History of Hallmark Ornaments

Series Summary

Think of all the thousands of items that have been created for Christmas. With a holiday that revolves itself around the gift of giving, there are literally millions of items of Christmas merchandise. One of the most famous Christmas collectibles is the ornament. There are literally thousands of different kinds of Christmas ornaments, and for those collectors, the Hallmark series of ornaments are one of the most popular ornaments to date. Started in 1973, Hallmark originally produced six balls and twelve yarn ornament. Because of the success, Hallmark started making figures, cartoon characters, and other kinds of ornaments. Today, there are a variety of ornaments that cater to many different desires. Anything from houses to Star Wars, these Christmas collectibles add character to your tree and make lasting memories for the family to share.

In this free video series, learn about collecting Hallmark Christmas ornaments. Our expert, Cindy Johnson, has been collecting Hallmark ornaments since 1975, and she shares her knowledge with you. Learn the history of the Hallmark ornament. Also, learn about series ornaments and cartoon characters. If you are worried about storing and maintaining your ornaments, let Cindy show you how to pack and clean your collectibles. In addition, get tips for buying mint condition Hallmark ornaments. So, if you are looking for a gift or a decoration, learn about collecting Hallmark Christmas ornaments today!

Video Transcript

"In 1973 Hallmark started putting out ornaments. The first year, they released eighteen ornaments. They consisted of glass balls, and yarn ornaments. The yarn ornaments sold for $1 to $1.50, and the glass balls sold for $2.50. In today's secondary market, those yarn ornaments are worth anywhere from $25 to $35, and the glass ornaments like these right here; this one is from the first year; are worth $125. So, by keeping these ornaments all these years, your investment could really grow. They also started the very first series that year. It's a Betsey Clark series, and it ran for thirteen years. This is the first one of the Betsey Clark series. This is an example of the second year, and this is an example of the last year the Betsey Clark Hallmark ornaments were out. "