Jill Biden reveals her first White House Christmas decorations and doesn’t have a blood-red tree in sight

It’s that time of year again: the annual White House Christmas decorations are revealed. What should have been a blip on the White House social calendar turned into a full-blown culture war under the Trump administration as the then-first lady hit her home hallway with scandals. in 2018 the tree is red like blood and was caught in a secret recording last year, asking “Who cares about Christmas things and decorations?”

Jill Biden has opted for a much less Scrooge-ian route, using her first year in office to celebrate “Gifts from the Heart,” the official 2021 holiday theme.

Alex Wong

According to AP, Biden was inspired by people she met while campaigning for her husband. “The things we hold sacred unite us and transcend distance, time, and even the constraints of a pandemic: faith, family, and friendship; love of art, learning and nature; gratitude, service and community; unity and peace,” wrote Biden in a commemorative guidebook. “These are gifts that bind the heartstrings of our lives together. These are gifts from the heart. ”

What this means visually: a White House selling gingerbread surrounded by other gingerbread businesses, like grocery stores, fire houses, and gas stations. Emily Goodin, a political reporter for Daily mail, attended a press tour of the White House, and showed off the State Dining Room, decorated with photographs of past first families, and stockings on the fireplace with the names of the Bidens.

According to the AP, the decorations were made by more than 100 volunteers. They transformed the Executive Mansion into a winter wonderland with 6,000-foot ribbons and over 10,000 decorations.

A second-grader from Walford, Maryland, helped show off the work in a Monday morning revelation, as Biden planned to read from her children’s book, Don’t forget, God bless our army. A National Guard member and his family will also speak, paying their respects to military families who may not be together during the holidays. The pandemic has disrupted public tours of the White House, meaning fewer visitors to the building.

Despite Melania Trump’s apparent hatred of tinsel and wreaths, the Trumps plan to reveal their own Christmas decorations on December 3 in Naples, Florida, raising funds. Tickets cost $10,000 per person, allowing entry to the party and “a photo with the president,” according to the event website.

SAUL LOEB