Christmas Ornaments

Item Description

Mount Vernon's 2021 ornament honors George Washington's service to his country as America's first Commander in Chief.

Throughout the Revolutionary War, George Washington fought side by side with his soldiers, and he seldom asked them to accept a risk that he himself was not prepared to face. As a result, their loyalty to their commander in chief was legendary---and certainly well deserved.

Washington was unanimously selected as Commander in Chief on June 15, 1775, and after accepting the position he reviewed the army for the first time in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on July 3. Washington would continue at the head of the Continental Army for more than eight years, finally handing in his commission in Annapolis, Maryland to the congress on December 23, 1783.  The war came to an end for him the following day, when he walked into Mount Vernon, after promising his wife, Martha, that he would be home in time for Christmas dinner.  

The flag known today as the Commander in Chief's Standard or George Washington's Headquarters Flag is a rare survival from the American Revolution.  Measuring 2 feet by 3 feet, it features 13 white six-pointed stars on a blue field and is made of silk and linen. Thought to be the earliest surviving 13-star American flag, it dates to about 1777-1783.  While the field was originally much darker, it has faded over the centuries to pale blue.  It is said to have been used to mark the position of the Commander in Chief on the battlefield and of his tent in camp. The flag is now one of the treasures of The Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.

Interesting Fact:  A replica of the Commander in Chief's Standard went into space with retired astronaut Senator John Glenn in 1999, as one of many events commemorating the 200th anniversary of George Washington's death.  

Our 2021 ornament measures 3 ½” by 2 ¼”, has a red ribbon for hanging, and is presented in a decorative gift box. It features a beautifully decorated two-sided Christmas tree with several mini Commander-in-Chief flags, patriotic shields, golden horns as well as a Bald Eagle perched on top.  A mini version of the Mount Vernon mansion is at the base. An educational enclosure card is included.