The holiday season at the White House is the pinnacle of festive fabulousness, and it’s not just because the Blue Room tree could moonlight as a Rockefeller Center understudy. Every year, the Executive Mansion transforms into a merry mashup of history, creativity, and just the right amount of over-the-top sparkle to dazzle the tens of thousands of guests traipsing through its hallowed halls.
Leading this yuletide extravaganza? The first lady, who steps into the role of Chief Holiday Cheer Officer, overseeing everything from the theme to the tinsel. But don’t get too jealous of her epic holiday planning chops—it wasn’t always this grand. Back in the day (like way back, pre-20th century), the first families kept things low-key. Think a few greens draped here and there, some genteel private parties, and probably a spiked punch bowl if they were feeling wild.
Then along came Mamie Eisenhower in 1957, who took one look at the White House and said, “This place needs more poinsettias!” Thus began the holiday glow-up. Jackie Kennedy followed her lead, bringing themed Christmas trees into the mix in 1961. Her debut theme? The Nutcracker, featuring enough toys, birds, and angels to make a ballet company blush.
No White House Christmas would be complete without the iconic gingerbread house. This delicious tradition started in 1972, thanks to Pat Nixon’s 18-kilogram confectionary masterpiece. Fast-forward a few decades, and these edible “masterpieces” are basically architectural blueprints—because who wouldn’t want to bite into a White House replica or, for some reason, Hillary Clinton’s childhood home? I mean, really, who looks at their old house and thinks, “Yup, this should be made of frosting and candy!”
Other first ladies have left their mark, too. Nancy Reagan brought teens from a drug treatment program to make ornaments, Barbara Bush filled the halls with storybook characters, and Michelle Obama turned old ornaments into eco-chic masterpieces with the help of community groups. Even Melania Trump added her polished flair. The Trump family’s first official White House Christmas tree, unveiled on Nov. 27, 2017, had glass ornaments that depict the seals of each state and U.S. territory.
This year theme is the “Season of Peace and Light.” The tree that gave a hurricane the metaphorical middle finger is decked out with a light-filled, whimsical carousel featuring the names of every state, territory, and, of course, the District of Columbia. It’s funny how the Bidens think nothing says peace, like a tree that just stared down Mother Nature and won.
In case you’re wondering about some other traditions or just want to win at White House Christmas trivia: the first White House Christmas party took place in 1800, courtesy of John and Abigail Adams, who hosted it for their 4-year-old granddaughter. Fast forward to 1889, when Benjamin Harrison thought, ‘Why not put candles on a tree?’—a decision that surely screamed ‘safety first.’ Then, in 1894, Grover Cleveland brought in the cutting-edge technology of electric lights for the family tree, which was really impressive, considering electricity hadn’t even been in the White House for three years.
And next year, we get to see the class and sophistication that First Lady Melania Trump will bring to the White House once again.
