Celebrate Gilded Age Glamour with Our 2025 Star and Snowflake Ornaments

Each holiday season, The Met Store introduces a new star and snowflake ornament as part of a cherished annual tradition since the 1970s. This year, our collectible star and snowflake honor two Gilded Age marvels in the American Wing.

Following the American Civil War (1861–65), the United States—particularly New York City and Newport, Rhode Island—experienced a rapid socioeconomic transformation known as the Gilded Age. Out of the Gilded Age came some of the most magnificent American creations; and The Met, founded in 1870 amid this period of remarkable artistry and opulence, was a forerunner in recognizing the decorative arts of the era. Today, the Museum's holdings teem with Gilded Age treasures, from dazzling jewelry to fabulous furniture and beyond.

The detailing on our 2025 Star Ornament in 18K gold overlay and 2025 Sterling Silver Star Ornament in 18K gold over sterling silver is informed by a staircase designed in 1893 for the Chicago Stock Exchange building. 

The vision of Louis Henry Sullivan (American, 1856–1924) and Dankmar Adler (American, 1844–1900)—leading figures of the Chicago School style of architecture, from which the towering building type known as the skyscraper emerged—the staircase boasts extraordinary ironwork in the way of geometric and naturalistic forms exemplary of Sullivan's mature aesthetic.

The staircase was acquired by the Museum when the Stock Exchange was demolished 1972—the same year The Met Store introduced the first collectible star ornament—and is now installed in the Charles Engelhard Court.

The 2025 Snowflake Ornament, also available as a luxurious sterling silver art ornament, nods to the swirling details on a whimsical library table (1879–82) crafted by the design duo known as Herter Brothers (German, active New York, 1864–1906)—arguably the leading American cabinetmaking and decorating firm of the late 19th century. 

Tasked with designing and decorating William Henry Vanderbilt's new Fifth Avenue mansion, the brothers gave this table pride of place as the centerpiece of the library, though it served as more of a sculpture and monument to its patron, who was then considered the richest man in America. The stellar motif scattered across the tabletop mimics the placement of the stars over the northern hemisphere on May 8, 1821, the day Vanderbilt was born. 

Shop our 2025 Star and Snowflake Ornaments, available individually and as part of a set. 

For an extra special holiday gift, treat yourself or a loved one to our 2025 Sterling Silver Star Ornament in 18K gold over sterling silver and 2025 Sterling Silver Snowflake Ornament, also available individually and as a set.

Find our full collection of ornaments in-store and online, and don’t forget to browse our Fall Catalog for new jewelry, clothing, accessories, stationery, home decor, and other art-inspired presents for everyone on your list.