The first ornament of the White House Gift Shop was placed on the White House Tree on Christmas Eve, 1991 by an on-duty member of the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division. Three decades later, this collection often referred to as the original Secret Service collection by discerning collectors and gift givers is globally prized, traded, collected, displayed, and given one generation to the next.

100 ORNAMENTS and 100 Year-Round White House Display Stands

2016 White House Ornament with Year-Round Display Stand & Ribbon for Your Holiday Tree

Design by Anthony Giannini, USAFR

GEORGE WASHINGTON AND THE BADGE for MILITARY MERIT: ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART

with Washington's Liberation of Boston Visible in Background of Painting Commissioned by John Hancock

Historical Background to this Year's Commemorative Ornament and Display: The siege of Boston began on April 19, 1775, continued until March 17, 1776, and was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. In March 1776, General George Washington liberated Boston — shown in the background of the portrait, on-center, and a key theme of the 2016 ornament confluent with Washington's General Order of the Badge of Military Merit now known as the Order of the Purple Heart.

Design

The design of this year’s ornament features a motif from a White House mirror, an image of the painting of Washington commissioned by John Hancock then president of the Continental Congress. The painting depicts Washington’s liberation of Boston in 1776 (visible in the background).

On August 7,1782, Newburgh, New York, General George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, in his general orders announced the "Badge for Military Merit" comprised of a heart-shaped decoration of purple silk, edged with silver binding and stitched with the word Merit in silver upon its face. Washington's "Purple Heart" was awarded to only three soldiers for "singularly meritorious action." Moreover, the wearer of the badge was permitted to pass guards and sentinels "without challenge." Following the Revolutionary War, Washington's purple heart was largely forgotten and its official registry, "The Book of Merit" was lost.

In 1927, General Summerall, Army Chief of Staff, submitted an unsuccessful draft bill to Congress to revive the Merit Badge. General Douglas MacArthur, however, took the cause to reinstate the medal for the bicentennial of George Washington's 200th birthday with success: On February 22, 1932, the U.S. War Department created the "Order of the Purple Heart" with new features including a bust of Washington and his coat of arms.

The Order of the Purple Heart with its unique provenance is the oldest decoration for military merit and is awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces who have been killed, wounded in action against an enemy, or who have suffered maltreatment as prisoners of war.

Features

100% handcrafted in the USA by the official White House ornament makers, emblems of all five service branches, an image of Washington's original Badge of Merit, an image of a painting of Washington commissioned by John Hancock (with the liberation of Boston visible in background) when he was Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, hand over his heart, full color perfectly baked enamels,elegant frame and border based on White House interior and mirror designs, a history card, purple and gold embossed gift box, engraved excerpt on reverse from Washington's original General Order creating the Badge of Military Merit, and completely finished in 24-karat gold on nickel plated premium brass for timeless display, collection value, gift giving, and heirloom traditions. Approximately 3.4" x 3"

Includes a personalized, numbered, designer hand-signed certificate of authenticity of White House Gift Shop origin, and measures approximately 3.4" x 3".