Buckeye Fan Penguin

Buckeye Fan Penguin

became a fan of the OSU Buckeyes, when I moved to Columbus and learned to appreciate the sport of American football. Since I grew up in Venezuela, American football was foreign to me. It was not until my daughter’s high school years that I realized the complexity and strategy of this sport. As I chaperoned the Friday night high school games, I became hooked. So, in 2019, I created the Buckeye Fan Snowman ornament to celebrate American football. After seeing how well my customers had received this first Buckeye-themed ornament, I decided to add the Buckeye Fan Penguin to the Santa Claus collection as well.

Buckeye Fan Penguin Ornament Design Process

An Unknown Legend

Although penguins live in Antarctica, I once heard a legend about migrating penguins. Admittedly, I hardly recall where I heard it or who told it to me. Maybe I dreamed it. The legend says that penguins migrate from the South Pole to the North Pole. This phenomenon only occurs for a few days around the eve of Christmas. I have always wondered whether there were other Santa’s Helpers besides the famous Christmas Elves.

So, the Christmas Penguin is the extra help that arrives at the North Pole, all the way from Antarctica, unnoticed. Just at the right time. And disappears the same way after the job is done. Now, some of these Penguins have some unique abilities. They are great football players! They are especially impressive quarterbacks and wide receivers! The ability to throw the football accurately and the ability to always catch it despite how accurately it has been thrown, it certainly comes in handy when loading Santa’s sleigh.

Just close your eyes for a second and imagine Santa’s workshop on Christmas Eve day. Billions of wrapped presents on the conveyor belt waiting to be loaded into Santa’s sleigh. Now imagine the Buckeye Fan Penguin quarterback throwing the present to his teammate Buckeye Fan Penguin wide receiver. He catches the present with ease and within seconds, he stuffs it in Santa’s bottomless bag. And that is how Santa’s sleigh gets loaded and ready to go every Christmas Eve.

So, as you can imagine, it was impossible not to include the Buckeye Fan Penguin ornament as part of the Santa Claus Ornaments collection.

The Design of the Buckeye Fan Penguin

I designed the Buckeye Fan Penguin ornament wearing a beanie hat made from old scarlet and gray t-shirts’ fabric. Just like the Buckeye Fan Snowman, I dressed him in a buckeye print vest. Then, I added a tuxedo shirt and bowtie. I embroidered his eyes with sequins and glass beads and made his beak from a stiffened felt. And I added a football, as if he was ready to throw it or had just caught it. To add more charm to the ornament, I crafted a baby penguin made from a small buckeye that sits between the penguin’s legs.

Specifications

Year Designed

2021

Size

Actual sizes may vary slightly, approximately 2.0” x 2.0” x 4.0”

Materials

Cardboard, fabric, trims, felt, ribbons, beads, pompoms.

Note: Given the handmade nature of the ornament, all ornaments are different. The pictures depict just one sample of the ornament.