The most wonderful time of the year is almost here, but the White House has already unveiled its holiday decorations for 2023.
On 27 November, United States First Lady Dr Jill Biden revealed the theme of this year’s holiday decorations to be the “magic, wonder and joy” of the season. In a welcome letter commemorating the White House’s holiday guide, Dr Biden explained that this year’s theme was inspired by the excitement that children experience during the festive season.
“In this season of reflection and goodwill, we hope you will embrace your inner child and delight in simply being present with those you love,” the first lady said. “It is a time for our senses to awaken - for each of us to smell the aroma of favourite 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 candies and treats, and to feel the quiet stillness and strength of faith.”
In addition to the 2023 theme, the White House also shared glimpses at how its hallowed halls have been reimagined for the holiday season. Full of oversized candy, storybook sets, sweet shop recreations, and a Christmas tree standing floor to ceiling, the White House’s holiday decor aims to capture the whimsy of the time of year.
Beginning in the East Wing, the corridor that once was decorated with blood-red trees described as something out of The Handmaid’s Tale during Donald Trump’s presidency were instead lined with giant candy canes and sweets hanging from the ceiling. Throughout the two public floors of the White House are several nods to the 200th anniversary of the poem and book, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, which was originally published in 1823. The Library of Congress provided samples of editions from the past 200 years, which are on display along the Ground Floor Corridor. Also on the Ground Floor Corridor are letters sent to President Joe Biden and his wife, as well as letters to Santa Claus suspended from vintage mail boxes.
The annual gingerbread White House pays tribute to the beloved tale by featuring a sugar cookie replica of the book, opened to a page that reads: “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.” The gingerbread house alone includes 40 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 40 sheets of gingerbread dough, 90 pounds of pastillage (a quick-drying edible paste), 30 pounds of chocolate, and 50 pounds of royal icing.
Meanwhile, the Library featured its own take on the magic of bedtime stories. In the corner of the room stands a wrought-iron bed and nightstand, filled with stacks of holiday books. The window of the Library shows Santa and his sleigh flying past a full moon. The Vermeil Room represents the joy of music during the holidays with a mechanical stage, while the China Room has been transformed into a sweets shop. As for the State Dining Room, it is now Santa’s workshop - featuring elves’ workbenches, stools and ladders circling the Christmas trees.
Each year, the official White House Christmas tree is displayed in the Blue Room. This year’s tree is an 18.5-foot (5.6-metre) Fraser fir standing floor to ceiling. Due to the Christmas tree’s massive height, the Blue Room chandelier was removed to accommodate its full length. The Christmas tree’s decorations celebrate cheerful scenes, landscapes, and neighborhoods from across the country - including the names of every state, territory, and the District of Columbia - while a toy train from the Train Collectors Association circles its base.
It took more than 300 volunteers working a full week to decorate the inside and outside of the White House. An estimated 14,975 feet of ribbon, over 350 candles, 33,892 ornaments, and more than 22,100 bells were used this year to decorate the White House. There are 98 Christmas trees scattered throughout the White House complex, and 72 wreaths adorning the north and south exteriors of the White House. Plus, more than 142,425 lights were used to decorate the trees, garlands, wreaths, and displays.
In her prepared remarks, Dr Biden said she knows that magic, wonder and joy can be hard to find, especially as the days grow shorter, the weather turns colder “and our hearts grow heavy in the face of a tumultuous world”.
“But it’s in these times, when we are searching for hope and healing, that we need those points of light the most, that we need each other the most,” she added. “It’s in these times that I hope you remember, if even just for a moment or a season, how you saw the world as a child.”
National Guard families, who were joining Dr Biden on Monday as part of her Joining Forces initiative for military families, were among the first members of the public to see the decorations. Children of these and other military families were also treated to a performance by the cast of the North American tour of the Disney musical, Frozen.
The theme for last year’s White House holiday decorations was “We the People”, which included more than 83,000 lights, 77 Christmas trees, and a copy of the Declaration of Independence on display in the Library.
Additional reporting from the AP.
