Initially, when we started purchasing Hallmark ornaments we used ornament hooks. Hooks are convenient, but can scratch the ornament. While I don’t intend for my ornaments to remain “collectables”, I do want them to stay nice. They will get scratched from use, but we can reduce the exposure to scratches. So every year we remove the hooks before packing up our ornaments back in their boxes.

Between the eBay, Amazon and in store purchases of Hallmark ornaments, our collection has finally grown to a non-trivial number of ornaments. It was time to replace the standard hook with something that could be more permanent, ribbon.

2008 Grillin and Chillin and 2009 Snow Much Fun to Cook

I wanted a color that would disappear from view, and not detract from the ornaments, a “Go Away Green.” For those of you who aren’t Disney fans, “Go Away Green” is the dull green color term for the color they pain the trash cans, fences and other things they don’t want to emphasize in their parks. The color helps the objects blend into the background and go unnoticed. We wanted something similar with our ribbon.

Green hooks are also a dull green, designed to blend in with the tree. I took a hook to JoAnns and found a matching thin green ribbon for our ornaments, and spent the afternoon adding ribbon to each. and. every. ornament. It took forever, but it’s done and now I will only have to add ribbons to new ornaments. I was a little worried about clashing, but the greens used on the ornaments are designed to complement the ever green color, which matches the ribbon pretty closely.

I singed the ends of the ribbons so they wouldn’t fray. Singing the ends also makes it less likely that the knot will unravel, since the edge is now a bit firmer and can’t slip through the knot. After all, a scratch from a hook is far better than a break from a fall!

Posted in Life | Tags: Christmas, Hallmark, Little Touches