Get a Closer Look Inside the Breathtaking 2023 White House Christmas Display
Take a Look Inside the White House for their 2023 Christmas Decor (0:52)
While many of us are slowly beginning to replace our Thanksgiving decorations inside our homes with all things Christmas , there is one house, in particular, that has already been completely transformed into a true winter wonderland: the White House. And Parade had the opportunity to take in all of the impressive decor and holiday magic in real life.
Although it's the Bidens' third year in the White House, it's only their second Christmas decoration display (the pandemic robbed them of their first), so First Lady Dr. Jill Biden knew she needed to pull out all the stops.
The 2023 theme is the "Magic, Wonder and Joy" of the holidays . The idea was to showcase Christmas through the eyes of a child. The designers utilized oversized elements, candy and storybook quotes to help bring the theme home. It was important to Dr. Biden that the theme be focused on children.
The 2023 White House Christmas Decor Features Oversized Elements
Kelsey Barberio
To make it all happen, 300 volunteers flew in from around the country. Have a Martha Stewart of your own in your life? They're welcome to apply to volunteer to decorate next year. "It's open to the public and obviously they can't accept everyone who applies, but I've been very fortunate to have come twice and it's everything you would expect. It's so amazing," Charlotte Smith, a volunteer from Connecticut told Parade.
Together, these volunteers utilized 14,975 feet of ribbon, 33,892 ornaments and 142,425 holiday lights to bring their vision to life over the course of Thanksgiving week. There are also 90 different Christmas trees on display on the White House grounds.
Related: 50 Fun Christmas Trivia Questions (with Answers) for Family Gatherings
The 2023 White House Christmas Decor Features Over 90 Christmas Trees and 140,000 Holiday Lights
Kelsey Barberio
"It's sort of extraordinary. On Monday, the first volunteers arrive and there [are] a couple of days that are off-site spent just prepping. And when I say things are made from the ground up from scratch, it is unbelievable," Smith said. "You look at the finished product and you assume that this has been some fancy installation by some fancy professional. It is people sitting around with glue sticks and scissors and cutting out shapes and ribbon."
Seeing the display, you'd never believe it, but the volunteers only have three days inside the White House to get the full spread in place. That's right, from Black Friday through Sunday, the volunteers aren't online shopping—instead, they're hard at work tying ribbons and crafting handmade ornaments.
One volunteer, Anita Yokota, an interior designer and licensed therapist, flew in from Los Angeles on Thanksgiving Day to be a part of the setup. "I said bye to my family and had a turkey sandwich at the airport!" she told Parade .
The 2023 Official White House Gingerbread House Created by Executive Pastry Chef Susan Morrison
Kelsey Barberio
The annual gingerbread "White House" certainly didn't disappoint. The White House executive pastry chef Susan Morrison had her work cut out for her for this year's design. It features 40 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 40 sheets of gingerbread dough, 90 pounds of pastillage, 30 pounds of chocolate and 50 pounds of royal icing. This means it's not only heavy, it's also massive! They had quite a time getting the gingerbread house up to the State Dining Room this year—they even had to bring the creation outside in order to get upstairs!
The White House also opted for some trends this year. The East Room features oversized advent calendar displays—not unlike the viral versions seen all over TikTok. The White House plans to open the calendars throughout the month of December. Behind each of the numbers is a surprise for the lucky children who visit.
And the decorating team did make sure to include a true classic to mix in with their trendy advent calendars: the East Room is also home to a Neapolitan crèche, otherwise known as a nativity scene. This particular crèche has been on display in the White House every single season since 1967.
Kelsey Barberio
The official White House Christmas Tree is a simply colossal 18.5-foot Frasier Fir. They shipped it in from Fleetwood, North Carolina for the season. The tree has a "neighborhood" theme this year, on top of displaying ornaments from each state. A replica of a vintage passenger train circles the bottom of the Fraiser Fir as a nod to the Bidens' love for train travel.
The White House expects to see 100,000 visitors over the next month for festive tours. Visitors receive an official White House Holiday guide during this time, which is available to download as a PDF
for anyone else who might be interested in reading through the booklet.
Their in-person tours are limited for the month of December
, but they're also offering interactive viewing online.
Next: 40 Christmas Traditions To Make Your Family's Holiday Season Merry and Bright
