White House unveils its holiday decor, including 77 trees and a 'We the People' theme

It's starting to look a lot like Christmas at the White House.

On Monday, first lady Jill Biden revealed this year's Christmas decorations, under the theme "We the People," which she selected months ago. The White House says more than 150 volunteers came together to decorate the building over the course of a week.

"The values that unite us can be found all around you, a belief in possibility and optimism and unity," the first lady said Monday. "Room by room we represent what brings us together during the holidays."

Around the White House are 77 Christmas trees, 25 wreaths and more than 83,615 holiday lights, according to the first lady's office. This year's Gingerbread White House also incorporates a cookie model of Independence Hall in Philadelphia; together the creation weighs 300 pounds, which includes 100 pounds of pastillage, a thick sugar paste, as well as 30 pounds of chocolate and 40 pounds of royal icing, according to White House pastry chef Susan Morrison.

Adhering to the theme, the White House has also put on display in the library a copy of the Declaration of Independence that was printed in 1845 and was later gifted to the White House.

Woven into the decor are some Biden family traditions, too. Hanging from the fireplace in the State Dining Room are the Biden family stockings, which will get filled with an orange in the toe — a tradition from the first lady's grandmother.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.