2024 White House Holidays

The holidays have always held a special place in our hearts and we have 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.

As we celebrate our final holidays here at the White House, we are guided by the values we hold sacred: faith, family, service to our country, kindness to our neighbors, and the power of community and connection.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your President and First Lady. We hope the nation is blessed with the peace and light of the holidays. We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

The First Lady and the President wrote in a welcome letter at the start of the 2024 White House Commemorative Vacation Guide.

Welcome to the White House

Every room and design element during the White House holiday presentation takes cues from the Peace and light the holiday season.

The East Wing

Guests enter the East Wing of the White House under stunning rotating starlight. Lush greenery and garlands adorn the East Wing lobby, enveloping guests in the peaceful serenity of nature as they begin their vacation tour of the White House.

The Gold Star Tree

The first Christmas tree display on the White House tour is dedicated to Gold Star Families. This year’s Gold Star Tree display features six oversized and stacked stars representing all six branches of the military. The names of the fallen service members are written on gold star ornaments on the four accompanying Christmas trees. The Gold Star Trees honor the heroic men and women of our nation’s military who have given their lives for our country, those who are missing in action, and the families who carry on their legacy. May God bless our troops and their families.

The East Colonnade

As guests walk down the East Colonnade, they are surrounded by a series of bells symbolizing the peaceful sounds of the holidays. Brass-colored bells hang from the ceiling and sleigh bells line the archways. In the East Garden Room, just before entering the historic mansion, visitors are greeted by a three-dimensional horse-drawn sleigh pulling a Christmas tree decorated with bells and lights.

The library

Throughout the library is a forest of vintage ceramic Christmas trees sparkling with all the colors of the holiday season. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt designated this room as the White House Library in 1935. This room now houses approximately 2,700 volumes of books, mostly dealing with American history and literature. First Lady Jill Biden was a classroom teacher for forty years and partnered with the Library of Congress to add children’s books to the White House Library collection.

The Vermeil Room

The decor of the Vermeil Room (vermeil is the French name for silver dipped in gold) is dedicated to floral arrangements and uses a variety of materials.

Portraits of first ladies, including Mamie Eisenhower, Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson and Jacqueline Kennedy, hang on the walls of this room. Over sixty years ago, Ms. Kennedy founded the White House Historical Association to protect, preserve and share with the public the rich history of the People’s House.

The China Room

Food is love. A baker’s bench and handmade loaves characterize this space, reminding guests of the peaceful, patient and loving process of bread baking.

The China Room, first established as a showroom by First Lady Edith Wilson in 1917, houses dishes used by previous presidential families. Most presidents, starting with George Washington, are represented by either a personal or state service made of porcelain, glass or silver. Each piece commemorates the state dinners and celebratory meals that brought together heads of state, diplomats and other White House guests.

Diplomatic reception room

This fall, First Lady Jill Biden expanded and expanded the public tour of the White House. The Diplomatic Reception Room, used to greet foreign dignitaries and where President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous fireside chats took place, is now open to the general public for the first time. Christmas flowers and fruits are displayed in this room, a nod to the importance of hospitality and grace in peaceful diplomacy.

The East Room

A reflective canopy wraps the ceiling and windows, enveloping guests in a peaceful snowfall. Two large Christmas trees flank the center door, their tree bases lit with silhouettes of Americans holding hands, adding movement and energy to the decor.

As the largest room in the White House, the East Room hosted public receptions, ceremonies, bill signings, and other memorable occasions. It also contains Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of George Washington, which was supposed to be saved by First Lady Dolley Madison in 1814 when the White House was about to be burned during the War of 1812.

In the East Room is a Neapolitan nativity scene or nativity scene with over forty figures, most of which date from the 18th century. The crèche has been on display at the White House during every holiday season since 1967.

The Green Room

In the Green Room, light shines through colored glass ornaments and prisms, reflecting beautiful hues throughout the room. The Green Room was once Thomas Jefferson’s dining room and houses Henry Ossawa Tanner’s painting “Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City.” Tanner mixed real sand into his paint to depict the windswept beaches of our coasts.

The Blue Room

The official White House Christmas tree is in the Blue Room. This year’s tree is an 18½-foot tall North Carolina Fraser fir that reaches floor to ceiling and fills the oval space. Each year the Blue Room chandelier is removed to accommodate the full height of the Christmas tree.

The stunning tree features a light-filled, whimsical carousel with names of every state, territory and the District of Columbia featured throughout the tree’s decor. With bright lights, vibrant colors and three-dimensional Christmas candy, guests will be amazed as they embark on a delightful adventure around the tree.

This year’s Official White House Christmas Tree was presented to the First Lady by David, Sam and Jim Cartner of Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, North Carolina, the 2024 Grand Champion Grower in the National Christmas Tree Association’s annual competition.

State Dining Hall

As part of the First Lady Join forces As part of her initiative to support military families, Dr. Biden invited families of the USS Delaware and USS Gabrielle Giffords, two U.S. Navy ships for which she is a sponsor, to provide the colorful paper chain garlands that hang throughout the room. The ornaments on the Christmas trees were made as self-portraits by students from across the country to ensure children can see themselves in this year’s Christmas decorations.

The Gingerbread White House

A favorite for everyone during the holidays is the annual Gingerbread White House. This year’s sweet creation is inspired by the general theme of Christmas decorating, “Season of Peace and Light.” A glowing starry sky shines above the Gingerbread White House, and the sweet replica depicts a joyful scene of ice skaters on the South Lawn.

The Red Room

In the Red Room, white paper doves bring messages of peace. Displayed throughout the room are drawings from children across the country that were sent to the President and First Lady. There are large, illuminated gift boxes under the Red Room’s Christmas tree.

The Cross Hall

The Cross Hall combines the State Rooms of the White House with the East Room and State Dining Room at opposite ends and the Green, Blue and Red Rooms opening from the south side. The slightly vaulted ceiling rises from cast plaster molding designed during the 1902 Theodore Roosevelt renovation.

Above the Cross Hall is a cascade of peace doves flying above. Christmas trees with red and green check patterns and a red vintage truck complete the Christmas backdrop.

The White House Menorah

The official White House menorah, made by the White House Executive Residence Carpenters’ Shop in 2021, is on display in Cross Hall. The menorah was constructed from wood removed more than seventy years ago during the Truman-era renovation of the White House.

The Great Foyer

Every year during the holidays, Americans come together in community and faith, reminding us that we are stronger as a community than apart. As guests exit the 2024 White House Christmas display, the President and First Lady ask each of you to reflect on your time at the People’s House. The strength of our country and the soul of our nation come from you. May the promise of this “Time of Peace and Light” guide your path forward.

White House Holidays 2024

It takes over 300 dedicated volunteers from across the country are working a full week to decorate the interior and exterior of the White House.
There are 83 Christmas trees throughout the White House.
Approximately 9,810 feet of ribbon, over 28,125 ornaments and over 2,200 doves were used to decorate the White House this year.
Over 165,075 Christmas lights Decorate the trees, garlands, wreaths and displays.
The Gingerbread White House includes 25 sheets of gingerbread dough, 10 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 65 pounds of pastillage, 45 pounds of chocolate, 50 pounds of royal icing and 10 pounds of gum paste.

Recognition and support for the 2024 White House Holidays

The President and First Lady thank the Executive Residence staff and the team of over 300 volunteers who gave their time, energy and talents to transform the White House for the holiday season.

Bryan Rafanelli of Rafanelli Events worked closely with Dr. Biden to lead the creative efforts of a talented team to bring to life their vision for the White House Christmas decorations and celebrate a “season of peace and light.”

The President and First Lady are grateful for the support of the National Confectioners Association and the creative design teams of Birch Event Design, BMF Media Group, Cheree Berry Paper & Design, East Olivia, Frost Chicago, Glitterville Studios, HMR Designs, Kehoe Designs, MC², Mot Designs, Patch NYC, Rafanelli Events, Red Bliss Design, Silver Lining Design Group and 4 Wall Entertainment.

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Get your copy

2024 White House Vacation Guide

Children’s author and illustrator Zoe Ranucci has created artwork in the 2024 White House Holiday Guide that perfectly captures a “season of peace and light” in the White House.

Download the holiday guide

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