I recently discovered something which I found really interesting!
For years I have happily talked about my Disney “ornaments”.
My shelves are full of ornaments. I clean ornaments. I photograph ornaments. I carefully package ornaments ready for their next home.
Perfectly normal… right?
Well apparently, if you say this to many American collectors, they may be picturing something completely different.
Because in the UK, many of us use the word ornament to describe decorative pieces we display around our homes — including our beautiful Disney Traditions, Showcase and other collectable figures.
But in America?
An ornament is often something you hang on a Christmas tree.
So while I’m thinking of a beautifully detailed Jim Shore Belle and Beast display piece…
Someone else might be imagining me dangling a 3kg stone resin figurine from a Christmas branch.
Please don’t try that. Your tree (or the figurine - or Abigail!!) will not forgive you.
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So What Should We Actually Call Them?
This is where collecting gets interesting because there are lots of words used depending on where you live.
Figurines
This is probably the most internationally recognised word. It usually means a small decorative figure, often sculpted and painted.
Disney Traditions by Jim Shore pieces are generally referred to as figurines, especially by collectors and retailers.
Figures
Another common term, although this can sometimes cross over into toys and action figures — and we all know the horror of a serious collector piece being called a toy!
(Deep breaths, collectors. Deep breaths.)
Ornaments
In the UK, this feels completely natural. Many of us grew up calling decorative items around the house ornaments.
Your nan probably had ornaments.
Your mum probably told you not to touch the ornaments.
And now we are adults… buying our own ornaments and telling everyone else not to touch them.
The circle of life (excuse the Disney reference!)
Collectibles / Collectables
Even this changes!
In the UK you’ll often see “collectable”.
In America, “collectible” is the more common spelling.
Same meaning, slightly different spelling.
A little like colour and color — nobody is wrong, we’re just separated by a few thousand miles and a few missing letters.
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Why Does This Matter?
For casual collectors, it probably doesn’t.
Whether you call them ornaments, figurines, figures, statues or “my precious Disney things nobody is allowed near” — we all know what we mean.
But when buying and selling online, wording can actually make a big difference.
Someone searching for:
“Disney Traditions ornament”
might get completely different results from someone searching:
“Disney Traditions figurine”
or:
“Jim Shore Disney collectible”
Collectors across the world use different phrases, which means sometimes the perfect piece could be hiding simply because it’s listed under another name.
A little collector treasure hunt!
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One Thing They Definitely Are Not…
Toys.
I had to say it.
While of course Disney makes lots of wonderful toys, these particular pieces are collectable display items.
Many are hand-painted, retired, limited in availability and treasured by adult collectors all over the world.
They are pieces of art, memories, nostalgia and little snapshots of stories we love.
Although admittedly… some of us do occasionally talk to them while cleaning.
No judgement here.
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Different Words, Same Disney Magic
One of my favourite things about collecting is that it brings together people from all over the world.
We might use different words.
We might spell things differently.
We might occasionally confuse each other.
But whether you call them ornaments, figurines or collectibles, we are all talking about the same thing:
Those little pieces of Disney magic that make us smile every time we walk past them.
Just maybe don’t hang a 25cm Beast on your Christmas tree (seriously....please don't!)
