Sure, it’s only April, but Christmas will be here before you know it. Case in point: Hallmark just unveiled their 2021 Keepsake Ornaments collection.
Gaming-themed Christmas ornaments have been creeping into the Keepsake collection for a few years now, but 2021’s offerings may be the best yet. There are a few surprising options available here, and definitely a couple of must-haves for the gamer in any family that loves Christmas.
Gaming-themed ornaments are relatively new, but the Hallmark Keepsake Ornament collection started in the ‘70s. Back then, though, there were no licensed properties; they were just unique, handcrafted designs. By the ‘80s, the roaring success of The Muppets saw the likes of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy appear in ornament form. Today the Keepsake Ornaments are almost exclusively themed around pop culture, with everything from individual comic book and cartoon characters to impressive dioramas from classic films such as Spock’s death from Star Trek II: The Warth of Khan.
In the last few years, gaming ornaments such as 8-bit Marios and giant Bowsers have appeared, each with stellar sculpts that pop on the Christmas tree. This year’s gaming selection is the biggest to date, with a selection of 13 ornaments and some truly incredible designs.
Mario and Nintendo franchises have the most prominence, starting with a caped Mario in flight straight out of Super Mario World, as well as a personalized Super Mario ornament featuring the Italian plumber jumping out of a warp pipe. An incredible ornament of Donkey Kong riding his kart from Mario Kart, a Super NES with a working light and Super Mario World cartridge and two miniature ornaments of the 8-bit Zelda and Link from 1986’s The Legend of Zelda round out Nintendo’s highlights.
Nintendo adjacent but still firmly its own thing, there’s a stellar Charizard from Pokémon, and Disney also sneaks in some representation with a Kingdom Hearts Mickey Mouse. There’s an ominously adorable Minecraft Enderman carrying a present, as well. Storied developer Sega makes an appearance with two designs this year: one of Sonic being carried through the air by Tails and another of Knuckles gliding through the air with a ring in hand.
There are two surprising offerings this year, too. A Fortnite ornament of the nutcracker-based Crackshot skin, complete with a candy cane-themed pickaxe, is sure to win the hearts of battle royale fans. Finally, a rare offering from an M-rated game, as Mortal Kombat’s iconic blue ninja Sub-Zero stands tall in his Mortal Kombat 1 outfit and victory pose atop an icy base.
Gamers looking to decorate their tree in gaming goodies (or buy them for a friend or family member) can pick up the ornaments at their local Hallmark store or via the Hallmark website. The Nintendo-themed ornaments and Mortal Kombat Klassic Sub-Zero will be available from July 10, 2021, while the rest will be available starting October 2, 2021. Prices range from $8.99 to $24.99.