Ornament Shop.com strives to provide great customer service and a satisfying shopping experience with a large variety of ornaments, snow globes, photo frames, Christmas trees and more.  Feedback is so important to us, and many of our customers contact us to relay their positive experience regarding our great customer service, shipping, quality of products and selection.  I've decided to share their great feedback with you!  They are not edited as these are the exact messages received from our customers!

1. Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 2:23 PM
    To: dianne@ornamentshop.com
    Subject: Thanks again...

Happy New Year Dianne!
Just wanted to send a quick "thanks"  for another wonderful year of ornaments.  Started purchasing for my daughter's boyfriend too, so I'm sure this will continue way beyond the 6 or so years I've been a customer.  Your customer service is amazing, as I was witness to several years ago when I need a duplicate order within 2 days to cover the order I thought I lost!!  Was able to keep our tradition of opening new ornaments for Christmas Eve...not too many companies would have come through.  I continue to sing your praises to all who talk about ornaments each year....I thank you, and hope you will continue on for many years to come.
 
Thank you,
Debbie

2. Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 6:07 PM
    To: dianne@ornamentshop.com
    Subject: happy customer

i have ordered ornaments from you for the last several years and have never been disappointed.
the quality is great and people love to receive them.  they have so much more meaning when they are personalized.

thank you,
diana

3. Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 11:33 AM
    To: dianne@ornamentshop.com
    Subject: Ornaments

This was my second year ordering from your wonderful selection of Ornaments. I have bought an Ornament for each of  my seven Grandchildren since birth they range from the age of 21 to 13 at this time and I was able to find each of there interests in your collection of Ornaments. Each one loved the selection I made my only regret is that I did not find you sooner. Please keep adding new ones you have an AWESOME company. Happy New Year!!!

Sharon , a very satisfied customer.

4. Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 10:40 PM
    To: dianne@ornamentshop.com
    Subject: Re: OrnamentShop.com Order Confirmation

Dear Dianne - this is the first time I have used your website.  I ordered 2 personalized ornaments on Sunday and they came today (Thursday).  Amazing!  and they are prefect.  I will definitely order from you again!  I found your site searching google.  Just wanted to let you know how impressed I am!  Thank you!
Margaret

5. Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011
    To: dianne@ornamentshop.com
    Subject:  Re:  ornaments

Good morning Dianne,
I just wanted to let you know, I received my ornaments on Friday and I LOVE them..  They are so adorable and cute…  I’m going to order 2 more today.   THANK YOU so much for taking the time to get them PERFECT!!!!  I believe my parents and Mother in-law are going to LOVE them also..  Thanks again, and I’m going to place my second order.

Honie

6. Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 10:29 AM
    To: dianne@ornamentshop.com
    Subject: Dianne@OrnamentShop.com

I received my ornaments and love them. The wrapping was the best I've seen.  The website was very easy to use also. I have exceeded my budget already and was wondering if you have 'after Christmas' sales, so I could afford to get some more for next Christmas.

Thanks so much.

Kathryn

Bizrate (an online price comparison, shopping & rating site)
In addition, we consistently score in the mid 9’s, out of 10, from Bizrate customers who complete the online survey, so it is not just a few customers we are keeping happy.  It has been a pleasure to provide high quality, unique ornaments, accessories and other gift items for you this past year.  2012 will be our 30th year offering personalized ornaments and gifts and our 14th year on the Internet!

However, don’t forget us just because Christmas season is over for 2011!  We offer personalized ornaments & photo frames for wedding favors, baby showers, graduation gifts, birthdays, anniversaries and more!  Nothing is more treasured than a personalized gift and we personalize your gift at no extra charge!  We also offer ornament stands for the non-holiday ornaments that you want to display year-round.  

Thank you again for your business and we hope you have a Happy 2012 Year! 

Dianne, Ornament Shop.com

Although many companies have cut back on holiday parties, some companies use the party as a way to thank their employees for their hard work in the past year.  We’d like to give you some tips on planning  your company Christmas party this year.

Location
Consider the venue.  If you want people to have a good time, select a venue outside of work, yet close to your business location.  Book early as this is a popular time of year for parties.  Consider a “fun” activity such as bowling and glow-in-the-dark miniature golf.

Day & Time
It is always a good idea to hold it on a work day about an hour after work ends for most employees.  This way, employees don’t have to go home and then come back and if spouses are invited, it allows them time to arrive.  You will obtain a better response if people don’t have to attend on their days off.  Do consider that it is a busy time of year regardless of your religion.

Food
Depending upon your budget, you can serve appetizers and desserts, or a full meal.  If you cannot afford much, consider having your company cafeteria provide a holiday lunch at no charge to the employees.  Use any extra money for gifts.

Alcohol
Should you serve alcohol or not?  If the party is being held on company property, I wouldn’t serve alcohol due to the liability.  If it is held at a restaurant or hotel, then consider it.  You will probably receive a better turn-out if alcohol is served.

Gifts
Gifts are always appreciated and if your company has given gifts in the past, you will have a better turn-out.  Some companies give more expensive gifts which you can win in a raffle.  If you are going to give less than $50 per person, cash is king.  A gift card will also work. Small gifts could also include movie passes, car wash certificates (make sure it is near work or a chain), golf balls, ornaments, and turkeys or hams.  If you are going to raffle off larger gifts to those who attend the party, presents could include gift certificates for restaurants or retail stores, Blu-Ray players (< $100), theatre tickets or Ticketmaster gift certificates (minimum should be $200 to cover a guest).  Other ideas include an overnight stay at a hotel, days off without having to use vacation days,  Spa/Beauty Salon gift certificates, Golf course certificates, IPOD’s, IPOD Players, and small TV’s (≤ 32 inch).

Inexpensive Gifts for You to Give
If you are looking for inexpensive gifts, consider an ornament.  Ornament Shop.com carries over 3000 high-quality ornaments, most are under $16, and many can be personalized.  There are many categories to choose from such as Baby, Sports, Pets & Animals, Fairy Tales & Nursery Rhymes, Patriotic, Religious, Activities, Western, Music, Occupations, and more.  You can even buy an ornament stand to display your non-holiday related ornament year-round.  One of my favorites is the 2 person Snowmobile ornament.

Sometimes the best gifts are the ones you make yourself.  But how often have you started projects too late and decided you didn’t have enough time to finish?  This year we've decided to give you a little incentive to start early, have some fun, and hopefully motivate others to make their own gifts too!
 
We invite you to join the Hand-Made Christmas Ornament Contest, sponsored by Ornament Shop.com. All entries will be posted on Facebook and winners will be chosen by popular vote!  Rounding out the contest includes awards for ornaments based on creativity and the material used, with honorable mentions selected by Dianne Weller, Owner of Ornament Shop.com.
 
There will be categories for children, teenagers, and adults so everyone can participate!
 
Entering is easy. Simply use any materials such as dough, clay, wood, fabric, glass, paper, ceramic or anything else you want to use as a medium.  Submit a photograph of your ornament, the amount of time spent to make it, and the story or inspiration behind your creation.

The submission deadlines are as follows:
Kids     – November 11th
Teens  – November 18th
Adults  – December  2nd
 
Winners get their ornaments featured on Facebook and Ornament Shop.com as well as receive an official Personalized Award Ornament with their name and date!
 
Of course, you get to keep your creation too! So that's one gift you can check off your list!

Baby showers are always fun and a great way to get together with friends and relatives. There are fun games, good food, and of course, opening of the presents. While many guests give the traditional gifts such as diapers, blankets, baby clothes, and diaper pails, I prefer to seek out unusual, personal gifts.

For those also looking for a unique keepsake gift, consider ornaments or baby photo frames, not only as a gift to the mother-to-be, but as favors for the guests.  You’ll probably be surprised at what a cute and appreciated gift they can be.  At Christmas Ornaments.com, I like that they also offer ornament stands since many ornaments are not holiday related and can be displayed year-round. The baby ornaments are available in blue and pink, in addition to neutral colors such as white, lavender and green. Most baby ornaments can be found in a variety of styles.

I enjoy Christmas Ornaments.com’s adorable baby ornaments because there is such variety.  They include rattles, bottles, rocking horses, angels, blocks, baby carriages, baby shoes, diaper pins, miniature piggy banks, baby on a cloud, rubber ducky and teddy bears, just to name a few of the choices. For older siblings there are big brother and big sister ornaments too!  Ornaments for twins and triplets are offered in addition to fairy tales and nursery rhyme ornaments.

For those interested in holiday related baby ornaments, they offer pink and blue wreaths, stockings, mittens, snowflakes, drums, presents, snowman, penguins, and snow babies. 

ChristmasOrnaments.com also offers picture or photo frames that you can personalize with a fine tip permanent marker (or paint pen for glass ornaments).  Ornaments as gifts have grown in popularity as the choices have increased over the years.

One of my favorite ornaments is the girl’s birth announcement plaque which can be personalized with the included pen once the baby is born. There is room for the baby’s name, date of birth, height and weight.

To honor the 162 lives lost in the EF-5 tornado that practically destroyed Joplin, Missouri in May, 2011, a commemorative ornament will be available October 10, 2011.  The cost of the ornament is $15 plus tax and approximately $5 shipping.  A portion of the money raised will buy artificial trees for those that lost their trees in the tornado.  They hope to raise enough money to buy trees for 50 families.

In addition, donors may make a donation of $145 to purchase a tree for a family who lost their tree.  The trees will be given to the families in the order nominated and you may include your nomination when purchasing the tree online.  You don’t need to explain why you are nominating them, just provide the family information.  A family who was particularly devastated by the tornado would be a good candidate for nomination. 

The website to order the ornament, tree, or make a nomination is http://raisinghopeforjoplin.com.

Some interesting facts can be found in the article, Christmas Tree Facts and Figures.

Through November 4, 2011, Bridal Shower Ideas For You is encouraging everyone to enter their picture frame ornament contest by visiting their site and answering one question:  “What other holiday tradition would you like to include at a winter bridal shower?”.  Visitors have the opportunity to win a beautiful, white resin picture frame ornament.  The 4” X 4 1/2” frame includes delicate white roses enhanced with green leaves and a pair of romantic doves. The white ribbon along the top and bottom can be personalized with names and dates.

An easel back permits the photo frame to stand alone so it can be used as a cake topper or for table numbers. A ribbon for hanging the ornament is also included.  It is a great keepsake to give as shower or wedding favors, bridal party gifts, or to family members to help everyone remember this special day. 

If you need help in planning a bridal shower, Bridal Shower Ideas For You is a great place to visit.  They offer advice on food, games, decorations, party favors and gifts.  You can find assistance with entertainment, etiquette, theme showers, and even a checklist so that nothing is forgotten.  So, visit their site and don’t forget to enter the contest by November 4, 2011!

The ornament was donated by ornamentshop.com.

Do you know someone who had breast cancer? Christmas Ornaments.com has two adorable breast cancer awareness ornaments that would make thoughtful gifts.  One is a pink baseball cap ($12.95) with the breast cancer awareness logo.  The other is a round, glass ornament ($17.95) that says “Faith goes the distance”.  The pink breast cancer awareness logo ribbon is being held by an angel.  Both can be gift wrapped as gifts for only $3.95 extra, including a hand-written gift card. To display year-round, they offer several ornament stands from $5.95-$8.95. This is a great way to let someone you know you are thinking of them.

The first Christmas tree with electric lights belonged to Edward H. Johnson in 1882, who worked with Thomas Edison.  Since that time there have been many improvements both in style and efficiency.  You can buy round spherical lights, lighting nets, mini lights, icicle lights, rope lights, curtain lights, garland lights, solar lights, and LED lights.

LED’s burn bright, don’t get hot and use less electricity.

Christmas novelty lights are some of the most fun.  These strings of lights are usually shaped like an object such as Santa, gingerbread, snowmen, candy cane, reindeer, tree, snowflake, angel, candle, bell, poinsettia, and holly & berry.

There are mini lanterns, lighthouses, pine cones, guitars, peace symbols, hearts, four leaf clovers, flip flops, sea shells, and lights with your college name on them.

If you like animals or other creatures, you can find dogs, fishes, bears, moose, turkeys, horses, pigs, cows, bats, spiders, alligators, cardinals, butterflies, and of course, pink flamingos.

Drink and food include hot peppers, pears, peppermint candies, cupcakes, Popsicles, pizza, wine bottles, cocktails and beer mugs.

For the non-Christian, there are menorahs, Star of David, and Hanukkah lights.

Brand name lights may include Elmo, Peanuts (Charlie Brown), M&M’s, Hello Kitty, Sesame Street, Coca Cola, Budweiser, Betty Boop and even Elvis!

Sports minded people may like their tree decorated with basketball, football, soccer, baseball, ballet, fishing, life vests or sailboats.

Lights that cater to your personal activities or hobbies include cowboy boots, assortment of tools, red tractor, bullets, firemen trucks, firemen hats, campers and luau related.

As you can see, it is possible to give some pizazz to your Christmas tree and show off your personal interests or hobbies at the same time.

To read about the beginning of Christmas tree lighting and the latest and greatest lighting, LED’s, see our article, "Christmas Tree Lights From Candles to LED".

When giving a personalized gift, such as a Christmas ornament, it is important for the recipient of the gift to identify with its theme.  We buy soccer ornaments for our little kickers, teacher ornaments for those important educators in our children's lives, and of course Baby's First Christmas ornaments for the newest kids in town.  These ornaments are even more fun when, instead of just being a ball or a pacifier, they are in the form of person who represents the recipient.  Unfortunately, African Americans, Latinos, and other people of color may be disappointed when they find that most of the fun ornaments they wish to give depict an obviously Caucasian person, running, cycling, sledding, or whatever, as if only Caucasians do any of these things! 

At Ornamentshop.com, we know this is not the case.  People of non-European descent make up a significant portion of our American population, and we are proud to offer African American and ethnic ornaments to bring joy to the hearts of an increasingly diverse community of gift givers and receivers. We have organized these ornaments not only by an "Ethnic" category, but by placing them alongside the Caucasian ornaments in sectons such as occupations, musicians, and teachers.

Next time you buy a personalized gift for a friend, family member, or someone who has touched your life, rest assured you can find a suitable gift at Ornamentshop.com that reflects your recipient's heritage and self-image, and adds a touch of rich color to their holiday tree.

A new line of Fairy Tale and Nursery Rhyme ornaments has hit the stores!  We are excited to share with you these nostalgic gifts that will bring back memories and stories from when you were just a toddler (and memories of your own toddlers who maybe aren’t so little anymore).  These tales, rhymes, and songs have been passed down for generations, some having their origins in German and English folklore, some having been embellished by the last hundred years of American popular culture.  However they are presented, whether in an old fashioned storybook or in a computer animated movie, fairy tales and nursery rhymes ring true and enchant folks of every age in every era.

Christmasornaments.com welcomes some well loved characters to our lineup.  Rekindle your passion for make believe with Mother Goose, the queen of the nursery rhyme.  Recite Hey Diddle Diddle or Humpty Dumpty as you trim the tree with reminders of a sillier time.  Relive the magic and excitement of Neverland, or wish upon a star with Pinocchio.  And perhaps best fitting with a bedecked Christmas tree, remember Hansel and Gretel and their fateful visit to the witch’s gingerbread and candy house. We’ve got the boys and girls, the creatures and critters you love, and what better way to share them with the next generation than through the beauty of glass Christmas ornaments.

Christmas is a special time when age barriers fall down, and any boy, girl, man, or woman is free to imagine, play, and laugh.  And like Christmas, storybook tales and silly songs bring down those barriers too.  Celebrate generations of joyous holidays and family traditions with these colorful glass ornaments.

For more than 23 years, Christopher Radko’s glass ornaments have graced the trees of American homes.  The sparkling glitter and detailed workmanship of each piece has made ownership of these ornaments coveted throughout the world.  Beginning in 1986, Radko started making his own ornaments when he found, upon attempting to replace his mother’s heirloom ornaments after a Christmas “accident,” that there were no fine quality ornaments available in the states.  So in the decade of plastic and melamine, Radko turned to glass and gilt, in an effort to recreate the spirit of the ornaments he knew in his youth.

Radko has since sold his ornament business, which had quickly grown from a hobby to a multi-million dollar company.  Radko’s ornaments, however, are still in production, with new pieces out every year made to Christopher’s standards of quality and beauty.  These collector’s items are also valuable because one-third of them are retired each year! 

The themes of Christopher Radko ornaments harken back to a time of the pre-commercial Christmas.  Dazzling snowmen, jolly elf-like Santas, and old fashioned hearths decked with children’s stockings are the staples of the collection.  Every ornament is different, however, so that each year you can add something to the tree that reminds you of that particular Christmas.   As the company says, “A Christopher Radko ornament is a work of heart!” 

At Christmasornaments.com, we are celebrating the release of Chistopher Radko’s 2010 ornament collection. Stop by and take a look, and we’re sure you’ll be charmed by the warmth and light of these gorgeous holiday keepsakes.

This month, in honor of Oktoberfest, we’d like to share with you the legacy of German Christmas decorations and the effect they’ve had on what we often think of as our very American Christmas traditions.  Exquisite lace tablecloths, doilies, and even Christmas ornaments can be found in many American homes around the holidays, but perhaps we never thought about where this kind of lace came from.  This fine, linen handiwork is often German style lace, which is characterized by tightly knitted patterns, whimsical nature inspired designs, and delicate scalloped edges.

German Lace Christmas Ornaments are a beautiful addition to any traditional Christmas tree.  Some ornaments are simple snowflake or snowman designs that showcase the white delicate threads, while others use colored threads to create Santas and gifts galore.  An even more ornate lace ornament creation includes a German painted glass ball hanging within the lace design.  American children and crafty grandmothers have made all manner of lace-inspired ornaments over the past century, from yarn candy canes to macramé gingerbread men.  But there is no real substitute for the luxury of Christmas lace.

At Christmasornaments.com we’ve selected some superb examples of German Lace Christmas Ornaments for 2010.  These unique creations are directly from the region of Vogtland in Saxony, which is located in the eastern part of Germany. This region is well known for its embroidery tradition and produces the authentic "Plauen Lace" which has been recognized for its excellent quality since World War II. The artisans’ decades of experience are evident in the fine German craftsmanship of these heirloom ornaments.  Trim your tree with handmade keepsakes, or remember your German relatives at Christmas by gifting them with a set of these lace treasures.

For the lover of jewelry and color, a keepsake birthstone ornament is a truly apt gift.  Birthdays and birthstones are very important to some of us, and remembering the day we began our lives in this world is a way to remember everything that’s happened since.  Whether you’re giving as baby’s first Christmas, for a lover of birthstones, or as a very belated first Christmas gift, you’ll trigger fond memories and start new traditions by giving a Birthstone Christmas Ornament.

Birthstones signify many things, from the spirit of the January child to the colors of springtime.  There are several ways that birthstones are organized or classified.  First, there are precious and semi-precious birthstones.  This distinction was made long ago to allow gift giving on any budget, and to allow for fluctuations in the mining of certain precious stones.  For instance, April’s birthstone is diamond – it would be very expensive (and perhaps misleading!) to give a diamond gift.  An alternative April birthstone is garnet, which is much more affordable and does not carry the loaded cultural meaning of a diamond.  Another example is October, which has the precious birthstone of opal.  Opal is a subtle stone, and something of an acquired taste, so based on other October traditions and myths, a pink tourmaline or zircon was selected as a secondary birthstone as something that might appeal to a wider section of jewelry wearers.

Other ways that birthstones are classified is based on ancient traditions from different parts of the world.  Our American birthstone chart is based on an amalgamation of these traditions, but mostly on stones associated with astrological star signs.  Other ways to assign birthstones to months is by the stone’s ayurvedic or healing properties, its Hindu associations with various gods, or by the month’s planetary alignments rather than the zodiac.  Online you can find birthstone charts for all of these traditions, and select a stone based on what is important to your birthstone lover.

Ornamentshop.com has a selection of twelve birthstone ornaments.  The ornaments are painted glass balls in the luminous color of the stone for each month.  You can choose by month, or you can choose the color that most closely represents the stone you would like to represent.  Each ornament is hand painted with the recipient’s birth date and name, and the colors are so dazzling you’ll want to leave them out all year. (We’ve got an ornament stand for that!)

As the economy slowly recovers, so does the nation’s birth rate rapidly grow!  Couples who were waiting have taken the parenting leap in 2010, and those who were trying anyway have been blessed as the stress of everyday life has lifted just a little.  Welcome all the new babies in your family this year with a time-honored Christmas tradition – the Baby’s First Christmas ornament.

Baby’s First Christmas ornaments come in a wide variety of themes.  Most of them are geared toward one gender or another, and pinks and blues are all the rage this year for the new baby boom.  Some beautiful options are a traditional glass ball ornament, or blown glass keepsakes in the shape of booties, prams, or rattles.  Teddy bears and angels are common characters too, welcoming baby into the world by poking out of a Christmas stocking or flying over a snowy scene.

Some things to take into consideration when buying ornaments for baby are the age and gender of the child.  A newborn who won’t even know it’s Christmas might be better remembered with a traditional glass ball or keepsake painted ornament that his parents can save and treasure for years to come.  An January baby who is already walking and playing might enjoy an ornament he can look at and touch (with supervision from mom and dad of course – ornaments are never toys!), so a cute teddy bear or a candy cane ornament might help him form some precious first memories. When buying with gender in mind, ask the parents or take a look at how they dress baby to see if they are an "all boy" or "all girl" family, or if they prefer non-gender specific clothes and toys.

When buying for baby, don’t forget big brothers and sisters, and other people who are important in baby’s new world.  There are first Christmas ornaments for multiples, siblings, caretakers, grandparents, and even expectant couples.

One last (and important) thing to consider in a Baby’s First Christmas ornament is personalization.  It is important to remember the year and date, but this may be available on limited edition ornaments without any special personalization requests.  A good ornament shop will be able to hand paint your baby’s name, birth date, or personal dedication on your selected ornament, making the gift something to remember the way things were on that specific Christmas day for years to come.

Ornamentshop.com offers many unique personalized ornaments, and a wide selection of Baby’s First Christmas keepsake ornaments that you can make your own.

The Tour de France often brings to mind a certain famous rider and all of the celebrity news surrounding the event.  The Tour, however, has been around for over a century, and had intense fan followings long before the media created the modern image of the race.

The first Tour de France was in 1903, and after offering a generous prize and a daily allowance of five francs, the competition attracted nearly 80 riders.  Starting out in a small French village, the Tour ended in Paris like every Tour since.  Riders raced for 19 days, with bicycles that were less than optimal for climbing mountains and navigating night rides.  On some stretches of the course they were even required to use wooden wheels!  The tires of the day could not withstand quick descents without overheating and separating from the metal rim.

The Tour de France was the first major race to introduce timed trials as the method for choosing a winner.  Timed trials are the standard in all forms of bicycle racing today, from downhill mountain biking to road tours around the globe.  The Tour also introduced different types of team racing, some years as national teams, other years as trade teams, and with ever-changing rules for how riders function within a team.  This important race has been a trend setter since its inception, and will continue to be a touchstone for how bicycle racing is done in the future.

Despite the prestige of the Tour de France, the race has had its setbacks.  The Tour was suspended twice for the World Wars, suffered through many doping scandals in the 1960s, and has dealt with maintaining a public image all these years through political differences, pressure from sponsors, and some of the most enthusiastic and intense fan bases in sports (even in 1904 riders would get pummeled by rival fans!).   Most recently, “bike doping” has popped up on the list of controversies – some suspect riders of using tiny motors to help power their cranks.  Whatever the current controversy may be, the Tour de France is sure to outlive it.  The race, after all, was begun in 1903 because its organizer, Henri Desgrange, could think of no better way to draw attention to a French political scandal.

At Ornamentshop.com we have a fun selection of bicycle themed ornaments which can be personalized with your own message.  Each “cyclist” can be hand painted with the name of your own little bike rider, or your favorite Tour rider.  Vive le Tour!

The 2010 World Cup marked the first time the final rounds of this enormous football (soccer to Americans) event would be hosted in an African nation.  South Africa won the bid over Egypt and Morocco, bringing much needed attention and tourism to a nation with a rich and sometimes troubled history.  The unique topography and culture of South Africa lent some very strange twists to the competition.

In ten striking venues across the country, thirty-two teams competed for the cup.  Some of the stadiums were so high above sea level that players were affected by the altitude, as was the firmness of the ball.  While FIFA medical experts downplayed these effects, players complained about not being in control of their bodies.  

To make matters more interesting, a special Adidas ball called the Jabulari was introduced for the 2010 World Cup.  Players would also complain about the behavior of this ball, mostly that it would not fly straight over long passes. Interestingly, Adidas-sponsored players only had good things to say about the new ball. 

Another small controversy developed around the finals when broadcasters realized that fans at home could not hear the commentary on the games because of the incessant blowing of vuvuzela horns.  The vuvuzela is a South African football tradition, a horn used by fans to show their excitement at the games (much like canned air horns are used in the States).  Something about these World Cup Finals had the vuvuzelas blowing at full blast this year, giving the players yet another strange complaint about the effect of environment on their game.  Stadium officials tried to control the noise of the horns, but to no avail.  BBC is considering rebroadcasting games after re-mastering the sound in an attempt to remove some of the horn noise.

So many strange events and situations came up at the 2010 World Cup, but we mustn’t forget the last chapter in the series!  Spain won the final game one to zero over the Netherlands, taking home $30 million for the team, bragging rights for a year, and a lifetime of stories and memories from this unique World Cup event.

Whether you call it football or soccer, Ornamentshop.com has a host of ornaments that will put a smile on the face of any fan or player.  Check out our soccer ornaments pages for personalized ornaments that can be personalized with the name of your favorite player, your World Cup team, a future all-star player in your family or a commemorative message.

At the end of the 2009 – 2010 school year, whether your child is moving to a new school or just onto the next grade, there may be teachers that he or she will miss dearly.  There may also be teachers who you know have worked hard to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment.  The usual gifts for favorite teachers include flowers, candy, fruit, or even gift cards.  But if the point of the gift is for the teacher to remember how much he or she meant to that student’s success, shouldn’t the gift be a little more personal?

A personal and memorable gift such as an ornament with the teacher’s name, school, or school year is a great way to ensure your child’s teacher not only remembers how much she meant to your child in particular, but also knows that your child selected an ornament with her in mind.  Ornamentshop.com has many personalized teacher ornaments to choose from, and there is a design for every teacher, bus driver, librarian, or other staff member who made a difference in your child’s school year.  Choose from men and women teachers, school buses, crossing guards, and even Christmas themed ornaments if you choose to give during the holidays (teachers need year-round appreciation!).  Accompany your chosen ornament with your child’s handmade card, and you have a one-of-a-kind gift.

Your child’s favorite teachers can proudly decorate their desks or offices with reminders that their efforts have been noticed, and that they have made a difference to your child.  It is a tough world out there for our teachers today. Every year they take on more work without much incentive, or may find themselves with no work at all.  Yet for many of these hard-working teachers, every single child counts – and yours just might make her (…or his) day with a unique and thoughtful gift.

Don’t forget to appreciate your child’s teacher this year!

Almost fifty years after their last championship win, the Chicago Blackhawks took home the Stanley Cup this past June.  Perhaps more so than in any other sport, the Stanley Cup is a championship series full of superstitions and traditions.  (Leading up to the final game, the Hawks grew their beards out and refused to lay eyes on the cup, for fear of jinxing themselves.)  Every year the winning team all get to hold the antique cup immediately after the win, then each will keep the cup for a day, usually taking it home with him -- sometimes far across the globe.  The most striking feature of the Stanley Cup itself is the engraved names that cover the base.  The names of every member of every team who has won the cup are immortalized there, making the players’ time with the cup that much more special.

OrnamentShop.com is pleased to announce the arrival of an NHL Officially Licensed Chicago Blackhawks Christmas ornament, celebrating their long awaited win.  This glass ornament sports the team’s home uniform in red, with a detailed Blackhawks emblem on the jersey.  Whether you’ve got a dedicated Hawks fan in the family or an aspiring hockey player at home, this ornament will surely put a smile on someone’s face, and remind them of that historical 2010 championship game when the Chicago Blackhawks finally brought home the Stanley Cup!

Traditional graduation gifts have always been practical – at least we think of them as practical.  Some grads receive pens, those bound for the corporate world might receive a PDA or a new phone, and of course, the most “practical” (but also most impersonal) gift on every grad’s list is money.  If we really think about these gifts however… how many graduates will really keep that pen around?  Or much less buy refills for it?  And let’s face it – high school graduates especially don’t need a PDA.  And who knows where that money will go!  Why not get your graduate something that is personal, memorable, and that won’t get lost in the laundry.

Ornamentshop.com offers personalized graduation ornaments.  These cute little boys and girls (er…men and women) in their caps and gowns can be hand painted with your grad’s name, degree or high school, and graduation year.  For those grads that still haven’t grown up (that magical day doesn’t make I happen all at once!), a graduate teddy bear ornament might be the perfect choice.

A personalized graduation ornament is something your grad can keep around for years to come.  It can decorate that new dorm room and be a reminder of home, or for college grads, serve as a proud reminder of past achievements as they move into their first tiny cubicle.  As your graduate grows older, the ornament may come to serve as a keepsake Christmas ornament, and hang on his family tree every year.  It’s an excellent ornament to start off a new family tradition – we all know how little we have to hang on the tree when we first set out on our own!  A graduation ornament can be a first ornament that actually has meaning (even if the tree is three feet high and propped up on a cardboard box…).
So when your grad asks for money these next few weeks, maybe you will have to pony up.   Perhaps money really is the most practical gift these days.  But it will soon be spent!  You can make your gift of money (or an iPod, or whatever your grad is begging for) more personal and memorable for the whole family by boxing it up with a personalized graduation ornament – something your grad probably never expected!