Where the Wild Things Are
Hallmark Ornaments


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Ornament Details
artist: Sharon Visker
materials :plastic
year: 2010


This ornament shows the second leg of Max's midnight journey into his subconscious, made possible by his active and childish imagination.  One thing this story does wonderfully is reveal the inner workings of Max's mind.  When the story begins, we see that Max has already been acting out of these subconscious stirrings.  He is dressed in a wolf suit and doing his best to be a "wild thing."  His mother is right when she correctly names him as such.  She recognizes what he is doing and how he is acting. And how does Max react?  He is pleased. He is satisfied that what was inside has broken through to the outside, and been recognized. When he is disciplined, Max uses his time to fully explore these wild urges, albeit in his imagination.

The first step of Max's journey takes place when his room begins to turn into a forest.  In fairy tales, forests are the symbol for the wilderness - the untamed, scary places where real trouble lies.  Wolves are no longer pretend, children really do get lost.  Tragedy lurks around every tree. Max jumps into this forest, this wilderness, and then moves onto the second stage - crossing the ocean in his "private boat."  It is in this stage that Max is confronted with a real sea monster.  And he is afraid.  

What is most noteworthy to ponder about the moment portrayed in this ornament is that Max is in a little boat, out on a great sea.  Like the wilderness, the sea is also a common element in stories, usually signifying the unconscious.  (Typically, the beach or the shallow waters of the ocean represent the subconscious.)  It is in crossing over these very deep waters that Max comes face to face with one of hidden, or submerged elements of his personality.  As I mentioned above, Max is not actually thrilled to come face to face with it, despite throwing himself into being a Wild Thing.  This sea serpent inspires fear and unease.  

But the deepest meaning of the sea lies in the original language of creation.  "If water springing up from the earth symbolizes life, the water of the sea is a symbol of death, and so can represent the mystery of the cross." (CCC 1220)*  For this reason, the book of Revelation 21:1 states that on the other side of time, in eternity, the sea will "be no longer."  Death itself will cease.  So, then, it is no wonder that as Max gazes on the serpent, and the serpent looks back, Max feels great unease.  For he is looking upon something that can drag him down to his death, spiritually, morally and physically.  

*Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1220

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Ornament Details
artist: Sharon Visker
materials:plastic
year: 2011


This ornament portrays Max "living the wild life."  He is wearing a crown, because the Wild Things have declared him "the wildest thing of all," and bowed down to him.  That's an interesting turn of events.  Realistically, Max is a small child, about a quarter of their size, without a "terrible roar," or "terrible teeth, terrible eyes or terrible claws."  These enormous beasts could literally rip him to pieces, yet they bow to him and proclaim him their ruler instead.  Why is this?  Max answers this question himself, when, after being crowned the King of the Wild Things he cries "Let the wild rumpus start!"  

The Wild Things do not actually control us, rather, we control them.  They have to have our permission to act.  We have to participate with them.  This is a fundamental reality that Jesus spoke of many times.  Keep in mind, however, this refers to our interior state.  We certainly cannot claim to be able to control most of the external world, be that nature, other people, or just life circumstance.  Just living life teaches us that truth. But we can control our inner state.  We can decide how we react to what is outside of our control.  Easier said than done.  Simply put, if our interior life is filled with untamed Wild Things, how else but with wildness will we react?  Hence the need for prayer and the sacramental life.  

​This is how we recreate and transform ourselves from being filled with Wild Things to being filled with the Holy Spirit.  Recall the words of Christ, "Behold! I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him." (Revelation 3:20)  As this story continues, we see Max do just that.  He turns away from the Wild Things because he realizes that his desire to be with the one who "loves him the most" is greater than his passing desire to live a life without discipline.  He moves from being childish, to being childlike.  And he returns home to find his supper waiting for him, "and it was still hot."

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