SPECIAL OCCASION Keepsake Ornaments

[nicki]

I would love to see a Keepsake Line available ALL YEAR LONG for Special Occasions. Here's my idea, Hallmark...

A DATED ornament Keepsake Line introduced in January & available for purchase the entire year. I love the name "Milestones and Memories" which HM used on the silver line of ornaments awhile back...but these would be fun and memorable KEEPSAKE ornaments, not silver.

The Designs could include:
*Adult Birthday...something funny, maybe a battery op Maxine with a funny saying.
*Birthday Love, suitable for child or adult.
*New Home
*Parents to Be
*New Baby
*Graduation
*Congratulations
*Girlfriend, suitable for a thank you or birthday for a friend
*Special Mom, suitable for Mothers Day, New Mom, or Mom's Birthday
*I'm Proud of You!, suitable for a child or adult special achievement.
*A Cross or some sort of "Remembrance" design

None would have a Christmas theme, but could be merged with the Christmas Line In October.

My niece's baby shower is this week, and I would love to tie a "New Baby" ornament on the package.

Could also see myself including a graduation ornament with a little $$ tucked inside for Graduations in May.

Often when buying a birthday card, it would be fun to add a nice ornament for the occasion.

What do ya' think? Would you buy one? Any other ideas out there? Nicki

[ConnieP]

Nikki,
I think you idea is great! I would certainly buy these type of ornaments. I wanted to let you know that Longaberger has a "Baby" tie-on each year with the date (2008) and these are almost like ornaments. They are really tie-ons for baskets but can be used in many other ways.
Hope Hallmark get the idea!

[curt1108]

nicki ... :D they chould make the special occasion cards as a
" specialty card with ornament combo kit"
for sale. that whould boost their sales in ornaments, and help those who can never decide what to put with the card?

[oldsthallmark]

I like that idea!!! How about an I'm sorry ornament? Maybe a puppy dog with a tear?

[diana]

Great idea. Add "Get Well" and "Happy Anniversary" to the list. I figure it this way, what are the things that bring people into the store to buy cards? Well, Hallmark would do well to have a small gift item to accompany those card wishes. A "package tie" ie ornament or keepsake would be great.

[msu79gt82]

I'd really like to see Special Occasion Ornaments with owner modified dates - either via stickers, variable plates, or even a blank spot for engraving.

For example a First Christmas Together that we can date ourselves.

[dianaleed]

Sorry, I'm not a fan. The fact that ornaments aren't easily accessible all year round is part of the fun in colllecting them.

[gwoodle]

I like the idea. Make an ornament that could go with the new musical or recording cards.
It may be easier to sell the New Baby type "picture frame" ornaments all year. Perhaps make a deal with Kodak to have a picture set into the ornament. Some ornaments may work better as a Special Gift item to be sold other times of the year.

Other Ornament Designs could include national special events:
1) sport winners, Super Bowl, World Series, Olympics,etc
2) Charity events with some money given to the fund.
3) Celebrate the 50 states with items like the State Bird, State Flower, State Flags,etc.

[kellyrose]

I know this will never happen..but its a nice thought.

How about custom special occasion ornaments. Say I take a picture of my husbands badge and Hallmark makes a ornament to look just like it. Now what I think would be really cool would be an ornament made to look just like the Tuff truck I race on the weekends. (actually its a Jeep Cherokee). Now I would be really excited to get an ornament like that. I would probable leave it out all the time. ;D

[nicki]

Hallmark did try this with a few ornaments in 2009.
*First Christmas Togethegr dated 2009 Snowflake (a re-dated version of the 2008 First Chmas Together.
*Granduation 2009
*Baby's Christmas porcelain Photoholder (again, a re-dated version of the 2009 ornament)

These ornaments were displayed with the gift items for that occasion...and its my understanding that very few were sold.

I'm thinking that they would be more successful if placed in the same area as the CARDS! Seems like customers go into a store looking for a special occasion card, they find it, buy it and leave.

IF...the cards and the same occasion ornament were together, that customer might buy BOTH!
A win/win for the customer (by making it quick/easy), the store (an added sale/profit $) and Hallmark!