First Lady Jill Biden Explains the Meaning Behind This Year’s White House Holiday Decorations

Every year, the White House unveils whimsical holiday decorations, an elaborate display that the First Lady of the United States often orchestrates. This year was no different, with Dr. Jill Biden leading the festive arrangements centered around the 2021 theme titled “Gifts From the Heart.”

In the video above, which was first released exclusively to Good Housekeeping, Jill talks us through the various decorated spaces in the White House and explains what certain details represent. First, we see the East Wing embellished with bright-yellow shooting stars, white doves and blue circles hanging from the ceilings. Jill declares that the star symbols illustrate “the gift of service” and are meant to honor the frontline workers who brought light to the darkest times of the COVID-19 pandemic this year.

The tour then brings us to the China Room, Vermeil Room, Green Room, Blue Room and Red Room, which have their own vibrant and festive themes that honor the gifts of friendship, American artistry, nature, peace and more. Given the First Lady’s background as a teacher for over three decades, it’s no surprise that the Library is adorned with decorations that pay tribute to the gift of learning. The butterflies made out of book text, as Jill elaborates, are meant to remind us that “with education, we could all transform into something beautiful and just soar to new heights.”

The walk-through also brings us to the East Landing, State Dining Room and the Grand Foyer. At the end of the tour in the East Room, Dr. Biden wishes everyone a happy holiday season and Merry Christmas.

“The things we hold sacred unite us and transcend distance, time, and even the constraints of a pandemic: faith, family, and friendship; a love of the arts, learning, and nature; gratitude, service, and community; unity and peace,” Jill wrote in the White House holiday guide. “These are the gifts that tie together the heart strings of our lives. These are the ‘Gifts From the Heart.'”

To learn more about this year’s White House decorations and to take a virtual tour, visit WhiteHouse.Gov/Holidays-2021.

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