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The halls of the White House have been decked for the holidays! First Lady Dr. Jill Biden unveiled on Monday this year’s White House holiday theme: “Gifts from the Heart.”
“Inspired by the acts of kindness and experiences that lifted our spirits this year, decorated rooms in the White House reflect the Gifts from the Heart that unite us all: faith, family, friendship, the arts, learning, nature, gratitude, service, community, peace, and unity,” the first lady tweeted, along with photos of the holiday decorations.
The official White House Christmas tree, which arrived last Monday, is set up in the executive mansion’s Blue Room. The 18-and-a-half-foot Fraser fir from Jefferson, North Carolina celebrates the gifts of peace and unity, and is decorated with peace doves carrying a banner embossed with the names of every state and territory of the United States.
There are 41 Christmas trees throughout the White House. The ones in the State Dining Room feature pictures of past and present first families, including former President Donald Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump .
CNN’s White House correspondent Kate Bennett spotted the photo of the former first couple (taken in 2018), tweeting: “And yes I looked. Tucked into the back side of one of the trees, there is one of Donald and Melania Trump.”
According to the 2021 White House Holiday Guide, “Each family who made this house a home reminds us all of the enduring love and lasting bonds of family.”
The State Dining Room is also decorated with stockings for the Bidens’ grandkids and the official 2021 Gingerbread White House. The gingerbread display, which was inspired by gratitude and admiration for our Nation’s frontline workers includes “eight detailed replicas of community buildings representing frontline workers.” Kate reported that the first lady “herself placed the last piece of decoration”—a teacher—in front of the display’s schoolhouse.
In a message for the 2021 holiday tour book, President Joe Biden and Dr. Biden wrote, “The things we hold sacred unite us and transcend distance, time, and even the constraints of a pandemic: faith, family, and friendship; a love of the arts, learning, and nature; gratitude, service, and community; unity and peace. These are the gifts that tie together the heart strings of our lives. These are the ‘Gifts from the Heart.’”
The first couple continued, “As we celebrate our first holiday season in the White House, we are inspired by Americans across the country, who, time and again remind us that our differences are precious and our similarities infinite. We wish you a happy, healthy, and joyous holiday season. As we look to a new year full of possibility, may gifts from the heart light our path forward. Happy holidays from the Biden family.”