Bidens Unveil First Festive White House Makeover Including Gingerbread Buildings
Image via The White House
The White House’s holiday decorations are the annual talk of the town, and this time, there was even more excitement surrounding the Bidens’ first-ever unveiling. First Lady Jill Biden chose the theme of ‘Gifts from the Heart’ for the festivities, hoping to showcase “things that unite and heal, and bring us together.”
Decorating such a large space takes time, and according to CNN, Biden and the East Wing had been working on the ideas for the project since early summer. She drew inspiration from “small acts of kindness and experiences that lifted our spirits this year and throughout the pandemic.”
Image via The White House
Each of the building’s public rooms represents a special component of the theme, such as the Library Room—featuring with colorful butterflies—displaying the “gift of learning.”
Image via The White House
The Vermeil Room paid homage to the “gift of the visual arts,” showcasing specially-designed wreaths made with paintbrushes, and a tree adorned with PANTONE color sample ornaments; while the China Room’s table, lined with candles and floral centerpieces, was a nod to the family’s close-knit dinners.
Image via The White House
Just like most families, the Bidens displayed several images from their private archive in the State Dining Room, alongside Christmas trees and framed portraits of former administrations’ holidays at the White House.
“The first lady spent the last several weekends when she was home in Delaware looking through photo albums and picking her favorites,” said East Wing Communications Director, Elizabeth Alexander.
Image via The White House
Adorably, there are also six stockings—one for each Biden grandchild—hanging and ready to be filled with presents, which were made by the same artisan as the actual stockings used in the family’s home.
Image via The White House
In total, the decorations, which took over 100 volunteers to put up, feature 41 Christmas trees, 6,000 feet of ribbon, over 300 candles, and more than 10,000 ornaments. While it may seem over-the-top, the last several years’ holidays have been toned down, with less fake snow and twinkling lights adorning the White House’s corridors.
Image via The White House
Not forgetting the one-of-a-kind gingerbread house, which weighs over 350 pounds, took weeks to create—featuring different ‘buildings’ alongside the main house, including a hospital, fire station, police post, a warehouse, and a school. The design was in tribute to the frontline workers who helped the country function through the pandemic.
[via CNN, images via The White House]
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