2021 annual ornament
An American Christmas
The Wendell August Forge 2021 Annual Ornament stands on more than four decades of tradition and made-in-America craftsmanship. It’s a gift that, through quality design, symbolizes and illustrates its particular year, whether it’s a new addition to an ongoing collection, a commemorative item, or an ornament with a story you’ll be able to tell years down the line.
It is truly a gift that means more.
The 2021 Annual Ornament, An American Christmas, celebrates this most wonderful time of the year in the heart of our beautiful country. For many of us, there are few more magical places than a bustling small town Main Street during the holidays. May this Christmas once again be filled with window shopping, the sounds of carols, family, friends and a hot cocoa in hand.
"My grandchildren have been getting the original Christmas aluminum ornament every year since they were born. They are now 28, 24, 18, 14. When they leave home for whatever reasons, they will have their own whole sets to take with them and add on to them for their own children. They treasure their ornaments."
– Joyce W
"My Mother started getting ornaments for my children when they were quite small, when my daughter had children she asked if I would carry on the tradition for her children. Which I have. So we now have 2 generations with memories." – George C.
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Nearly a Century of Craftsmanship
While the Annual Christmas Ornament stretches back nearly half a century, Wendell August Forge dates back to 1923, when coal-mine owner Wendell McMinn August happened to notice the quality and detail a blacksmith from his mine put into the door latches created for August’s home. Yet, while the Pennsylvania company has grown into the largest American-based forge, its principles aren’t compromised. Beauty, individuality and signature details run through each item, be it ornate metalware, a holiday ornament or another gift. As a stamp of authenticity, each piece features a hammered craftsman’s mark on the back. The artistry that goes into all Wendell August Forge ornaments and keepsakes differentiates them from something you’d pick up at a gift shop. Each seem more personal and reflects a touch and bygone approach that are almost absent from most modern ornaments, dishware and décor.
How Wendell August Forge Creates Ornaments
This is no assembly line. Instead, Wendell August Forge’s artisans begin by hand-engraving the artist’s design into a steel die. Then, the process of repoussé — or shaping a metal by hammering it from the reverse — creates a low-relief silhouette. After the metal is formed, several techniques involving a coal-fired forge give the ornament color.
If the ornament is made of pewter, artisans hand-sculpt the design into clay to create a mold. Then, melted pewter is poured inside, before it’s cooled to form a three-dimensional version of the original model.
Celebrate the start of a new year and decade with the Wendell August Forge Annual Ornament. Update your collection with one of these unique, handcrafted commemorative pieces that’s created and manufactured entirely in the U.S.