04 December 2008
Decking the Halls of America’s Most Famous Residence
First lady Laura Bush decorates her last White House tree
Washington — The holidays have arrived at the White House. First lady Laura Bush officially announced the decorative scheme for her eighth and final holiday season in the famous residence on December 3.
“This year we have a very appropriate theme. It’s ‘A Red, White and Blue Christmas,’ which I think is perfect for our last year,” said Mrs. Bush, whose husband will leave office in January. “A patriotic holiday — a way to celebrate our great country.”
Americans have been clamoring for a theme incorporating the nation’s emblematic colors since the beginning of the Bush presidency, Mrs. Bush told reporters in the East Room. “It gave us a chance to reuse a lot of red ornaments, because we had a lot of those, of course. We brought back some other decorations from Christmas past, just like everyone does.”
Other decorations making a second appearance are the presidential homes that were part of the 2001 “Home for the Holidays” Christmas theme and last year’s ornaments celebrating the national parks, which now hang on the president’s tree in the Oval Office.
The Oval Office tree is one of 27, all from North Carolina, that grace the halls of the White House. The centerpiece of the trees, and arguably of the decorations, is the 5.6-meter-tall (18.5-foot) Fraser fir that sits majestically in the Blue Room. Framed by panoramic views of the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial, the tree is decorated with 369 ornaments made by artists from every state, ranging in age from 8 to 90, who were chosen by their members of Congress.
“We even have a jackalope from Texas,” said Mrs. Bush, referring to the fictional hybrid of an antelope and jackrabbit.
More than 90 volunteers helped hang 780 feet of garland and 232 wreaths. Pastry chef Bill Yosses and his staff worked for two months to construct a gingerbread replica of the North Portico of the White House from 350 pounds of white chocolate and 125 pounds of gingerbread.
Mrs. Bush expressed her appreciation to all the volunteers and staff members, including White House florist Nancy Clarke.
“No matter what idea you come up with, Nancy always says, ‘Great!’ and goes right to work,” the first lady said. “And, as you can tell, these are not easy things to assemble or to put together or to build, and they always look great.”
In the coming weeks, the White House will host 25 holiday receptions and seven holiday dinners, for which 700 gallons of eggnog and 22,000 cookies will be prepared. About 60,000 members of the public will be coming through the house. And someone will need to assist the first lady with the more than 1 million holiday cards, designed by T. Allen Lawson of Maine, that she will send out this season.
NEW BEGINNINGS
As this is her last holiday season in the White House, Mrs. Bush reflected on the eight years she spent living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. One of her favorite spots in the house, she said, is the Red Room, which she calls “dramatic.”
But the history of the house is her favorite part. “I've loved having the chance to learn about everyone who's lived here before … through the ways they decorated the house, or the furniture they left, or the stories we know about what happened in different rooms,” she said. Mrs. Bush noted that the stately East Room has seen bill signings, balls and slain presidents lying in state, but the first presidential spouse who lived at the White House, first lady Abigail Adams, used to hang her laundry there.
“One thing that we take from the life stories of all the people that lived here before us — certainly, I look at the lives of the women who lived here before — is encouragement, really, about our country, and the way we've been able to face the challenges,” she said, adding that “we'll be able to face any challenges that come again.”
Mrs. Bush leaves the White House with mixed emotions. “I'm sad to leave all the people that I've liked so much and that I've had a chance to build a friendship with over the years that I've been here. I'm sad to leave this beautiful house,” she said. “But on the other hand, in the United States, you know when you're elected president you get four years, or eight if you're re-elected. And when the end of the eight years comes, you know it's time to move on.”
Mrs. Bush said she is looking forward to the “afterlife,” as she calls it, when she and President Bush can lead a more normal life, even if it means she has to do the cooking next holiday season.
“There's a great tradition of transition in the United States,” she said.
See “A Red, White and Blue Christmas” on the White House Web site.
Also see Arts.
