“Each room is designed to capture this pure, unfiltered delight and imagination” so visitors “see this time of year through the wondrous, sparkling eyes of children,” the first lady said Monday.
About 100,000 visitors are expected to visit the White House over the holidays and experience the “Magic, Wonder and Joy” of the White House.
According to the Associated Press, a White House hallway is decorated with oversized holiday candy and sweets, while Santa’s sleigh and reindeer hang above the grand foyer. A Christmas tree has also been placed atop the entrance to the East Wing.
“It’s like they’re leaping from the storybook’s pages. I don’t know how you feel about it. I feel it’s just breathtaking,” she said.
The decor is also a nod to the 200th anniversary of the publication of the poem book, “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
The Library of Congress has provided samples of past editions of the book that are also on display at the White House.
Meanwhile, the official White House Christmas tree is in its usual place in the Blue Room. The 18.5-foot-tall Fraser fir this year highlights cheerful scenes and American towns and landscapes. A train also loops around it.
The State Dining Room features a recreation of Santa’s workshop, while the library has dangling moons and shimmering stars. The China Room is a sweet shop of baked goodies, and the Vermeil Room features Marine Band figurines with trumpets.
Jill Biden told reporters that seeing the Christmas tree was “so amazing” when she and the president returned Sunday night from their Thanksgiving holiday.
“When Joe and I saw that last night, we were just, like, mesmerized,” she said.
The White House boasts 98 Christmas trees, some 34,000 ornaments, 22,000 bells, and more than 350 candles.
Photo Courtesy: ©Getty Images/Kevin Dietsch / Staff
Video Courtesy: Associated Press via YouTube
Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.
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