Most Hallmark ornaments are purchased for a family Christmas tree. A few get a much more unusual assignment.

The Ornament Factory was proud to provide the Star Wars, Star Trek and Marvel Hallmark ornaments used in Season 7, Episode 11 of The Big Bang Theory. The episode, titled “The Cooper Extraction,” first aired on December 12, 2013.

For our team, seeing ornaments supplied by The Ornament Factory appear on one of television’s most popular comedies was an unforgettable moment—and a wonderful reminder that Christmas ornaments can help tell a story even when they are not the center of the scene.

A Christmas tree made for The Big Bang Theory

In “The Cooper Extraction,” Sheldon is away in Texas while the rest of the group decorates a Christmas tree. The episode uses his absence to imagine how the characters’ lives might have unfolded if they had never met him.

The decorated tree fits the world of the show. Instead of relying only on traditional balls, snowflakes and tinsel, the set includes ornaments connected to science fiction, superheroes and the interests shared by the characters. Among those decorations were Hallmark ornaments provided by The Ornament Factory from three major collecting areas:

• Star Wars Hallmark ornaments
• Star Trek Hallmark ornaments
• Marvel Hallmark ornaments

The ornaments were not random decorations. They helped make the tree look like it belonged in the apartment and in the lives of these particular characters. Fans who collect pop-culture Keepsake Ornaments understand the effect immediately: a Christmas tree can become a visual record of the movies, television series and characters a family loves.

Hallmark ornaments visible on the tree

Look closely and you can identify several specific Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments supplied by The Ornament Factory:

• 1997 Yoda, Star Wars
• 1995 Captain James T. Kirk, Star Trek
• 1996 Mr. Spock, Star Trek
• 1992 Shuttlecraft Galileo, Star Trek
• 1995 Romulan Warbird, Star Trek

For collectors, spotting these familiar designs on the tree turns the scene into a miniature ornament hunt. Each link leads directly to that ornament at HallmarkOrnaments.com, where you can learn more and check current availability.

That mixture is part of what makes the scene feel natural. Collectors rarely decorate a tree with only one kind of ornament. A Star Trek figure may hang near a Star Wars vehicle, a Marvel character, a family keepsake or a simple glass ball. Over time, the tree becomes personal precisely because those different interests share the same branches.

The scene also preserves a snapshot of pop-culture ornament collecting in 2013. Hallmark had already produced decades of licensed designs by that point, giving a television set decorator many characters, ships and styles to choose from.

A special thank-you from the show

After the episode, the production sent The Ornament Factory a cast-autographed photograph. The signed picture features the principal cast and remains a treasured part of our company’s history.

The photograph means more to us than a standard piece of television memorabilia. It represents the moment when products handled by our small Ohio business became part of a major network television production. Every signature reminds us of the customers, collectors and employees who helped The Ornament Factory grow into a trusted source for Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments.

From an Ohio ornament store to a television set

The Ornament Factory specializes in helping collectors find Hallmark ornaments from across the history of the Keepsake line. That includes annual series, limited editions, Magic ornaments, retired designs and licensed collections covering movies, television, comics, sports and much more.

Supplying ornaments for The Big Bang Theory was a particularly fitting opportunity. The series celebrated fandom, collecting, science fiction and the personal connections people build around the things they love. Those are familiar ideas to ornament collectors. A small decoration can represent a favorite character, a meaningful year or a tradition shared with family and friends.

Build your own pop-culture Christmas tree

You do not need a television production budget to create a tree with the same kind of personality. Start with one subject you genuinely enjoy, then add related characters, vehicles and complementary designs over time. Mixing franchises can make the result feel more personal, just as it did on the show.

Explore Hallmark ornaments at The Ornament Factory, search for your favorite characters, or browse our Hallmark Ornament Collector Guide for help understanding series, condition, storage and identification.

More than a decade after “The Cooper Extraction” first aired, we remain proud that ornaments from The Ornament Factory became a small part of The Big Bang Theory history.