Sonic & Christmas Winter Holiday
The SonicGear Christmas (and any other winter holiday) section is now here! There got to be enough merchandise that it warrants its own page. Of course, everyone is hoping for Sonic stocking-stuffers but with modern era items you can also decorate the tree (and other things) with him too. So, it's going to be mostly Christmas, but if someone makes something Hanukkah or Newyears or something, that'll end up here too. So, the page can have anything/category of merchandise on it, so long as it is specifically for the holidays. So look out for ugly Christmas sweaters, ornaments, Advents and more, all to help Sonic and friends get under the tree (or in the stocking) every year. This page has no specific year/s , releases should be stated with the product. This is a world wide page despite the USA getting most of the stuff.
It's a wacky little thing with super duper short limbs, big body, and flat flappy layers for the spikes. They didn't miss his tail, though. It's a sort of 'chibi' styled classic Sonic with simple printed on face. (It is not that 'emoji' type style, but still 'little-big-heads' simple)
It has a hang loop at the top for adding to the tree and is only about 4 inches high. There isn't anything Christmas-ey about this though, so you could basically put it anywhere. This is a 2023 item
This year, their figural ornament is rolling classic Sonic. He's in his 'curled' pose before the sprite changes to the 'sphere' for his rolling animation. It had been done as stock art before, but it translates well into 3D because whoever they have either sculpting this or taking it from the 3D model in games did quite well.
Hopefully this is made of sturdy stuff/not fragile like a typical ornament. It is likely to be somewhat costly, as Hallmark exclusives usually are, expect about 20 dollars in 2023. (Do not miss this during the year if you want it, the price always goes up later) This is Hallmark's factory photo.
Most Christmas tree ornaments used to be thin, brightly colored glass items in various shapes (obviously balls, pears, points, etc) decorated with layers of color or various other shiny things. The flat round shape is traditional too, but here, it's been turned into a shiny gold Sonic ring. It has modern Sonic on one side, and a red star (for the red star ring collectible thing from games) on the other. He is somewhat simplified because of how glass can be created as this hollow form thing. It still looks good, and is interesting to see a very old art getting a modern Sonic treatment. This is a Hallmark 2023 item, price pending finding out what it is.
It's true, and it's actually the 2nd one to exist. (The first was that 'game gear tiny system model with Sonic in the fake screen) This is a 3 inch diameter printed ceramic ornament. It is flat, with a hole at the top for a hook or ribbon to hang it on your tree. Oddly, the ornament isn't a very 'Christmas' green, it's more surgical-scrubs blueish-green. One side has a new/specific for it (which is nice) art of classic Sonic in a Santa hat, holding 1 gift while walking, as other gifts are in the air around him. The other side has a 'holiday sweater' like pattern & the phrase "Christmas Greetings From Sonic" with the last bit in script-ish font. This is a Segashop exclusive item & is 16.95. That's a bit costly because it is so small & doesn't even come with something to hang it from a tree.
Make your tree cooler, when you hang these festive resin ornaments from the branches. The left ornament features classic Sonic in a new pose. He's wearing a Santa hat, and is shown carrying a red & green wrapped gift in one hand while walking & smiling.
The second ornament is also supposed to be resin...but it has a different style & look? There are no outlines on this one at all, and the material (for some reason) really doesn't look the same...so what's going on here?
Either way, this has modern Sonic doing a thumbs up inside a gold ring that has a Christmas bow at the bottom. He's also wearing a santa cap. Both of these have a silvertone cord to hang them from a hole in the top. They are both 2018/2019 Sega Shop items, and are 15 dollars each.
Yes they sure did, and it's the classic license. For Christmas 2021, it will release these two figural / fully 3D ornaments in their "Hallmark Keepsakes" collection. Ornaments of this type tend to be made of some kind of hard resin type material and are fully painted. You can see the hang loop on the top of the figure's head. They'll be in a box with a picture of what's inside.
The first is flying Tails carrying feet-up Sonic, and the second is gliding Knuckles holding a gold ring. Both are a super choice! It's a perfect way to show friendship in the holiday season & include both characters. Knuckles looks like he is having fun gliding with the ring. It's a good active pose, he's on-model, and it's not over-used. When hanging up something, the poses were clearly taken into
Supposedly these are quite fragile so if you get these do be careful.
And, as is usual as well, there's nothing 'Christmasey' about them. They are just regular 'display figure' type items that you can hang or use anywhere, including on the tree. You can choose from thumbs up Sonic, waving Tails or fist up Shadow. Each is hung by a metal hang-loop at the top, and comes with a white ribbon to hang it.
Hallmark keeps making figural ornaments each year, so be sure to look at the poses so you can tell the years' releases apart. These are likely display boxed. They can be found on Amazon, but Walmart is also likely to have them, as will Hallmark stores (although those shops are not as common everywhere)
This is another figural one, but this time he matches some of the modern art that has him pointing, but wearing a Santa hat and carrying the usual white Santaclaus bag. This hangs from a loop at the top of the hat, and is made from their usual hard ceramic-like material and is fully 3D and painted.
This comes boxed so you can keep it safe when packing it away after the holiday (important, because the material isn't plastic so it can break). Interesting that this is their first actual specific-to-Christmas Sonic ornament, the others were just figures of him you could put on the tree if you want. It should be about 19 dollars and is available both online and in Hallmark retail stores.
This is an Amazon item, another one of those where 'sega' is the only branding on there. It's a regular white adults sizes sweat shirt (no hood, no pocket, etc) with some new stock art for the large design.
This has classic Sonic walking and pointing in a ring. He's dressed in a Santa coat and hat, and carrying a bag of toys. But, the spikes are going kind of back? It's a bit unusual. The background has Emerald outlines, snowflakes and "Merry Christmas" as the slogan. This is an interesting one because it is not overly busy and uses all new art.
How this is regarded will depend on whether or not you approve of them just kind of 'tacking on' Christmas themes to Sonic. Other than the colors and the fake hat there's nothing really Christmas about this, and the slogan is a common one.
Its an all right enough design from Komar Kids (at Kohls) but a bit curious that Christmas appears in spring 2024.
This one has nothing to do with Christmas, it's just a nice little Sonic figure that hangs from a loop at the top. (So, display him at any time) This year, they choose jumping twist/pointing pose for him, which looks nice here because it doesn't have to stand up. As is usual, it's pretty safely packed in their window box with plastic casing.
As is ALSO usual, DO try to buy in person and DO inspect for the paint quality because they don't. This can have poorly misprints on the eyes/eye paint all over the head/out of the eye, and other pretty obvious issues. This should be about 9.99, and is available at Walmart, Office Max-Depot, and Hallmark stores. It may also be at Amazon--nicely easy enough to buy, always a plus!