New White House Christmas ornaments are designed each year and you can order designs from previous years to create a historical collection. Popular ornaments include the “Support Our Troops”, “Statue of Freedom”, and the “United in Memory September 11th” ornaments, which are beautiful keepsakes to remind us of the strength of our nation. Of the previous White House ornaments, 21 honored presidents starting with George Washington. The 1989 ornament pays tribute to the bicentennial of the American presidency, and 1992 honors the laying of the White House cornerstone in 1792. The bicentennial of the White House as home of the president was commemorated in 2000. In 2002, the ornament honored the centennial of the restoration of the White House and the building of the West Wing.
About the 2009 Ornament Design
The 2009 White House Christmas ornament celebrates the second administration of President Grover Cleveland (1893-1897) when the first electric lights to illuminate the White House Christmas tree were used. The ornament illustrates the special place of the Christmas tree in the holiday celebration of President Cleveland’s young family. Christmas at the Cleveland White House, as an Illinois reporter described it in 1896, was a “children’s festival.”Purchasing Tip
Please note that third party sellers of the ornaments buy them at a discount rates and sell them at inflated prices. Single ornaments should cost $17.00 or less and are available online at the White House Historical Association website or at various gift shops in Washington, DC.Personalized Greeting Cards
The White House Historical Association has partnered with Design Master Associates to offer a personalized greeting card (as shown above) to complement the White House ornament. This partner sells the ornament for the same price as the official organization, plus the small fee for the personalized greeting cards available online at www.TheWhiteHouseOrnament.comLooking for more Washington themed gift ideas? See my guide to Washington DC Gifts and Souvenirs
