Something’s Fishy with the Christmas Decorations

While I’m all for Christmas decorations, I must admit I find putting up lights and trees and garlands more chores than fun. It’s Scrooge-like, I know. My wife, however, genuinely enjoys holiday decorating, and because she’s married to me, mixed in with the plethora of beautiful ornaments she’s been accruing since childhood are the leaping bass ornaments, fishing Santa Clauses, wooden trout wearing Santa hats, and flyfishing reindeer mugs of mine. Why do I have these things? When you love fishing like I do and a distant cousin or great aunt you haven’t seen in forever needs to buy you a little gift, they go straight to the Christmas aisle at the Bass Pro Shops.

It’s not that I dislike Christmas fishing decor, but I would never buy any of it for myself. Yes, I’m a fishing fiend, but if Christen wanted a tree decorated with nothing but wild orchids and silver bells (or whatever), I wouldn’t balk. That said, I do have to give some props to the folks at Heddon for releasing the Punkinseed ornament set shown above. They are probably the coolest fishing ornaments I own, because they’re not cutesy or cartoony, but perfect replicas of an all-time classic lure, complete with original paint patterns. In fact, I was really excited when the box hit my desk, because for a minute I thought Heddon was reintroducing the Punkinseed.

Why do I bring up this ornament set? Because I bet a few of you also receive your share of fishing/hunting Christmas wares. If you know darn well Aunt Gertrude is going to buy you more this year, at least you can point her in Heddon’s direction. You get 12 Punkinseeds for $20, and you can say you’re representing fishing history on your tree this year.