Ornament Review: A Tropical Holiday - Cookie Cutter Christmas Companion Piece - 2013 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Cute island scene starring that cute mouse

Cons: Nothing really to do with Christmas

The Bottom Line:

A holiday trip

Or a summer vacation

Cute scene either way

Celebrating Christmas on the Islands

Hallmark's popular Cookie Cutter Christmas ornament series started as a stand alone ornament at the 2011 Keepsake Ornament Club event.  Somehow, it seems appropriate that they would revisit it for the 2013 event, and that's just what they did with A Tropical Holiday.

This series features a scene instead of a cookie cutter.  There's a mouse as our main character, and he's enjoying some kind of Christmas activity.  At least, usually he is.  As the name might suggest, he's not exactly in the traditional Christmas spirit in this ornament.

The ornament features a flower shaped cookie cutter.  Either that or a sun shaped one.  You know, bumps coming out of a circle (not that we can see the inner circle).  That definitely ties in to the tropical theme.

And the scene?  Our mouse is relaxing in a pair of swim trunks and a drink on a beach chair.  He's on the sand with waves lapping nearby (under the sand).  And there's a tree growing up from the background that is just close enough it might be giving him shade.  Other than that, it's blue sky as far as the eye can see.

It really is a rough life, isn't it?

Obviously, this really isn't a Christmas themed ornament in the slightest, but I really do like it.  For one thing, the event where it is offered takes place in summer.  Second, it's just so cute.  Heck, they even work in some food as the chair the mouse is sitting on looks like a bent wafer cookie.  Some ornaments in the series feature more food than this, but I like that detail.

The bumps on the ornament actually are positioned so that you can stand this up if you want to do so.  And I'm a little surprised at how sturdy it feels.  I don't think I'd want to display it that way long term, but for a short time, it would be fine.

Naturally, I hang this ornament on my tree this last December.  It hangs perfectly straight, although it is a little heavy.  I can't quite figure out why, but it definitely feels heavier than others in the series.  Keep that in mind when you are picking a branch to hang it on.

Since this is an unofficial companion piece and not part of the official series, you won't find any series markers on it.

Since it was only available at the event, A Tropical Holiday might be a bit more expensive and hard to track down.  But if you are a fan of the series, you'll be very glad you did.

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

Original Price: $12.95