Hundreds of volunteers help decorate the White House for the holidays

2 months ago 3

First Lady Jill Biden unveiled the official White House holiday decorations Monday. The display was created thanks to over 300 volunteers from all across the country.

The halls of the White House are decked with more than just boughs of holly, all thanks to hundreds of volunteers who came together to decorate for the holidays. "The most special part to me was really helping to decorate one of the tallest trees in the entryway," Alisa Cooper de Uribe, a White House holiday volunteer and teacher from New Mexico, said. "It's amazing when you look around and see how much love was put into it in the last couple days," Beth Kingston, another White House holiday volunteer and owner of Kingston Crafts, said. This year's decorations featured 83 Christmas trees, almost 10,000 feet of ribbon, over 160,000 holiday lights, and nearly 30,000 ornaments. The labor of love took over a week and more than 300 volunteers. "People have said to me this week, 'this is on my bucket list,' they're here with their daughters, they're here with their best friends," Kingston said. "So, the community this brings and the experience it gives to people is something they will take with them forever."First Lady Jill Biden emphasized that each piece was chosen to exemplify this year's theme, "A Season of Peace and Light.""We are guided by the values that we hold sacred: faith, family, and service to our country, kindness towards all of our neighbors, and the power of community," Biden said during remarks Monday.Volunteers hope the spirit of that theme will last even after the presents are unwrapped."This is a commitment for me, not just this season but always," Cooper de Uribe said. "To be mindful about what I and people I'm in community with, and the young people that are going to be our future, what we're going to do be able to do for peace and light." The first lady invited National Guard families to be the first official visitors to tour the decorations Monday. The White House expects over 100,000 people to visit this holiday season.For those who cannot see the decorations in person, videos and pictures are available at whitehouse.gov/holidays.

WASHINGTON —

The halls of the White House are decked with more than just boughs of holly, all thanks to hundreds of volunteers who came together to decorate for the holidays.

"The most special part to me was really helping to decorate one of the tallest trees in the entryway," Alisa Cooper de Uribe, a White House holiday volunteer and teacher from New Mexico, said.

"It's amazing when you look around and see how much love was put into it in the last couple days," Beth Kingston, another White House holiday volunteer and owner of Kingston Crafts, said.

This year's decorations featured 83 Christmas trees, almost 10,000 feet of ribbon, over 160,000 holiday lights, and nearly 30,000 ornaments. The labor of love took over a week and more than 300 volunteers.

"People have said to me this week, 'this is on my bucket list,' they're here with their daughters, they're here with their best friends," Kingston said. "So, the community this brings and the experience it gives to people is something they will take with them forever."

First Lady Jill Biden emphasized that each piece was chosen to exemplify this year's theme, "A Season of Peace and Light."

"We are guided by the values that we hold sacred: faith, family, and service to our country, kindness towards all of our neighbors, and the power of community," Biden said during remarks Monday.

Volunteers hope the spirit of that theme will last even after the presents are unwrapped.

"This is a commitment for me, not just this season but always," Cooper de Uribe said. "To be mindful about what I and people I'm in community with, and the young people that are going to be our future, what we're going to do be able to do for peace and light."

The first lady invited National Guard families to be the first official visitors to tour the decorations Monday. The White House expects over 100,000 people to visit this holiday season.

For those who cannot see the decorations in person, videos and pictures are available at whitehouse.gov/holidays.

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