Melania Trump’s “Classic” White House Christmas Includes 53 Trees, a 200-Lb Gingerbread House, and More!
No one has ever accused our current president of having subdued taste — it’s all about gilded toilets and, well, gilded walls for POTUS Donald Trump! After 12 years of marriage, First Lady Melania Trump seems to have picked up her husband’s passion for going over-the-top, as demonstrated in a video of the White House’s 2017 Christmas decorations.
In the clip, shared by the FLOTUS on her social media accounts, we get an inside look at how she channeled this year’s theme of “Time-Honored Traditions” in the decor — and yes, though 150 volunteers helped to put it all together, Melania is said to have selected every detail. It must have taken forever, as the finished product involves more than 1,000 feet of garland, 18,000 feet of lights, 3,100-yards of ribbon, 12,000 ornaments, and 53 Christmas trees. Who said traditional had to mean simplistic?
President Trump had promised to end the perceived “War on Christmas” and usher in a return to the more old-fashioned roots of the holiday. Thus, the family wanted to go “classic” with their holiday decor, Melania told The Washington Post. That includes details like Melania’s “signature Christmas wreaths” — white pine circles with red bows — on the exterior White House windows, and natural elements like magnolia leaves, amaryllis, cranberry trees, and pine cones.
For those with a sweet tooth, they have red-and-white peppermint candy jars in the Red Room. There are also the official Trump holiday cookies, which have simple shapes like stars and snowflakes. However, the real showstopper is the 200-pound gingerbread house, modeled after the presidential home itself. Among the dozens of trees around the home is an impressive Balsam fir that stands at over 18 feet. It can be found in the Blue Room, where it’s been trimmed in blue and gold ornaments that include the seals of all US states and territories.
With such a festive place to rest their heads, you’d think the Trump family wouldn’t want to leave Washington, DC for the holiday itself, but they just might. Last year, they spent Christmas at their Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, FL, and though their plans have yet to be announced, there’s a chance they will return. If so, it’s not the most unprecedented move — President Kennedy and his family once spent Christmas there!
