Return of Christmas Ornaments!

Harbour Lights will introduce six new Christmas Lighthouse Ornaments for 2007.

These are a new design by Harry Hine and will be larger than ornaments in the past. Approximate size is 4" high x 2.75" in diameter. SRP is $21.95 each. Dealers should have the word now, orders can be placed for delivery in August.

Here's a sneak look:

They look awesome. I can't wait to see them in person.

I ‘m impressed

Very nice! Like the looks of those! Agree with Daniel

They look good to me. Glad to see Christmas ornaments are back !!!

John,

This is wonderful news. I'm so happy to see that the Christmas Ornaments are back. And they are so beautiful!

I intend to order two (2) sets -- one for my brother and one for myself.

bobo

What am I looking at Webmaster? A painted ornament or a lighthouse inside of a clear ornament?

These look really nice! What would be a neat idea is have them blink on the tree!

My guess is they are 3-dimensional. They look somewhat round with a small lighthouse inside. My honest opinion is I like the old style better. The old ones could be displayed as a down-sized HL year round if you wanted.

I applaud Harbour Lights for bringing back Christmas Ornaments. I sincerely believe there will be a demand for such a seasonal item. The jury will be out until the actual items appear at dealers.

Bob

I've not seen one in person; just going on the picture:

A spyglass-size resin lighthouse replica inside an ovoid-shaped ornament with a "lantern room" top.

The front and back of the egg-shape are open so you can see the lighthouse.

While the overall size of the ornament is larger than in the past, the actual lighthouse is a bit smaller.

They don't 'blink'.

I know how to blink.

bobo

Sorry they don't do anything for me. I liked the old version better. As Bob M says they were dual purpose, hang them or not.

John...that was just a suggestion...not an actual observation!
They still look nice...just thought it would be "Christmasy" with a blink to it...maybe a blinking beacon.

My initial reaction is I like them, but will hold my final opinion until I see them in person.

Wonder if Harry might bring one (or more) along with him to the Colorado events to show off?

Hallmark has been one to make "plug-in ornaments" that could draw power from those mini-lights on Christmas Trees. That might have been a possibility. But the retail price might have passed the point of "no-buy".

Harbour Lights (and us) is lucky that Harry went with the sale of Harbour Lights. We are now getting to see Harry shine and use his talents. Because of the new owner and Tony using this resourceful and talented man, and putting him in charge of design, I knew that Harbour Lights was going to succeed. Harry is the secret weapon that HL aways had but didn't use.

These ornaments deserve a super duper WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DANIEL,

You've got that right.

bobo

The pictures look very nice, but I would rather wait to see them up close and personal.
I loved the other Christmas ornaments because they were well done and as others have said "they are dual purpose...hang them or not."
I hang them on the tree at Christmas and then remove them and put them back in my curio to enjoy all year round.
It would depend on the weight of these new ornaments, wheter I purchase or not. If they are heavy,probably not. I don't want them falling off and breaking. I really don't know where else I would display them.

I put my Christmas Ornaments on hooks in a display case. That way I can enjoy them all year round.

There is never a Christmas Tree in my townhouse. Many years ago my Dad went under the knife on Christmas Eve for brain cancer and died soon after. The last thing he did was to put up and decorate a tree for my Mom.

No tree here, but I love the ornaments.

bobo

You can find hanging ornament stands. I have ones that hold 1 and 3 ornaments. I have the round ornaments that have lighthouses painted on them displayed on them. They stay out year round. The new ornaments designed by Harry would probably go very nicely on them.

These ornaments are very interesting looking. I will be awaiting the day they arrive on the dealers shelves.

A quick Google search found these examples

Based on the ornament height, you'll probably want something at least 6"+ in height. More if you want to use what appears to be the gold cord rather than hooking the eye above the lantern room to the display stand. Be sure to clarify before ordering stands whether the height refers to the base to hook distance or the base to top distance.

Maybe someone can locate or design a multiple ornament hanger that creates a tree shape:

..1
.2 3
4 5 6

Thanks for the help Bob & Dave. Never thought of that! I could put them across the mantel of my fireplace. That's sturdy and up high enough from little fingers.
Thanks for the google link, John. Some very nice stands to consider.

The new Harbour Lights Christmas Lighthouse Ornaments look very good and would be something definitely we will add to our collection. I wonder if HL has carried the great lighthouse detail over, into these new ornaments, that exist in the lighthouse models? Hopefully so!

As John mentioned, Hallmark has a series of lighted lighthouses, of which we have the complete set, and are plugged directly into the mini-light strings used to decorate our Christmas tree each year. We also would be concerned about the weight of the ornaments. If they are to heavy for the Christmas tree, then displaying them on ornament stands, the same as the 4 HL Christmas bulbs we have now, would be the way to go.

If they are dimensional and not too heavy they should be a success. Of course the price is higher than the previous ones so buying all six will be a bit stiffer! They all look good though so will probably get them all as ornaments are another weakness of mine!
Judy

Marketing was certainly a consideration here.
One for all the major collector areas.
Florida
Southeast
Great Lakes
New England
California
Northeast
Most have gift shops at lighthouse or known big dealers nearby.
4 of the most famous.

You got that right, Bob. Of course, I'm sure that's not a criticism. If you are going to make a product to sell, you want to pick the images and icons most well known and loved.

East Brother might have been replaced with Old Point Loma or Alcatraz IMO. EB is a beautiful lighthouse, just not as seen my as many people up close and personal as the others.

Maybe Montauk instead of Fire Island? That's your territory.

If they sell well this first year, then we'll see what the choices are in 2008.

As for price. Ornaments started out 11 years ago @ $15 and that price held for 10 years. Now about 50% higher. Had the price of ornaments kept pace with the increases in the price of cars, gas & groceries, what would ornaments cost today? A simple 4% price increase each year from 1995 would have brought them to $23 after 11 years.

They look really nice. I can't wait to see them up close. I already have a couple of ornament stands that I recieved with some other lighthouse ornaments for Christmas. These ornaments may have to replace the other ones in my curio.

John;
Two things come to my mind, Maybe HL is holding back for next year so they don’t use up all the heavy sellers the first year or how about this idea:
I think you are on to something, how do we really know that a Montauk is more popular than a fire island. There were only 5500 of the Montauk made verses the 9500 fire Island. The same idea with East brother, if it came out during the early and middle 90’s would it have been even more of a hot seller than Old Point Loma or Alcatraz?
Which Lighthouses are really the most popular?

I'm definately going to consider buying these. They would go well with our Hallmark Lighthouse Greetings ornaments on our main Christmas tree.

Since I got out of the ornament collection when the lighthouses went away, I will not be buying these because of the total different look. I am glad that they are bringing them back but I'm trying to save on display room and this is one way to do it.

MelJB previously posted:
Ask and ye shall receive! Harry brought 2 of the ornaments in for us to preview. We got to see Portland Head and St Augustine. I asked if we were looking at APs and Harry said, no much rarer than that, so something akin to a paint sample. Based on the ones I saw tonight, I will be purchasing these. The bottom is flat so you could just sit them on a shelf if you want, Harry said he intentionally had the flat part added just for that purpose!

Melody,

That's great news. Harry seems to have covered all the bases.

bobo

Most likely you were looking at the sample that was going to be sent to the factory.

Very observant, Bob! My guess is some collectors will do the "buy one a year" thing and add it to their Christmas displays. You would have to be a real serious "one-of-everything" collector to buy them all. It may behoove Harbour Lights to release a new ornament from each area, each year. I think they will sell.

Bob

I loved the original because they looked like a small HL. I dont have a tree and wont buy them now. A little disapointed. Oh well.