It takes over 100 dedicated volunteers working a full week to decorate the inside and outside of the White House. Twenty-five classic wreaths adorn the north and south facades of the White House. Approximately 6,000 feet of ribbon, over 300 candles, and over 10,000 ornaments were used this year to decorate the White House. The State Dining Room celebrates the cherished Gift of Family—those we are born into, those we choose, and those we create. The pandemic kept many of us apart, yet it also reminded us that our time together is so precious.
The Cross Hall
At the holidays, Americans come together each year in fellowship and faith, reminding us that we are stronger in community than we are apart. Each room and design element throughout the White House holiday décor represents what brings us together during the holidays and throughout the year. The Red Room, decorated to represent the gift of the performing arts, includes brass instruments hanging from the mantel.
Thank You For Playing, and Happy Holidays From The White House!
The White House released a fact sheet and was allowing the news media to see all the trees, lights and ornaments before the first lady's event. National Guard families, who were joining the first lady as part of Joining Forces, her White House initiative to show appreciation for military families, were among the first members of the public to see the decorations. The Vermeil Room is decked with presents wrapped in playful patterns of paper, spools of ribbon, and homemade gifts waiting to be discovered on a neighbor’s porch.
Center Hall lined with trees
It also includes Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of George Washington, which First Lady Dolley Madison helped save in 1814 when the White House was about to be set aflame during the War of 1812.
Some 50,000 White House visitors, both tourists and invited guests, are expected to get a firsthand look this holiday season — and you can get a sneak peek here. Recipes contributed by the small army of volunteer decorators spruce up the China Room’s mantel. Handwritten ones — for apple crisp and pizzelle, an Italian cookie — are family recipes shared by the first lady. The 2023 White House Holiday Display is designed to capture the pure, unfiltered delight and imagination of childhood, to encourage visitors to reflect on this time of year with hearts open to the magic, wonder, and joy of the season. The display includes eight detailed replicas of community buildings representing frontline workers.
Tree in the Blue Room
We hope you enjoy the holidays at the White House— “The People’s House,” your house. The Gingerbread White House, placed in the State Dining Room, includes 30 sheets of gingerbread dough. The décor of the Vermeil Room (French for gilded silver) represents the different ways we show appreciation for each other and give back to our communities. The bells that adorn the East Entrance of the White House symbolize the unifying and healing power of music, welcoming guests with melody and song. Adhering to the theme, the White House has also put on display in the library a copy of the Declaration of Independence that was printed in 1845 and was later gifted to the White House. People make their way through the East Colonnade of the White House, which is decked out with decorations honoring those who serve others.
Ornaments shaped like peppermints and ice-cream cones are surrounded by string lights. Seventy-two wreaths sporting red ribbons adorn the north and south exteriors of the White House. The Library of Congress provided samples of editions from the past 200 years that are on display along the ground floor corridor. Throughout the décor are numerous nods to the 200th anniversary of the publication in 1823 of the poem and book "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." She thanked the "hundreds of volunteer decorators and designers" who made this year's display possible. Seventy-two wreaths sporting red ribbons adorn the north and south exteriors of the building.
The White House pets make another appearance in the State Dining Room.
PHOTOS: First lady Jill Biden unveils White House holiday decorations - WTOP
PHOTOS: First lady Jill Biden unveils White House holiday decorations.
Posted: Mon, 27 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The ornaments on the Christmas trees in the State Dining Room were designed by students of the 2021 Teachers of the Year from across the US. It was George Washington who, when bidding farewell to the officers of the victorious Continental Army, described himself as having “a heart full of love and gratitude” for those who served with him in the cause of freedom. We are restoring the soul of this Nation with love and understanding, with care and compassion, and most of all, with gratitude. The East Room celebrates the Gift of Gratitude, symbolized by small acts of kindness and handwritten notes, full of grateful reflection. Whether it is penning a thank you card, sending a sweet text with a heart emoji, or dropping off muffins on a neighbor’s front porch, these expressions of gratitude heal our hearts and bring us together.
In the Red Room, two cranberry topiaries are on display, a tradition which began in 1975. On the walls of this room, are the portraits of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and First Lady Lou Henry Hoover. Sixty years ago, Mrs. Kennedy founded the White House Historical Association to protect, preserve, and provide public access to the rich history of America’s Executive Mansion. Through educational efforts and programming, the People’s House is shared far beyond the White House gates. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt dedicated this room to serve as the White House Library in 1935. This space now holds approximately 2,700 volumes of books, focusing primarily on American history and literature.
Winter trees, woodland animals and glowing lanterns placed along the hallway help give the feeling of walking through snow. Over 150 volunteers work for an entire week to decorate the White House for the holidays. The tree in the Green Room is adorned with sleigh bells, hand bells, and jingle bells.
Flanking the stage are Christmas trees draped with whimsical handcrafted instruments and snare drums, inviting guests to sing their favorite holiday tune. The 2023 White House Holiday Display is designed to capture the pure, unfiltered delight and imagination of childhood, and encourage visitors to reflect on this time of year with hearts open to the “Magic, Wonder, and Joy” of the season. Hanging from the fireplace mantel are the traditional Biden family stockings for Santa to fill on Christmas Eve, always with an orange in the toe (a tradition from the First Lady’s grandmother). The Library celebrates how the stories we share bring us closer to the people we love, the world around us, and our unfolding history. With décor inspired by literature, history, and education, the Library honors how lines on a page can ignite our imaginations, spur spirited dialogue, and remind us of the connections that transcend culture, distance, and even time. These words are the foundation of our extraordinary country and the Soul of our Nation.
The healing and unifying power of music brings us together in common movement and melody. Inspired by the choral masterpieces and familiar carols that have defined the holidays for generations, the décor features sleigh bells, hand bells, and jingle bells to signal the sounds and songs of the season. The State Dining Room of the White House is decorated for the holiday season with stockings for family members of President Biden and first lady Jill Biden. The hallway alcoves and tree displays depict wintry scenes of towns and cities, representing the bonds of communities. Wreathes decorate the backs of chairs in the room that displays the White House's collection of state china. For their first Christmas in the White House, the Biden family will celebrate with the theme of "gifts from the heart" for their holiday decor.
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