‘Peace and Light’ at the White House This Holiday Season
So many thoughts on the East Wing decorations as the Bidens bid a festive farewell.
Last Christmas Eve, I sent out a newsletter featuring the White House holiday decorations. It was one of my favorite emails of the year, recapping the stunning display filled with joy and wonder I had the chance to see at a reception hosted by First Lady Jill Biden.
As soon as an invitation to return this year arrived in my inbox, I planned to do the same. My trip to Washington last week was surreal, a swirl of feelings (which I wrote about here). It was beyond festive and the most fun, but also a farewell, a final toast in the waning days of President Joe Biden’s term. As I sat down to write this newsletter, my anxiety about what awaits our country took hold. What do holiday decorations mean in a moment like this?
The theme of this year’s decorations was “A Season of Peace and Light,” a serene sentiment after a tumultuous election season. The whimsy of 2023 was replaced with a more stately display — and more grounded, too. Greenery abounded, adorned by nostalgic touches like bows and bells. Glittering displays filled the grand rooms of the East Wing, with towering trees topped by sparkling stars.
The details, however, moved me most, from white doves holding cards that read “peace” in the Red Room to the self portraits drawn by children filling the trees in the State Dining Room.
The more I thought about it, the more reassuring I found the spirit of — and the effort behind — the decorations. One could imagine a world after the election where the décor was more muted, the parties scaled back. Worse, there could have been an alternate reality, with an opulent display and a rowdier crowd.
The Bidens are going out with grace, backed by scores of their supporters. More than 300 volunteers helped install the decorations, trimming 83 Christmas trees, hanging some 9,810 feet of ribbon and stringing 165,075 holiday lights. Teams of dedicated civil servants from the East Wing worked tirelessly to invite and host thousands of people from around the country to these receptions. (There were three back-to-back events on the day I visited.) Everyone I spoke to who works for the administration was committed to a full slate of projects between now and when they leave their posts in January.
Over on Instagram, when sharing how I picked out my outfit to match the decorations, I added to my caption: “Not afraid to be seen trying!” It’s the energy I want heading into the new year, a nudge to shed the embarrassment I used to feel (and sometimes still do) when it comes to trying. Too often “effortless” is supposed to be the goal or (and this I really bristle at) not caring at all. I try in so many ways, but particularly in how I present myself in moments like this, because I care.
Seeing the White House decked out this holiday season was a reminder that a lot of folks care, too. “The strength of our country, and the soul of our Nation, come from you,” read the parting message in the official decoration description. “May the promise of this ‘Season of Peace and Light’ guide your path forward.”
Below, an up-close look at the decorations inside the White House. Happy holidays, my friends, and a very merry Christmas Eve to all those who celebrate.
Many thanks to my former Wall Street Journal colleague and collaborator, Jarrard Cole, for these pictures. I am so grateful for his time and talents! This was our third trip to the White House together — click below for our earlier adventures.
‘Peace and Light’ at the White House This Holiday Season
Note: These beautiful photographs are best viewed in your browser here.
“The holidays have always held a special place in our hearts, and we’ve loved opening the doors of the People’s House wider and wider each year, continuing the spirit of goodwill and gratitude. America’s story is your story, and we hope you feel at home here.” — President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden
“A Season of Peace and Light” served as the inspiration for this year’s holiday decorations, beginning with the massive gold star shining over the entrance to the East Wing. A band played Hark the Herald Angels Sing as the first guests arrived, while members of the military opened doors and said, “Welcome to the White House.”
Having studied pictures of the decorations in advance of the party, I was thrilled at how well my outfit coordinated. For this afternoon reception, with a dress code of “business / holiday festive,” I chose a trio of my favorite female-founded American brands: a dress from Hill House, mules (with bows!) by Larroudé and gold floral earrings from Jennifer Behr. My clutch was a special touch, the same Larroudé piece that Dr. Biden carried during a meeting with Queen Elizabeth II.
Inside, the first display to greet visits is the Gold Star Tree, honoring “the heroic men and women of our Nation’s military who have laid down their lives for our country, those who are Missing in Action, and the families who carry on their legacies.” Six large stars, one for each branch of the military, were arranged horizontally to form this year’s tree. Nearby stood four additional trees, with names of fallen soldiers on each.
From there, guests stepped into the window-filled East Colonnade, a hallway that had been completely transformed thanks to a series of garlands and arches. Adorned with bells and bows, it served as a magical invitation to the festivities inside.
The entrance was one of the most popular photo spots, and for good reason! It set an enchanting stage. Walking through it, however, was a special feeling all of its own. I found the repetition, with the evenly spaced ribbons and carefully tied bows, both delightful and calming.
Last year, we followed the crowds through the first floor, into the White House Library and the China Room. As one of the lucky few let in first this year, I knew enough to head straight upstairs. Some of the most impressive decorations await on the second level and I knew those rooms would fill up quickly. Jarrard and I had them — if just for the briefest of moments! — largely to ourselves.
Home to the official White House Christmas Tree, the Blue Room’s sparkling chandelier is removed each year so that the tree may stand tall. This 18-and-a-half foot Fraser Fir came from North Carolina, having won the 2024 Grand Champion Grower honor in the National Christmas Tree Association’s annual contest. An elaborate carousel, with animals that slowly traveled up and down, encircled the tree (a reminder of the ups and down of life, and politics, perhaps?). Flags, with the name of each state, flew from the top.
The smaller trees in the adjacent rooms are just as impressive, standing under the watchful eye of two of my favorite first lady portraits. Doves swirled around the Red Room tree, carrying red cards inscribed with a message of peace. Angelica Van Buren hangs over the fireplace here; she stands out in first lady history by fulfilling the “White House Hostess” role not as the president’s wife but as his daughter-in-law.
In the Green Room is another tree that stretches to the chandelier, filled with colored glass ornaments and prisms to encourage reflection. A portrait of Edith Roosevelt, wife of President Theodore Roosevelt, is featured here. She hired the first White House Social Secretary, a position that continues to this day, making parties like this possible. A mother of five, she also insisted on the separation of office and living quarters, establishing the West Wing in a major White House renovation and doubling the size of the residency.
We took a quick peek into the East Room and its impressive spread. The platters held all kinds of goodies, from savory to sweet, arranged in small, inviting batches. The canopy across the ceiling of the room was designed to feel like a “peaceful snowfall,” according to the decoration guide, while the bases of the Christmas trees on either side of the door show silhouettes of Americans holding hands.
As the reception filled up, I made my way back downstairs for a private greeting with Dr. Biden. A small group of us waited in the China Room, home to history-filled table settings. Last year, the décor here was all about sweets; this year, it was overflowing with baskets of bread, intended to “remind guests of the peaceful, patient, and loving process of baking bread.”
When the time came to take a photograph with the first lady, we were ushered next door to the Diplomatic Reception Room. Once home to fireside chats with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Dr. Biden opened this famously receiving private room to the public for the first time during her tenure. The trees are lined with “holiday florals and fruits,” which the decoration guide said was “a nod to the importance of hospitality and grace to peaceful diplomacy.”
I was immensely grateful for the chance to see Dr. Biden once more, to thank her for all she has done for the country and wish her a very happy holiday season.
A bit teary, I made my way back upstairs to the State Dining Room and a pair of Christmas trees I was excited to see. Children around the country had drawn self portraits, which the White House team then turned into ornaments. As a mother of three budding artists who love to sketch themselves, these drawings moved me to tears — as did the intent behind them. According to the decoration guide, the pictures were meant to ensure “children see themselves reflected in this year’s holiday display.”
Back in the East Room came another party highlight: Remarks from President Biden. We were invited into the buffer at the front near his podium along with an eclectic mix of digital creators (I was standing just behind Flava Flav and his entourage).
“Continue to fight. I hope that’s what all of you are going to do, using your creativity and incredible platforms, your voices, to keep inspiring folks to believe in what we can accomplish together.” — President Joe Biden
The president ended his remarks with an Irish blessing, raising a glass as he said, “Until we meet again, may God hold you all in the palm of his hand.” The crowd clapped and cheered, as someone shouted: “We love you, Joe!”
Mingling ensued afterwards, offering the me a chance to say hello to several people I have met through the internet, politics — or both! Emily Calandrelli, aka the Space Gal, and Emily Amick, of
are such gems. Mosheh Oinounou of Mo News and I were on the campaign trail together back in 2008; it was a delight to see him and his wife, Alex Sall, again. But mostly: I was so glad to catch up with Kelsey Donohue from the first lady’s team, who invited me to the Smithsonian for Dr. Biden’s inaugural clothing dedication. It has been a joy to get to know her these last few years.
Downstairs, I caught the last of the decorations. The Vermeil Room, where a number of beloved first lady portraits hang, was awash in ribbons that brought a smile to my face. The Library was teeming with ceramic trees. Off to one side was a sweet stack of children’s books, which Dr. Biden, a lifelong teacher, added to the collection.
As the reception came to a close, I did my best to be present. I lingered in the crowded Cross Hall, gazing up at the sea of white doves, then then listened to the orchestra in the nearby Grand Foyer and admired the portrait of President Barack Obama.
If the welcome to the White House was warm, the farewell is (and I say this with love) rather firm. A team begins ushering everybody out the way we came in, weaving through the decorations and into the dark Washington night. There was another party to prepare for, after all, more guests to host in the People’s House.
I paused for just a moment outside the steps, glancing back at the East Wing entrance once more and then at the front of the White House. It looked beautiful, radiating the theme of “Peace and Light.” May your holidays be filled with both, friends. ✨
Thank you again to Jarrard Cole for these photographs. 🙏
What a beautiful way to say goodbye to a grateful nation. Class act to the very end. I will miss the Bidens.
Thank you for sharing this visit!