See the 2023 White House holiday decorations

Table Of Content

• Request tickets now: How to visit the White House at Christmastime
• Wake up, sleeping beauties. It's almost Met Gala time
• National
• Vice President Kamala Harris Launches Nationwide Economic Opportunity Tour
• Jill Biden unveils White House holiday decor for 2023. See photos of the Christmas trees, ornaments and more.
• The Green Room

To avoid spending extra time, money and an additional night in the DC area, we ponied up $200+ each for a United nonstop evening flight home from Washington National directly to our home airport in Houston. It wasn't a great deal financially, but maximized our time and energy during the busy holiday season. To arrange a White House visit, you need to contact the office of your congressional representative.

Request tickets now: How to visit the White House at Christmastime

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 official Christmas tree, an 18-foot-tall Fraser Fir from Fleetwood, N.C., stands in the center of the oval Blue Room during a media preview of the 2023 holiday decorations at the White House on Monday.

Wake up, sleeping beauties. It's almost Met Gala time

The official White House Christmas tree, an 18.5-foot-tall (5.6-meter-tall) Fraser fir, takes its usual place in the Blue Room, where the chandelier has to be taken down in order to accommodate its height. The massive tree this year celebrates cheerful scenes, landscapes and neighborhoods from across the country. Nearly 15,000 feet of ribbon, more than 350 candles and over 22,000 bells were used for the decorations, the White House said. The State Dining Room has been transformed into Santa's workshop, with elves' workbenches, stools and ladders circling the Christmas trees and tools and gifts-in-progress rounding out the décor. The official White House Christmas tree, an 18.5-foot-tall Fraser fir, takes its usual place in the Blue Room, where the chandelier has to be taken down to accommodate its height.

White House Christmas Decorations 2023: Photos, Video - Parade Magazine

White House Christmas Decorations 2023: Photos, Video.

Posted: Tue, 28 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

National

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. The Vice President has long been focused on ensuring that minority, rural, and low-income communities have the capital and resources they need to thrive and support small businesses. Last year, she announced that Treasury’s CDFI Fund has awarded over $1.73 billion in grants to 603 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) across the country.

This year’s tree is an 18½ foot Fraser Fir from Fleetwood, North Carolina and stands floor to ceiling, filling the oval room. Every year, the Blue Room’s chandelier is removed to accommodate the Christmas tree’s full height. "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 said. "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." In her prepared remarks, the first lady 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."

Jill Biden unveils White House holiday decor for 2023. See photos of the Christmas trees, ornaments and more.

The official White House Christmas tree, an 18.5-foot-tall (5.6-meter-tall) Fraser fir, stands in its usual place in the Blue Room. The massive tree highlights cheerful scenes, landscapes and neighborhoods from across the country. Next, we ascended to the state floor via a significant wooden stairway to the East Room, the largest and most utilized room in the Executive Mansion. It has been the site of press conferences, Medal of Honor presentation ceremonies, entertainment, weddings, funerals and even a senior prom. Large chandeliers, grandiose garlanded mirrors and gold-hued drapes elegantly highlighted the room while two 14-foot fir trees flanked a traditional Nativity scene that was in its 51st year of display.

The Gold Star Tree

See Santa’s sleigh and his eight reindeer suspended above the grand foyer in dramatic fashion. Thousands of red ornaments lined the hallway and graced the trees' deep green branches. The scene was so rich with Christmas spirit that we fully expected Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney to come out from behind the trees singing "White Christmas" at any second. The projected light on the ceiling added sparkle and pizzazz to a room that was already a full holiday palette. The presidential seal rising above the multilayered décor was a popular photo op for all.

The ornaments on the Gold Star Christmas tree are engraved with the names of military servicemen who have died. We spent part of one evening at the National Christmas Tree located on The Ellipse between the White House and Washington Monument. The tree is surrounded by 56 smaller trees that border a winding walkway and represent each state and territory. Trains are also an integral part of the National Tree display, with multiple sets surrounding the tree's base. Live entertainment is frequently offered, and at dusk, the atmosphere is magical as the red and green lights of the tree glow in the foreground with either the lights of the White House or the evening sky in the background.

Holidays at The White House

They will now be offered Tuesdays through Saturdays, excluding federal holidays. Anyone is welcome to walk around the outside of the White House; wreaths, lights and other holiday decor are usually visible from The Ellipse and Lafayette Square. Santa Claus in his sleigh and a team of reindeer fly through the columns of the Entrance Hall of the White House.

The Library honors the tradition and magic of bedtime stories during the holiday season. Golden moons and shimmering stars are suspended above, with treasured holiday storybooks throughout the peaceful scene. Santa and his sleigh are seen through the window, flying past a full moon on his way to the White House. The marble arches of the Ground Floor Corridor are sprinkled with holiday messages sent from Americans across the country to the President and First Lady. Letters to Santa Claus are magically flying in and out of vintage mail boxes, ready to be sent to the North Pole with a stamp and a wish.

In 1961, the nonprofit, nonpartisan White House Historical Association was established to support her vision to preserve and share the Executive Mansion’s legacy for generations to come. Supported entirely by private resources, the Association’s mission is to assist in the preservation of the state and public rooms, fund acquisitions for the White House permanent collection, and educate the public on the history of the White House. Since its founding, the Association has given more than $115 million to the White House in fulfillment of its mission. After delivering a holiday message, Dr. Biden invited the children of National Guard families to a special performance by the cast of the North American tour of Disney’s stage musical, Frozen. Throughout the White House grounds are 98 Christmas trees, almost 34,000 ornaments, 72 wreaths and about 142,000 holiday lights. Ninety-eight Christmas trees, nearly 34,000 ornaments, over 22,000 bells and more than 350 candles were used in the décor, according to the White House.

We love the holidays, and -- politics and partisanship aside -- admire the elegance and importance of the White House. We knew visiting while it is decked in its holiday finest would be a memorable treat. The joyful anticipation of the holidays is front and center in the East Room, with Advent calendars counting down the days to Christmas.

Face masks will also be made available for visitors who want them, though use will be optional. The only ornament of its kind, the Official White House Christmas Ornament is produced by the White House Historical Association, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, and made in America by a veteran-founded business. Each ornament helps fund the work of the Association’s historians, researchers, and educators to open the doors to the rich history of the “people’s house” for millions of Americans. To book a White House tour, you can contact your Member of Congress and Congressional Tour Coordinator. Seventy-two wreaths sporting red ribbons adorn the north and south exteriors of the White House. The official White House Menorah is on display in the Cross Hall, which runs between the State Dining Room and the East Room.

Jill Biden unveils White House holiday decor for 2023. See photos of the Christmas trees, ornaments and more. - CBS News

Jill Biden unveils White House holiday decor for 2023. See photos of the Christmas trees, ornaments and more..

Posted: Mon, 27 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The festive Pathway of Peace and national tree will be free to visit and open to the public through Jan. 1, 2024. Nearly 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) of ribbon, more than 350 candles and over 22,000 bells were used for the decorations, the White House said. More than 142,425 lights twinkle on trees, garlands, wreaths and other displays.