There is no more hotly-anticipated product from Made In Washington than our annual Limited Edition Ornament, created in partnership with Glass Eye Studio in 2004. And we can’t blame you—these ornaments are beautiful, coveted, and collectible. They add a touch of local glam to every tree they touch. They’ve even been selected to represent Washington State on the White House Christmas Tree! Plus, this year, they’re celebrating their 21st year in the Made In Washington family.
2004 was a landmark year: NASA landed the Spirit and Opportunity rovers on Mars, the Summer Olympics returned to their first home in Athens, and Facebook launched to keep us all connected like never before.
But nothing compares to a truly magnificent, handmade orb you can hold in the palm of your hand. And, as far as we’re concerned, the launch of our Limited Edition Ornament belongs on the list of momentous 2004 events, too.
It was during this time that on top of selling other gorgeous ornaments and decor from Glass Eye Studio, we launched our first collaborative Limited Edition Ornament, a red and white striped, hand-blown beauty delicately placed in a red box. Inside, each recipient would find a card with a note about the ornament along with its limited edition number.
We started with 500 ornaments in 2004. As the popularity of the ornament grew, we made more and more (1,000 in 2006, for example), and we liked the idea of matching the edition number to the year the ornament was created. So, by 2011, we made 2,011 ornaments. This year, we’ll sell 2,024 (stay tuned to your email and our Instagram for news and announcements about what’s in store for this year).
But, before we talk about anything else, we need to take a moment to highlight Glass Eye Studio as we celebrate the 21st year of our Limited Edition Ornament partnership!
An Iconic Seattle Glass Blowing Studio
Founded in 1978 in Seattle's legendary Pike Place Market, Glass Eye Studio caught our eye early on at Made In Washington. Like all of our makers, there was an immediate kinship between Glass Eye’s Washington-made products and our mission to match customers with products that spark joy. And few moments spark more joy in our customers than the holidays do!
We partnered with the renowned Seattle-based studio, one of the largest privately owned hot shops in the country, to start offering our customers limited edition holiday ornaments with one catch: Glass Eye would produce as many ornaments as the numbers in the year: 2,012 ornaments were sold in 2012, for example.
And each year since, when those ornaments are gone, they’re gone.
Whether you're adding to an existing collection or starting a new one, these exquisite ornaments make the perfect gift or addition to your holiday decor.
A Limited Edition Tradition
Over the years, we’ve heard countless stories of glass ornament traditions. Some of them are just starting and others have been going from the beginning. Like our own diary of admiration for this tradition we pull from the shelves when we want to feel a little more warm and fuzzy, we’ve logged all of our customers’ comments and reviews. Here’s a sampling:
I pre-ordered the ornaments. I'm glad I did - they are stunning! -Callista B., 2012
Kids have a great collection going. Been getting them every year from the beginning. Always look forward to seeing what this year’s is. -Bambi H., 2017
When my daughter was born last December, I decided to purchase one for her every year as a new tradition. The number we received last year by chance was 1412 of 2016. Her due date was 14 December 2016. Thought that was pretty awesome! -Kirsten C., 2017
Get my wife one every year since the beginning. Love to give her #1 as she is #1 in my heart. -John J.B., 2017
Does Santa get these updates? Asking for a friend. -Debra S., 2020
I've been getting this ornament for my daughter for years, having lived in the Seattle area for almost 30 years. We really miss being there but the ornaments always bring back fond memories. -Joan R., 2023
Aren’t those comments great? We have dozens more and look forward to hearing about your gifting traditions every year.
Interested In An Ornament Preview?
Want to be the first to see what the Glass Eye Studio elves are blowing for us this year? Sign up for our email newsletter to get an exclusive preview (and first dibs). If social media is more your style (or you want to double up on the alerts), hit that little bell on our Instagram profile to get notified every time we post. It may just be the holiday preview you’ve been waiting for.
So, what do you say? Ready to add to your collection or start a new tradition?
