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This Year's White House Holiday Decor Features Wooden Cutouts Of The Biden Family's Pets
Oh, and a massive replica of the White House made out of gingerbread!
On Monday, First Lady Jill Biden unveiled this year’s White House holiday decor, which included 77 trees, 25 wreaths, and tens of thousands of lights. Since 1961, when Jacqueline Kennedy decided to decorate the Blue Room Christmas tree with ornaments from Nutcracker Suite, every White House Christmas has had a theme. This year, it was the simple, broad, and patriotic theme: “We The People.”
“The values that unite us can be found all around you, a belief in possibility and optimism and unity,” Biden said at the unveiling. “Room by room, we represent what brings us together during the holidays and throughout the year.”
Each room is a variation of the overarching theme. The Library, for example, celebrates how stories bring the American people closer together, and face to face with our history. The East Room highlights national treasures, including representation of every National Park. The Blue Room houses the official White House Christmas tree, the centerpiece of the enormous decorating project; this year, it is adorned with ornaments depicting the official birds of all states and territories, and Washington, D.C. Dr. Biden described the 18-foot tall evergreen as “a stunning symbol of unity.”
Other highlights include trees decorated with Gold Stars to honor those who have died in the service of their country, a massive (300 pounds!) gingerbread house replicas of the White House and Independence Hall (made with more than 40 pounds of frosting) displayed in front of an oversized copy of the Declaration of Independence, and the State Dining Room’s adorable “We the Children” theme, featuring ornaments created by school children across the country.
But it’s not all symbolism — there are Biden family touches found sprinkled here and there. Biden family members’ stockings hang from the fireplace mantel in the State Dining Room...
... and wooden cutouts of First Pets Commander and Willow can be found throughout the decor, including in the Vermeil Room, which celebrated themes of gratitude and kindness.
And the State Dining Room, where they flank a promise to the nation’s children (yes, “We the People” includes the youngest generation of Americans).
In the China Room, volunteers contributed recipe cards to decorate various trees, including First Lady Biden’s recipes for apple crisp and pizzelle, a traditional Italian cookie.
Dr. Biden thanked the more than 150 volunteers for bringing this vision to life, and joked about the effort such an undertaking required. “You gave up time with your family this holiday weekend, and many of you traveled from far away to be here,” she said. “You’ve worked long hours in service of this gift. Now, some of you may still have a little glue gun residue on your fingers or sore backs from hanging up all that snow in the Colonnade. And yesterday, you might have thought, ‘If I have to tie just one more bow, I’m out of here!’”
A virtual tour of the White House shows the extent of the decorative accomplishment.
But we think the effort in the People’s House was well worth it.
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