Jill Biden Unveils White House Holiday Decorations: 'Magic, Wonder, and Joy'

Jill Biden on Monday unveiled this year's White House holiday decorations, themed around the idea of childlike wonder and featuring some 14,975 feet of ribbon, over 350 candles, and more than 33,892 ornaments.

"The 2023 White House holiday theme is inspired by how children experience this festive season: completely present in the beauty and bounty around them, their senses alight, with hearts open to the magic, wonder, and joy of the holidays,” President Joe Biden and the first lady wrote in a welcome letter featured in the commemorative 2023 White House Holiday Guide.

Dr. Biden unveiled the decorations at a Monday event, announcing the theme of "Magic, Wonder, and Joy," and thanking the more than 300 volunteers who helped decorate the White House for the season. Dr. Biden also invited National Guard families to be the first members of the public to experience the decor.

After delivering a holiday message, Dr. Biden invited the children of National Guard families to a special performance by the cast of the North American tour of Disney’s stage musical, Frozen.

Guests touring the White House during the holiday season will enter the East Wing beneath "the festive branches of an enchanting and magical Christmas tree," the White House said in a statement, adding that the entrance will help evoke the feeling of lying under the Christmas tree as a child.

Also featured in this year's decor is a Gold Star tree, complete with ornaments engraved with the names of fallen service members as well as a White House sweet shop in the China Room, featuring holiday cakes, cookies, and gingerbread that reminds guests "of familiar recipes that bring generations of families together year after year during the holidays," the White House announced.

Meanwhile, the Red Room will showcase the First Lady’s Joining Forces initiative to support military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors, and features ornaments created out of the handprints and painted family portraits of military-connected children.

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As always, one of the highlights of the decor is in the Blue Room, where the official White House Christmas Tree stands on display. This year’s tree is an 18½ foot Fraser Fir that stands floor to ceiling, and requires the annual removal of the Blue Room’s chandelier in order to accommodate its full height.

This year's decor also features several nods to the 1823 poem and book "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," now celebrating its 200th year. In addition to vintage editions on display along the ground floor corridor, the book will be featured in sugar-cookie form alongside the traditional gingerbread White House.