The Decorations Are Up Early This Year

Toy News International has posted some pictures of 2014 Hallmark ornaments that were on display at New York Comic Con, and - as always - I'm conflicted. I actually like Hallmark ornaments as collectibles: they generally feature good sculpts and impressive paint ops. However, they seem ridiculously overpriced for a small piece of plastic.

I was only half kidding a few years ago when I suggested picking up cheap action figures and turning them into ornaments as an alternative to going to Hallmark.

There's at least one new sub-line that drives home the absurdity of the Hallmark brand: Lego Star Wars ornaments. Hallmark is currently charging sixteen bucks for a replica of a Yoda minifig for your tree, and next year it looks like they'll be doing the same for Boba Fett.

I find it hilarious that someone would pay as much for a fake minifig as Toys'R'Us charges for a whole building set. I can't think of any reason you couldn't attach a wire to a Lego figure, hang it from your tree, then pull it down and play with it the rest of the year.

I have actually found a way to get some Hallmark ornaments into my collection. It turns out, antique stores are full of the damn things. I saw at least two dozen on a shelf for $3 to $6 last week. That's a far more reasonable price, all things considered.

I wouldn't pay that much for a fake minifigure ornament, though: principle of the thing.

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