“This is the time when our senses awaken – for each of us to smell the aroma of favorite family recipes, to hear the warmth of a dear friend’s voice, to see the glow of lights and decorations, to taste the sweetness of candy and treats, and to feel the calm and strength of faith,” writes first lady Jill Biden in her introduction to this year’s White House Holiday booklet.
While the Bidens were eating turkey and shopping in Nantucket for Thanksgiving, a dedicated team in Washington was working on the Christmas cut. Three hundred volunteers – one of the highest numbers in recent history – from across the country came together to bring this vision to life. The glittering offerings include 98 Christmas trees outfitted with 33,892 ornaments; 142,425 Christmas lights adorning trees, fireplace mantels and historic moldings; and 14,975 feet of tape.
Despite the grandeur and large number of decorations and volunteers, the White House holiday display has one thing in common with an ordinary house: the rush to get everything done on time. “We scrambled a bit” to finish everything before the Bidens returned, explains Carlos Elizondo, White House social secretary. “We did some finishing touches and a few last things, and then they came down and they loved it.”
Entering the White House from the East Wing, visitors pass through the East Colonnade, perhaps better known as the the site of former first lady Melania Trump’s forest of 40 blood-red topiary trees. This year, the room features large, joyful displays of holiday candy and confectionery hanging from the ceiling, twinkling lights and columns of candy canes. The effect is very much like the daydreams of a child on vacation.
Reading, a major focus of the first lady, is highlighted in many pieces. The library displays vignettes that celebrate the tradition of Christmas bedtime stories, including a cozy brass bed with a cat that resembles Biden’s pet Willow snoozing on it. Stacks of children’s books surround the stage, with stars and moons hanging above.
The official 2023 White House Gingerbread House honors the 200th anniversary of the publication of “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” more commonly known as “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” with a giant representation of the book in the shape of a sugar cookie. Work on the creation began in late October, said White House executive pastry chef Susan E. Morrison. The finished product includes 40 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 40 sheets of gingerbread dough, 90 pounds of gum paste, 30 pounds of chocolate, and 50 pounds of royal icing.
A near-life-size reproduction of Santa’s sleigh and reindeer from the centuries-old story hangs atop the Cross Hall. White House carpenters created scaffolding to secure the sled’s cables because they cannot pierce the fabric of the historic building, according to the first lady’s office.
The centerpiece – an 18½ foot Fraser Fir from Fleetwood, North Carolina – stands from floor to ceiling in the Blue Room. Adapted to the home of a person known as Amtrak Joe, there is a recreation of a vintage passenger train circling the tree. It passes through rainbow forests of bottlebrush trees and small towns. Home and neighborhood ornaments representing all 50 states, territories and the District of Columbia decorate the branches.
The East Room, the largest room in the White House, is filled with interactive, three-dimensional, multi-story Advent calendars that resemble the People’s House. Every evening, someone will open the window corresponding to that day. The first lady will be among the participants and her social media accounts will share photos from the events.
“Behind every window, there is a little surprise,” explains Dennis Setteducati, a volunteer from New York. He and his partner, Andrew Boza, DIY experts known as Crafty Lumberjacks, have been helping decorate the White House in recent days.
Boza loved being selected for the concert. “Even though the task seemed a little tedious at times, we were all in very good spirits. Everyone was smiling,” he says.
The Red Room celebrates artisans and DIY holiday creations. Children from military and veteran families created the tree ornaments in the room and will be able to visit the White House to see their work on display.
White House staff expect about 100,000 visitors to admire the decorations, including guests from about 20 state parties.
Last year’s theme, "We the people," featured illustrations of the Bidens’ pets and reminders of family traditions, like Jill Biden’s well-used recipe cards. (This year’s decorations also featured several depictions of Biden’s pets, Willow and Commander, including a version of the dog made entirely of licorice.) The Bidens’ first Christmas at the White House, 2021 — another covid holiday – had the theme “Gifts from the heart” and featured a gingerbread house that paid tribute to frontline workers helping the country through the pandemic.
The theme idea started with Jackie Kennedy — she chose the “Nutcracker Suite” in 1961 when she decided to put the tree from the Blue Room center stage. Since then, themes have included Hillary Clinton’s “Twelve Days of Christmas” in 1994, Laura Bush’s “A Red, White and Blue Christmas” in 2008. Michelle Obama’s “joy for all” in 2012, and “America the Beautiful” by Melania Trump in 2020.
A former first lady is being honored with a special exhibit this year. With the recent passing of Rosalynn Carter, her downstairs portrait is draped in black and has two arrangements of amaryllis, a candle and a note of condolence in front of her.
Carter Christmas at the White House the decorations reflected his own style. Perhaps the most memorable was the Victorian Christmas of 1978, during which more than 2,500 antique toys from the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum in Rochester, New York, were shipped to the Executive Mansion. According to the Washington Post, Amy Carter, then 11, arranged the miniature furniture and dolls in an antique dollhouse under the tree. Rosalynn Carter told reporters that “Amy prefers the Barbie type to dolls.”
In 1979, Tim Gunn, a young instructor at the Corcoran School of Art, helped his students create folk art-style ornaments for the Carters’ Blue Room tree. Gunn, now known for hosting “Project Runway,” didn’t realize how big the tree was and had to top it off with red apple ornaments from Sears. But there are no official photos of Gunn and his students with Rosalynn Carter; the camera had no film.
Many people working on decorations keep a snapshot in mind, whether they have a camera or not. For Setteducati and Boza, their moment came just minutes before the media preview as they listened to holiday music live from the Grand Foyer. “It made us cry,” Setteducati says. “It’s overwhelming.”