David, this is why I'm looking into "best practices" rather than assuming my only option is to pay$$ for advice that is not a guarantee. There is not much money to be made in this project but it's fun and people enjoy the ornaments. It's just a turned acorn ornament - no big deal.
In Turning Toys Richard Raffan shows a piece of wood with a 1.75" hole as a standard. He says that anything that goes through the hole "no matter how it's presented, poses a choking hazard." Seems like solid advice.