Ornament Review: Cookie Cutter Christmas #2 - Writing a Letter to Santa - 2013 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Another cute Chirstmassy scene

Cons: Not as much food as last year's, but I'm being picky

The Bottom Line:

Another cute scene

As our mouse friend writes Santa

Please keep them coming

Sweet Snowmouse Writing a Letter to Santa

When it comes to pure cuteness factor, it's hard to top Hallmark's Cookie Cutter Christmas series.  There are two official ornaments and two compliments out, and I love them all.  2013's official release is a good example of why.

Each ornament in the series features a Christmas activity scene inside a different cookie cutter shape.  This year's shape is a heart.  But it's what it inside that makes me love it.

Our main character in this series is a mouse.  In this scene, he's busy writing a letter to Santa.  You can see him in the foreground in his red pajamas holding a giant candy cane pen.  He's standing on a piece of paper that is beginning to curl up at the top.  So far, all he's writing is "Dear Santa."  Behind him on the left, you can see a Christmas tree reaching up to the top of the cookie cutter frame.  Behind him on the right is a hearth with one stocking hung on it.  Above the hearth is a wreath.

Now one thing I loved in the first of the series was how much food was used to create the pieces of the scene.  That doesn't seem to be the case here.  I already mentioned the candy cane pen.  The wreath looks like it was formed in a Bundt pan.  Other than that, it feels like we're looking at an ordinary Christmas tree or hearth.

But I'm being nitpicky at this point.  The scene itself is incredibly cute.  You'll smile just looking at it.  This is one of those series I can't imagine how the artist will top herself every year, but I look forward to seeing Nina Aube try.

And the details are really great.  I know I just said I would have liked more food, but come on.  There's part of a tree and a hearth in there.  How much more could you really want.  This is a small ornament, but the scene has so many little pieces it must have been a pain to make.  But the end result is so wonderful because it all comes together perfectly.

The heart comes to a point on the bottom, but it isn't big enough to balance the ornament on at all.  And there is a bump in the back that acts as a handle.  As a result, there is no way to display this ornament except on your Christmas tree.

The ring for hanging the ornament is in the indentation at the top of the heart.  When I first saw this, I thought it might be tricky getting a hook in there, but it's not that bad.  And the ornament is perfectly balanced, so it will hang straight on your Christmas tree.

If you're looking for the series marker, you'll find it on the back of the ornament.  That's the logical place for it since there is plenty of room back there.

While I collect way too many series and enjoy them all for what they are, this is a series that is truly wonderful.  I will keep enjoying Cookie Cutter Christmas #2 for many years to come.

Be sure to check out the other cute ornaments in the Cookie Cutter Christmas series.

Original Price: $12.95