Already known for its greeting cards, Hallmark introduced a line of Christmas ornaments in 1973. The company's annual release of an increasing array of ornaments revolutionized Christmas decorating, appealing to customers' interest in reliving memories, remembering special people and events, and expressing their unique tastes and personalities.

Hallmark realized early on that its Christmas ornaments could mark important family milestones. Purchasing an ornament like "Baby's First Christmas" would bring back happy family memories of this event year after year.

Each year, Hallmark released an increasing array of ornaments depicting characters or scenes from popular movies and television programs. Hallmark produced a long line of Star Wars ornaments over the years, beginning in 1996 with the Millennium Falcon.

Many Hallmark ornaments have also depicted beloved characters from Disney-Pixar's Toy Story movies--beginning with Buzz Lightyear along with a corresponding Sheriff Woody from 1998.