I love squirrels. I have always found them endearing, but I think I can
trace my obsession with them to a special that I watched on PBS years
ago entitled Backyard Bandits. This show was all about setting up elaborate obstacle courses for squirrels
to try to defeat in their quest for peanuts or kernels of corn. We’ve
never had much luck attracting the savvy rodents to our yard; there must
be too much feline aroma in the air. But I’ve spent many a tranquil
afternoon in a more suitable locale tossing nuts to willing squirrels
and seeing just how close they will come to me in their eagerness for a
tasty treat.
Air Express is a Hallmark ornament that dates
back to 1995, which was shortly after I saw that special, so it seems
like something I would have received as a gift, but as I recall, I
bought it at a thrift shop some time later. This would seem to be
supported by the slightly mangled box and the corner of a “sale price”
sticker stuck to the front. No matter how I happened to get it, though,
I’m glad this furry fellow is a part of my collection.
The
back of the burgundy box reads, “Of course, you’ve heard of flying
squirrels, / But did you ever guess / That Santa sometimes uses one / To
send a gift express!” Yes, this is a different sort of squirrel than
the ones I tend to see here in Pennsylvania. Those are gray squirrels,
big and burly; this little guy is a sprightly brown flying squirrel, and
instead of snatching goodies away from people, he’s delivering them.
Nice change of pace; maybe he can help blot out some of the bad press
his thieving relatives are giving the species!
This squirrel
is just shy of three and a half inches long, with his front and back
paws stretched into proper flying position and his wavy tail flapping
out behind him. The ornament is only about an inch in height; this is a
very compact critter. He has large chocolaty brown eyes and a cute
little black nose just above his mouth, which is set in a face of the
same beige color as his stomach. His surface is light brown and highly
textured, with lots of tiny lines in the plastic to help give it the
appearance of real fur.
Each of his paws has four little
digits. The tail, flat in its stretched-out state, looks almost more
like a beaver’s tail as it ripples against the wind. As a member of
Santa’s Special Forces, he comes equipped with a uniform. His red cape
is reminiscent of Superman, especially when coupled with his
gold-trimmed blue mailman hat. Around his neck is slung a mail bag the
precise shade of peanut butter, a color I suppose must be motivating to a
squirrel. The bag is trimmed in dark red and bears the words “AIR
EXPRESS”. Several white envelopes poke out of the top.
This is
a very simple, no-frills ornament, but I don’t mind that. Considering
that it’s both a squirrel and an airborne creature, it’s definitely
intended for the tree, and it doesn’t rest naturally on a flat surface.
Hang the ornament on an obliging branch, however, and you’ve got an
ideal home for this adorable little fella who is so very anxious to
bring you an extra bit of Christmas cheer.
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