirates aren't Christmassy

The Bottom Line: 

Captain Jack Sparrow

Whistling at the dog is

Fun but different

You Can Keep Hanging This Ornament Forever.  That Dog is Never Going to Move.

A signature moment of the ride Pirates of the Caribbean is when the prisoners are trying to attract the attention of the dog holding the key to the cells.  He manages to stay just out of reach.  The brilliantly spoof it in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie.  And it was also the subject of the first Pirates of the Caribbean ornament from Hallmark, which was released in 2006.

This ornament takes its cue from the movie and features Captain Jack Sparrow and the dog with the key.  Jack is behind the bars of his cell, and the dog is just on the other side.  Honestly, I think he's within Jack's reach, but since this is an ornament with limited space, we'll let that go.  Jack is holding a bone out of the cell trying to tempt the dog into moving within reach.

Not only does this ornament capture a scene that makes me laugh, but it looks cool doing it.  The base is made out of something that looks like stone.  It's even a little rough to the touch, although the ornament is so light I know it's not real stone.  The stone continues up the side of the doorway, which makes most of an arch.  Likewise, the bars are made out of a lightweight steel like substance.  The figures look great.  The dog has his head to one side and one ear raised.  Jack looks just a shade off of Johnny Depp.

This is a Magic ornament, which in this case means it comes with sound.  If you press the button on the front of the ornament, you'll hear a fun, accordion version of "A Pirate's Life for Me."  It's upbeat and sure to make you smile.  It almost sounds like a version used in the ride at one point, but it's probably original for this ornament.  To play the music, the ornament takes 3 watch type batteries.  They slip into a cover in the bottom of the ornament.  That's obvious where the sound box is as well since there are four feet to lift the bottom off a surface enough to allow the sound to come out.

The base on this ornament is big enough that it sits very solidly on any table or shelf you might want to display it on.  There is a small black ring in the bars at the top of the ornament.  You can slip an ornament hanger though it to put it on your Christmas tree.  The ornament tips ever so slightly to the back left corner, but it's not that noticeable.  While the ornament is not as heavy as it looks, it is still on the heavy side.  You'll definitely want to take that into consideration when you are planning where you will hang it on your tree.

This isn't a normal subject for a Christmas ornament, but for those of us who enjoy celebrating pop culture, it's very cool.  Pirates of the Caribbean is a guaranteed hit for anyone who likes the franchise.

Original Price: $16.50