Paddle on, Sandal
So far, Sandal the Sandman has spent his time doing Christmassy things with a beach flair. But for 2024’s special edition to the series, he branched out and actually did a beach thing. And I couldn’t have been happier.
You see, for this ornament, Sandal is paddle boarding. And I paddle board. Okay, I haven’t done it in a while since I hurt my shoulder (at a mud run), but I’m hoping to get back to it in 2025. So, that made the ornament so much more special for me. I got to put one of my hobbies on my tree.
The ornament itself finds Sandal on a teal paddle board (just like what my friend has). He’s wearing his beach hat, and has his beach towel around his neck. On the front of his board, he has a new friend, a bird. I’m sure it’s supposed to be a seagull, but it’s completely white, so it’s hard to tell for sure.
That bird is my only gripe with the ornament. As with the other animals we’ve met in the series, they are very cartoony, and I just don’t like that. However, I love what the rest of the ornament represents, and how it looks.
For example, if you turn the ornament over, you’ll see that the paddle board has a tropical pattern on it, just like some paddle boards do in real life. It’s those little touches that I love.
As I mentioned, this is a special edition, or bonus, ornament, and not an official ornament in the Sandal the Sandman series. As a result, there’s no series marker on the ornament.
If you try to set the ornament out, you’ll find that it tips slightly to the side. That’s because Sandal’s paddle is below the board (almost like it’s in the invisible water), and the board has a fin on the bottom. I appreciate the realism of the design, so it doesn’t bother me that it doesn’t sit straight. I also wouldn’t set this out for very long like this so the plastic the ornament is resting on doesn’t get broken.
When you go to hang Sandal, you’ll find that he still tips slightly to the right. It’s not noticeable unless you are looking for it, so it will be easy to disguise with some well-placed tree branches. Maybe he’s just shifting positions a bit, and that’s why the board is wobbling.
My complaints are minor.
Overall, I’m thrilled to add a paddle boarding ornament to my tree, and
I hope that they find ways to add some other types of sports to their line in
the future. Fans of the Sandal the
Sandman series will enjoy this bonus ornament.
And any other paddle boarder will love it as well.
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