By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The cute white creatures appear every year without box or tag. The new Hallmark snowman Sherry Buckner of Isabella receives each year seems to appear by magic as she walks in to find it on her table.

In reality, she knows it is her husband Reid.

“They show up every year just magically, but I have a feeling I know who gets them for me,” Buckner said. “I come home and they will be here sitting on the table or something. He just finds a way to bring them in when I’m not looking.”

It’s a tradition the couple has had since the inception of the Hallmark snowmen collection in 2003.

This year’s addition arrived just before the couple began decorating for Christmas.

Each plush snowman has a button to play music and move.

Buckner’s favorites are the first one and the 2005 version. Her very favorite is the one she received first, which features two snowmen caroling. The 2005 version features a snowman that plays the piano and sings “Let it Snow.”

“They are just full of joy you have to love them,” Buckner said. “Just looking at them brings out the kid in all of us.”

Over the years, Hallmark has added characters to the snowmen scenes, such as the dog Jolly, penguins and small birds.

Buckner said her grandchildren also enjoy her collection, and will often have several playing music at the same time.

Buckner said she “fell in love with” the Hallmark snowmen when she saw the first design in 2003

The only year Buckner does not have a snowman from the collection is 2009.

“They tried to bring in a Snoopy tabletop thing people complained terribly bad, so the very next year they started back with them (the snowmen),” Buckner said.

Much of her larger snowmen collection is featured on her mantle.

“I started collecting just snowmen in general when my girls were little. They loved them as much as I did so just each year I would get a new one,” Buckner said.

She said her daughters would help her find just the right snowman to buy each year.

Reid and Sherry also collect Christmas houses. Their Christmas village is featured on three levels of display shelves in their living room.

“He loves Christmas as much as I do,” Buckner said.

The collection grows by at least one house a year.