The White House is all Decorated for the Holidays
Military families were invited to the White House to witness the unveiling of the holiday decorations for 2012. First Lady Michelle Obama was there to greet the military families and talk with the children.
According to Examiner, one of the decorations was a 300 pound gingerbread version of the White House. There was also the official Christmas tree for the White House. It stands over 18 feet tall and is displayed in the Blue Room of the White House. The tree is from North Carolina.
Each year, the White House has a holiday theme. This year it is a “Joy to the World” theme. David Lee Csicsko, who is an artist from Chicago, made an artificial tree for the East Garden. He also created some of the decorative ornaments for other areas of the White House.
According to the official White House website:
The custom of selecting an official holiday theme began in the 1960s, when First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy created a Nutcracker-themed Christmas for her daughter, Caroline. This year we honor that tradition and pay tribute to past White House holidays with four trees in the Grand Foyer. Each tree is trimmed with a collection of iconic ornaments that best represent the holiday legacies of former First Ladies dating back more than 50 years to Mrs. Kennedy. In total, there are 54 trees throughout the White House that have been decorated to reflect this year’s holiday theme.
This year’s decorations also pay tribute to our Armed Forces and their families. The walls of the East Landing are adorned with wreaths crafted with red, white, and blue yarn, and a Christmas tree decorated with festive, patriotic ornaments completes the space. The official White House Christmas tree, which stands tall in the center of the Blue Room, honors the courageous service of the troops, veterans, and military families who serveour country with pride. The 18-foot-6- inch Fraser Fir from Jefferson, North Carolina is trimmed with ornaments decorated by military children living on U.S. Military Bases all over the world, and these one-of-a-kind ornaments honor their parents’ commitment to service.
Besides viewing the decorations, the children were also treated to holiday goodies and engaged in craft making with the First Lady.
Check out this video ob bo inspecting the decorations.
