'Babydog' is West Virginia's Limited Edition Ornament for 2022

by: Brandon Eanes

Posted: Nov 16, 2022 / 03:36 PM EST

Updated: Nov 16, 2022 / 03:38 PM EST

CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — First Lady Cathy Justice unveiled West Virginia’s Limited Edition Ornament for the 2022 Christmas season!

Some West Virginians may even look at this year’s subject as the honorary state pet of West Virginia!

The First Lady of West Virginia was joined by WV Arts, Culture and History Curator Randall Reid-Smith to reveal the most recent edition of Mountain State decoration. Babydog, Governor Justice’s constant companion is the subject of this year’s ornament!

According to the Governor’s Office, the ornament was created by Amanda Buckner of Amanda’s Glass Art. She used a white opalescent glass base, crushed glass in four colors along with hand cut glass eyes, nose, and a red tongue. The ornament is finished with a red velvet ribbon for hanging and a wooden bone-shaped tag, made by West Virginia artisan Sam Laxton, with a special Christmas greeting from Babydog.

“Babydog has been a true pleasure as a beloved pet for the Governor and me. She was a gift to the Governor on Christmas Eve a few years ago and immediately became his loyal companion. She brings such happiness to our lives, and we’re thrilled to share some of that joy with our fellow West Virginians. Amanda Buckner has created a wonderful Christmas ornament, capturing the true cheerful spirit of Babydog. I hope everyone who takes one of these ornaments home will enjoy it for many years to come.”

“The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History is always excited to help First Lady Cathy Justice in unveiling her annual Christmas ornament design. This year’s artist, Amanda Buckner of Amanda’s Glass Art, has created a beautiful piece, and we are proud to continuously work with the First Lady to promote artists from across the Mountain State.”

There is a limited number of 500 ornaments for sale at $33 a piece. The ornaments will be released little by little due to the specific design of the ornament. Starting on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, 120 ornaments will be for sale at the Culture Center in Charleston. Another 380 ornaments will be released at a later date, with 250 being delivered on December 14, 2022. The final 130 ornaments will be delivered on December 21, 2022.

Anyone interested in buying an ornament can also call (304) 205-7911 and leave a voicemail with their name and phone numbers. It is important to not leave any financial information in the voicemail message.