Singles - Holiday Specials: Just Hangin' Around - Christmas Ornaments

Breyer's Holiday series began in 1997 with a single Traditional model with a festive name and a holiday sash. This quickly snowballed into more and more over the top costumes and the series expanded in 1999 to include ornaments and other holiday paraphernalia. While there have been quite a few Stablemate-sized ornaments, only a few have actually featured Stablemate molds. The models used were altered to add holiday accessories and then a mold was made of the new sculpture which was used to cast the resin or plastic ornaments.

#700799 Father Christmas Ornament (1999) was the first ornament to feature a Stablemate and was part of that first group of ornaments released in 1999. The altered G2 Andalusian is a soft dark grey with white mane/tail and four socks. He is turned out in medieval-inspired tack and carries Santa and his sacks of toys.

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Breyer didn't use the Stablemates as painted ornaments again until 2003, and this time there were two of them. The G2 Andalusian ornament returned, this time in bay with richer and more muted colours to his tack. Instead of a red and white Santa he carried a rather Gandalf-y Father Christmas in mossy green and cranberry robes. #700113 Father Christmas Ornament was only available for the 2003 season.

The G2 Rearing Arabian made it's first appearance in ornament form as the #700203 Elegant Ornament (2003). This slightly pearly, lightly shaded and dappled, pale grey model was decorated with a simple red ribbon which twined around the body. A few crystals and the date in gold filled the widest part of the ribbon.

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Many thanks to Deb Walsmith and Sharon Walbridge for providing pictures for this post!