Washington — Eighty-nine Christmas trees, more than 142,000 shimmering lights, and nearly 34,000 ornaments deck the halls of the White House in a way that First Lady Jill Biden hopes will inspire visitors to embrace the magic, wonder, and joy of the season. She decorates for the holidays with this theme.
“Each room of the display is designed to capture the pure, clean joy and imagination of our childhoods, seen through the eyes of children during this time of year,” she said in a prepared statement on Monday, expressing gratitude to the many designers and decorators who volunteered their time to transform the Executive Mansion last week.
To commemorate the 200th anniversary of “A Visit from St.” Nicholas” in 1823, the Library of Congress has supplied a sample display for the past 200 years lining the ground-floor corridor. The iconic gingerbread White House, complete with a flying sleigh on the rooftop, adds a special touch to the classic tale, which comes to life again this year with Santa’s sleigh and his reindeer suspended over the Grand Foyer.
The White House has released a fact sheet and granted media permission to view all the trees, lights, and decorations before the First Lady’s event. The National Guard family, who joined forces with Biden in the military community, takes center stage in expressing gratitude for their White House initiative, a spectacle that will be among the first seen by the general public.
The cast of Disney’s “Frozen” will also perform with other children from military families in a special performance during the official White House tree lighting. Visitors will find a golden hour glow among the first Christmas trees, one of which bears the names of fallen service members etched into golden stars.
The White House’s decorations include an 18-foot Christmas tree
The official White House Christmas tree, an 18.5-foot Fraser fir, taking its natural place in the Blue Room, where the chandelier is lowered for measuring.The State Dining Room has been transformed into Santa’s workshop, complete with an elf workbench, presents, and a moving Christmas tree and tools, rounding out the progress in decoration.
The Dining Room is the gingerbread White House’s stage, created with 40 sheets of gingerbread and 90 pounds of pastillage, a paste used to mold the cake, fifty pounds of royal icing and thirty pounds of chocolate. The Library pays homage to the tradition of bedtime stories with a golden moon and swinging star over the head, while the China Room has transformed into a sweet shop, featuring the flavors and scents of the holiday season with treats from cakes to cookies and gingerbread. The official White House menorah, known as the National Menorah, is displayed when the State Dining Room and East Room are transformed.
Jill Biden has said that finding ‘magic’ in ‘unsettled’ times can be challenging
In her prepared remarks, the First Lady said that she knows that finding magic, wonder, and joy can be challenging, especially when days become shorter, the weather turns colder, “and a heavy heart rises in a troubled world.”
“But in these times when we seek hope and healing, those moments of light are needed most, connecting us to each other more than ever,” she said. “In these times, I hope you’ll remember how you saw the world as a child, even if just for a moment or a season.”
Nearly 15,000 feet of garland, more than 350 mom-bats, and over 22,000 hours of decoration have been used, the White House revealed. More than 142,425 lights shine in the display, featuring an array of trees, wreaths, flowers, and other exhibits. The exterior of the White House boasts 70 sporting red fitas (ornaments) in the North and South Porticos.
