Georgia residents Ralph and Jean Hadden have traveled as far as Alaska and Hawaii to collect Hallmark ornaments.
Their love for traveling and collecting the ornaments drove them to Warsaw Tuesday morning, 623 miles from their hometown of Pendergrass, Ga.
They explored the Hallmark Ornament Museum at The Party Shop, 3418 Lake City Highway, Warsaw.The museum was started in 1996. It has 4,000 Hallmark ornaments available each year year since 1973.
The Haddens are members of the Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments Collector's Club and subscribe to the organization's magazine. They read in the magazine about the museum in Warsaw.
"We have been planning for a year to come to Warsaw to specifically visit the ornament museum," Jean said as she looked into a glass case that displayed a row of colorful Hallmark ornaments.
Ornaments are displayed in glass cases with plaques above each case informing customers the year the ornaments were made.
The Haddens, both retired, said they began collecting Hallmark ornaments when they married in 1992.
The couple has 1,000 to 2,000 Hallmark ornaments displayed year-round in their home. Their collection has grown so much that they built shelves to display the ornaments they have collected throughout the United States.
They have seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren they like to purchase ornaments for, besides displaying the ornaments in their home.
They also collect Precious Moments figurines and have approximately 1,600 figurines.
The Haddens have collected the ornaments at flea markets, estate sales and garage sales, and purchased ornaments on E-Bay.
"I used to collect paychecks, but now I help my wife collect ornaments," Ralph said with a laugh.
"Some people have cats, dogs and birds, but we have ornaments."
Norm Snyder, The Party Shop chief executive officer, said he was glad the Haddens visited the museum.
"We're fascinated by the people who come visit the museum and always like to hear their stories," Snyder said.
David Hamrick, Hallmark Ornament Museum curator, said the ornaments bring families together.
"We have found people have family traditions of purchasing ornaments and will shop for them year-round," Hamrick said.
The store will have an in-store signing Sept. 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. where Ken Crow, a Hallmark Keepsake Ornament studio artist, will visit the business. The public is invited to attend the event.
