White House Christmas Starts in July

First ladies get a bit of a throbbing lump in the stomach around this time of year. The rest of the East Wing Staff in the first year look at each other askance as they discuss Holiday Greeting Card themes, who gets a card, then start looking at the Holiday Party Schedule on top of their day to day activities. A theme ties all of the decor together and it has to be chosen early. President & Rosalynn Carter sent out over 60,000 cards and the numbers have only increased since the 1970's.The Obamas choice is a closely guarded secret. For Laura Bush's last year she chose a Red, White & Blue holiday theme. Sometimes events inspire the cards, as the tragic circumstances of 9/11 had Laura Bush select a scene for her first card featuring a Psalm and the hall from the residence in the White House. Laura Bush's choice of a deeply Christian message in the 2007 card caused some controversy. (2001 Christmas Card from the George & Laura Bush)

Many of the most magical scenes and beautiful times at America's First House begin right after the president pardons a huge turkey in the Rose Garden. The first lady dresses up, not too much, after our national day of giving thanks and stands in the driveway to receive a Christmas or Holiday tree that goes into the Blue Room because its the official one. Next, the family scampers off for a couple of days while hordes of pre-screened festive volunteers turn into White House elves with direction from the Ushers office and decorate more than a dozen trees, the State Rooms, the Truman Balcony placing garland, ribbons and bells everywhere. Pat Nixon resuscitated the use of wreaths as decorations for the Holidays.

Bo's curiosity is going to be quite hard to control. It's almost a sure bet that when President Obama lights the National Christmas tree, which is seen from The Washington Monument and the Truman Balcony, that it will be Sasha pushing the button.

(The stately tree arrives trussed up on a holiday style sleigh ususally led by horses, I think Clydesdales.)

The selection of the tree is political. From which state does it originate (can't have one state furnish the tree year after year complete with much care to ensure it is not an old-growth tree. Like a sports team, the trees are scouted for height (usually 20 feet tall), color suitability and the density of its branches to take the weight of lights and many handcrafted and heirloom ornaments sent to the White House for just this holiday. Mamie Eisenhower decorated 27 trees in 1958. Jackie Kennedy introduced the idea of theming the decorations. For the Carters last year in 1980, it was a Victorian Christmas. In 1994, Hillary Clinton had great fun with the Twelve Days of Christmas. A catalog of each of the ornaments must be made. But the incredible dinners, bountiful buffets and cookies need planning as well. The tremendous amount of floral work need careful scheduling as the refrigerated room to keep blooms fresh is rather small. Add to the fact that the Chief Floral Designer, Nancy Clarke, retired her pruning shears in May, brings more tension to this first Holiday. If asked, many retirees with special skills return to help out during this time.

The Cross Hall glammed up for the 2008 Red White & Blue theme. The door with the seal above it is the blue room where the majesty of the official tree reigns. Photo courtesy the White House

For under $17, excluding shipping, the official 2009 ornament will be sold exclusively via the White House Historical Association. Grover Cleveland is the object of this years version. President & Mrs. Frances Cleveland had toddlers in the White House for his second term. Snow capped rolling lawn with frosted trees gazing at the majestic South portico is the view on the ornament from an eastern angle. Margaret Huddy is the watercolor painter chosen to render the images. This is the second ornament to feature the nineteenth century during the Clevelands terms in office. President & Mrs. Reagan did a modest engraved gold angel blowing a trumpet in 1981. That marked the first time ornaments were offered to support the WHHA. The ornament selected is always featured on the tree in the Blue Room.

Christmas parties are traditional for staff, Congress, the press and family among meeting diplomats and other soirées. Tours go up as the rooms are filled with elaborate gingerbread houses and holiday treats. As this year will be the first for the Obamas in the grand old house, planning the first one is a full time event. There is no question that it will get lavish press attention and television time as well. Sasha & Malia have already put sleds to good use on the South Lawn, but this year will see their imprint on the decorating. It's all in the planning and the volunteer elf army.

Update: Michelle's First White House Christmas Tree - it explains the selection process and shows other First Lady's Christmas trees.

More From EWR later today

A wedding and some sad news has made us unavailable for a bit.  We will be back later today with more from EWR!

Thanks for so much patience and bearing with us! 

Congratulations Jim & K-K. 

Where to Dine at the White House

The first formal Dinner for Michelle Obama in the State Dining Room for the National Governor's Association February 2009

A formal Dinner in 2007 for Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall planned by Mrs. Laura Bush in the State Dining Room.

Food at the White House is among the best in the world when prepared by the Executive Chef and staff. A bevy of butlers, in formal attire, serve the dishes. Where to eat depends upon the occasion, the number of guests and/or the first family's preferences. Nancy Reagan had TV trays set up in the West Hall or the Solarium for dinners together with the president. Choices for dining in the White House include indoor and outdoor venues and are only limited by a president's or first lady's imagination. There have been garden parties on the roofs of the colonnades - which used to be tree lined, and in the Rose Garden as well as the fabulous Jacqueline Kennedy Garden next to the East Wing. (Mrs. Betty Ford used the Red Room of the White House for a formal dinner rather than as a reception salon photo courtesy Gerald Ford Library)

Michelle serves salad from her Kitchen Garden for the outdoor dining her invited guests from Bancroft Elementary in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden off the East Colonnade.

Dining arrangement inside the executive mansion have always varied depending on the occupant. Thomas Jefferson dining room was what is now the beautiful silk wall papered Green Room where he actually had a green drop cloth on the floor to catch food crumbs. Jackie Kennedy's very young children needed high chairs. It drove her nuts that the family had to pack up like on a vacation to go down two or three levels to the state floor through the State Dining Room to get settled in the formal Old Family Dining Room to eat a regular meal. A bedroom that mirrored hers, now the presidential master suite, right across the wide hall from hers was turned into a private dining room, The President's Dining Room, complete with antique wall paper. The fact that the wall paper is papered over currently with gold damask puts some historians into catatonic shock. Pat Nixon covered it up too, Rosalyn Carter took it down, Barbara Bush covered it up and there it remains lost to look at while swallowing the morning oatmeal, even with its fearsome battle scenes. (Nancy Reagan & Michelle Obama in the Private Family Dining Room on the 2nd floor, The President's Dining Room of the residence. Note the bland gold damask wall paper. Photo courtesy Samantha Appleton)

Laura Bush used the Ronald Reagan China Service for the 40th anniversary of the NEA in the State Dining Room. Photo courtesy of the White House

The sunny Family Dining Room off the State Dining Room on the State Floor was the scene for a working luncheon with the Prime Minister of Israel, May 2009. President & Prime Minister served first according to protocol. Photo by P. Souza, courtesy the White House

The Congressional Picnic took place on the resilient South Lawn as a luau for Ohana in June

For the height of formality, state dinners and other functions meant to showcase the White House while eating a world class gourmet meal take place in the State Dining Room. It seats, at most, 140 for a sit down state dinner. Just past the State Dining Room, the Family Dining Room this past spring hosted its first Seder attended by the First Family. On the first floor, the Family Dining Room is usually where holidays are celebrated with favorite dishes served at the White House for invited personal guests if the family is in residence on the holiday.

On the third floor (above ground) in the family quarters is the Solarium which has a small kitchenette. Facing the Washington Monument, the light and bright Solarium is where Chelsea celebrated a birthday with friends from school and Ronald Reagan recovered from an assassination attempt. It is also very homey with no signs of the antiques found through the rest of the presidential home. There is also a private dining room for the president off of the oval office. Just downstairs from the Oval in the West Wing complex is the White House Mess where certain invited guests can purchase a hamburger or a steak or see the WH staff eating on the run. The Mess also has a private dining facility for meetings. (On the left is the president's private dining room off the Oval Office where he has private teas or lunch meetings.)

In the West Wing complex, White House Navy Mess paneled in dark wood throughout is where President Obama met with reporters in the private facility. Staff and guests pay for the food ordered off the menu. The ceiling tiles just ruin the look doesn't it? Photo courtesy the White House

Can you name all the dining places to eat in the White House?