Okay, put up 77 Christmas trees, hang 83,000 lights,
Downloaded from YTS.MX
hang garland, place 12,000 ornaments,
16,000 bells, and hang 25 wreaths. This house has a lot of work.
Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX
Don't forget the gingerbread house,
I promised the First Lady we'd have it done before she's back.
-Really? -Yeah.
[Jonathan] There's not a moment to waste.
-We have a deadline today. -Well, I was gonna ask if you needed any help.
-[Toni] We're gonna be working down to the wire. -It's a lot of pressure.
[Jonathan yelling] I thought we ordered the big tree!
We've got three days to turn the White House into a winter wonderland.
And HGTV is here to show you every square inch of it.
You'll get an up-close and personal look
at this year's theme, We the People.
This year's display celebrates what brings us together.
[Jonathan] Decorating the most famous house in America is no easy feat.
We're going up. Yes!
Zooey and I will have to divide and conquer...
Yep, wait, wrong way.
...to make this the most magical and unforgettable White House Christmas yet.
Wow, this is an incredible room.
[Jonathan] This is the largest gingerbread house I've ever seen in my life.
[all cheering]
[Jonathan] And once everything is in place,
the First Lady herself will give us a guided tour of her vision come to life.
We the People.
It's so warm, and inviting, and puts you in the holiday spirit.
We come together with unity,
that's what I tried to represent here.
[Jonathan] This is White House Christmas 2022.
[all] Happy Holidays from the White House.
-[Jonathan] All right. -[Zooey] Wow.
[Jonathan] Oh-ho-ho-ho.
-[Zooey] This looks beautiful. -Holy Smokes.
[Zooey] Already looks so nice.
[Jonathan] This is incredible.
There is a lot to do. Do you think that we can do this in 72 hours?
I mean, there's 150 volunteers. Plus us.
We're gonna get it done.
[Jonathan] I feel like there's even more at stake this year though
because this is the first year since the pandemic
where they're allowing the public to come back through for tours.
So it is gonna be bustling with holiday spirit.
Lotta people, lotta pressure. We better get this done.
But before we can jump in,
we need to get our marching orders
and I know just the man to give them to us.
[Jonathan] Hey, Carlos.
Welcome to the White House. So nice to see you.
-Happy holidays. -Thank you so much for having us.
-Of course. -You look so calm for the busiest guy.
Well, thank you.
[Zooey] Carlos Elizondo is the White House Social Secretary.
It's his job to bring the First Lady's vision to life.
The First Lady's overall theme this year is We the People.
Each room and design element is intended to represent what brings us together.
After all, this is the People's House.
It's something that I take very seriously
because we help create the magic for every American that walks into this house.
So we are at a point where it's crunch time
to get ready for the arrival of the First Family.
Pressure's on.
[Zooey] So are you gonna put us to work?
'Cause it feels like there's a lot of work to do.
I don't just walk around with my tool belt on,
I was told, "Wear the tool belt."
[Carlos] As a matter of fact, yes.
The theme in the State Dining Room this year is We the Children.
So, while the volunteers start decorating,
we need your help building and painting some storybooks.
-I think the carpenter shop is waiting for you, Jonathan. -Okay.
And, Zooey, I think they want you
-in the Calligraphy's Office. -Calligraphy, got it.
Yep, wait, wrong way.
-[Zooey] Oh. -I think it's this way.
-[Jonathan chuckles] -There ya go. Thanks, guys.
This is so exciting. I'm headed to the White House woodshop.
This is, like, my candy shop. Hey, hey!
-Pleasure to meet you, sir. -Nice to meet ya.
I'm Robert Thompson, Chief Carpenter at the White House.
This is literally my dream, to have a woodshop,
get hands on, build furniture. I do build furniture still.
Obviously, you build furniture too.
Yep. This is the original bill signing table.
It's made out of original White House wood.
-[Jonathan] Is this literally the one that is used-- -Used currently today, yep.
-[Jonathan] Every bill is signed on this table? - Yes, sir.
Where can I carve "Jonathan was here"? Am I allowed?
If you actually look, my name's actually underneath of it.
[Jonathan] Oh, wow.
[Robert] We got one more thing left on the list,
that's to make the, uh, children's storybooks, here.
This is for the State Dining Room, right?
-[Robert] Yep. -All right, let's do it.
This is part of the structure that we're gonna be doing.
-What I call ribs. -All right.
So, we're making the frame.
We'll have the bendable plywood on the inside, that looks like the pages.
Once it's all painted, it will, literally, look like a storybook.
Zooey's gonna take this...
with the calligraphy team and then put the story onto the book.
-Hi, are you Lee Ann? -Hello.
I am.
-This is the White House Calligraphy Office, yes. -Amazing.
You do all the calligraphy for all the dinners,
the invitations, the place cards...
-[Lee Ann] Proclamations. -...that is a huge job.
Yes. We want everyone to feel like they are an honored guest when they come here.
-Okay. So, I know you're doing storybooks. -We are.
The theme of the year, as you know, is We the People.
So, this year, State Dining Room is We the Children.
[Zooey] I love that.
I've got some corner elements that need to be filled in here.
Yes, I like doing, you know, coloring books and stuff with my kids.
-You're in good shape then. -Perfect.
This is a lot of pressure. Whoo.
Better do a good job here.
[Robert] You can actually start to see the story come together.
[Jonathan] This is a pretty special thing for me.
How many craftsmen get to actually work in the most famous house in America?
I mean, this is amazing.
-Look what I have here. -[chuckles] You wanna do it right now.
-[Robert] Sure. -Handmade with love.
[Lee Ann] We can use a little help back here.
These are gonna be tree stands that go in the library
-What a good idea. -And, yes.
So, they're all made out of wood.
I just paint them, and then, do the details.
-Oh, I can do that. -So... Yeah.
[Zooey] So, tell me about the Calligraphy Offices'.
What level of clearance do you guys have?
Because you must be addressing some very high-level people.
We have sufficient clearance, yes.
[Becky] We have to say it's top-secret, yes.
[Zooey] We won't tell.
[Robert] Before you leave, I have a tradition we're gonna share with you.
[Jonathan] Hey, you're working on a menorah.
-This is brand-new? You just made it? -[Lawrence] Yeah, yep.
You can see the rings on the side of the wood. That's really old wood.
-[Lawrence] It was part of the first renovation. -[Jonathan] Wait, what?
-This is original wood to the White House... -This is original wood.
-...that you've pulled out to make a menorah out of? -Yeah.
[Jonathan] Has there never been a menorah before in the White House?
There has, but we borrowed it from synagogues around.
Really the holidays are about family, faith, gathering, community,
this is gonna be amazing.
-This is what it's about. -Thank you so much.
I might pop in every now and then.
[Robert] Okay. Please come back.
So, you guys are making some trees
-that have the names of all the states. -[volunteer] Yes.
They look so beautiful. I love these banners.
[volunteer] Juanita's been making these awesome, little,
reflective mirror ornaments here.
You can just glue them together,
it's a great family craft idea.
Give you an opportunity to see your reflection.
'Cause when you walk up you go, "Me!"
It definitely goes with the theme We the People.
-I am the people. -[Zooey] Yes.
It makes you feel bigger than life.
[Jonathan] This is the Colonnade, which is just a fancy word for hallway.
It connects the actual White House to the East Wing.
And it is absolutely being transformed into, what will be,
a pretty incredible winter wonderland.
Ethan is the designer who's pulling it all together.
Hey, hey
-What's happening, man? -Hey, Jonathan.
[Jonathan] This is nuts.
When I first walked in, literally, the whole way over here I'm thinking,
"This is real birchbark." This is not real, this is paper.
Hand painted bristle paper.
And we wrapped it around these cardboard tubes with these steel cores.
There's two things I'm really good at, changing lightbulbs,
and putting things into high places.
[grunting] This is, like, antlers.
[Ethan] And there we go, it's on.
[Jonathan] Do you put another piece on to cover it?
-Yeah. We've got another piece right here. -Amazing.
Once the snowy forest is complete,
the East Colonnade will give visitors a sense of peace and tranquility
as they begin their journey through the People's House.
We have two different kinds of snow.
We're gonna be using reflective mirrors and we have pom-poms,
and they're gonna create a canopy
to emphasize that magical feel of walking through a forest.
The house is really coming together,
it looks fantastic, but so much to do.
And I still have to find Zooey.
At one end of the Cross Hall is the East Room,
the largest reception room at the White House.
[Zooey] What?
-Look at this handsome guy. -Welcome to our crew.
- You made it to the East Room. -[Zooey] I made it to the East Room.
-Are you just walking around like a kid in a candy store? -Yes.
[Jonathan] This year, the East Room is dedicated to nature and recreation,
and will be transformed into a snowy scene
from some of our country's national parks.
We're spackling styrofoam balls and we're making them look like snowballs.
We just dust 'em with this, it's relatively simple and not very expensive.
[Jonathan] At the other end of the Cross Hall is the State Dining Room
which serves as a banquet hall for official events.
[Zooey] Can you imagine having a dinner party in here?
[Jonathan] This year, the room celebrates the holiday season
through the eyes of children.
-Hello. -[Zooey] Hi.
-[volunteers] Hey. -[Zooey] This is wonderful.
-[volunteer] Thank you. -[Vanessa Bahena] These are our DIYed ornaments,
hand drawn by students across the US.
And we hand cut all of this confetti.
You know you can buy confetti already cut, right?
-[Vanessa] But nothing like handmade, right? -[Jonathan] So cool.
The State Dining Room will also be home
to the large storybooks that Zooey and I helped create.
Where will the storybooks go?
[volunteer] The large storybooks will go in front of the fireplace.
[Jonathan] This is great.
-You guys are doing a beautiful job. -[Zooey] Looks amazing.
You're miniature artists from all over the country are doing a great job.
-[Zooey] Pretty spectacular. -Pretty spectacular.
Every little detail.
Do you think we could get all of these guys to help at our house?
-[Zooey] Oh, definitely. -Yeah.
Coming up...
We get our first look at the official White House Christmas tree.
[Jonathan yelling] I thought we ordered the big tree!
With history...
I'm noticing something, very famous, over your shoulder.
...and holiday spirit around every corner.
-♪ Deck the halls...♪ -♪ With boughs of holly♪
And later, the First Lady
gives us a personal tour of her vision of unity come to life.
I'm so happy you're here.
[Jonathan] The magical makeover continues
as volunteers from far and wide
unite to transform the White House into a winter wonderland.
There's a lot going on here.
[volunteer] Together we hope that the First Lady
feels the warmth, and the love that she envisioned.
She treats the People's House as the People's House.
Hey, Jonathan. I've been looking for the tallest man in the White House,
I need some assistance here.
-We want me to do some garland up there? Sure. -Come on up.
All right. Here we are.
Whoo. You want me to hold it and you tie it?
All right, I thought I had a lot of garland at our house, this is a lot of garland.
All right. And now I'm flocked. [chuckles]
That's crooked.
So temped to slide down this rail. [chuckles]
Where's the Blue Room?
-The Blue Room is right there. -Ahh.
I'm heading to the Blue Room which represents unity and hope this year.
In this room, it's all about the official White House Christmas tree.
[chuckling] Wow!
[Jonathan yelling] I thought we ordered the big tree!
[all laughing]
That is incredible.
This year's tree is an impressive 18.5 foot Concolor Fir
from Auburn, Pennsylvania.
This is the official White House tree?
-This is, like, the tree? -This is the majestic White House tree.
That is incredible.
I love that you have a little bird house right at the very top.
Oh, yeah. We're gonna have all sorts of stuff in this tree.
Emily made every state bird.
-[Jonathan] These are handmade? -[Toni] Yes.
Every single detail. Oh, my gosh.
Each one was built with a base of newsprint and masking tape,
and all of the elements were hand painted with acrylic paint.
Oh, my goodness.
[Toni] We have golden leaves going in, metallic details, it's incredible.
We actually created a custom made 13 foot bird's nest
that is gonna act as the centerpiece of the entire tree.
It's a metal base that we created.
And then, we wired all of the branches together,
so it feels like a tight, cohesive bird's nest.
It's gonna be so incredible. How long do you think until everything's on here?
'Cause I only see a few of the state birds so far.
Yeah, I think we're gonna be working down to the wire on this one.
So, I'm going into the Red Room.
This year, the theme for the Red Room is faith and light.
And I can't wait to see how they pull it off.
In times of both grief and joy faith can light the way forward.
Wow, this is an incredible room.
-It looks beautiful in here, right? -Yes.
[Zooey] This looks so pretty.
-[Maria] It does. -[Zooey] This is, like, a Christmas tree
-made out of candles. -[Maria] Exactly, yes.
So, this is our candle display. These are not real, of course.
-Goodness. Safety first. -The cool thing is that even though they're not real,
-if you blow on them... -[gasps] Oh, wow. That's so cool.
[Maria] So, try it out.
[Zooey] Hi, are you Hedieh?
-I'm Hedieh, how are you? -I'm Zooey, it's so nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too.
You are the florist for the White House?
Yes, I'm the chief florist for the White House.
So, Dr. Biden loves flowers.
[Hedieh] She loves orchids.
We pick the red and the hot pinks for this room
because it compliments the decor.
-[Zooey] Yeah, it does. -[Hedieh] So, yeah.
-These are Vanda orchids... -[Zooey] It looks really pretty.
[Hedieh]...and they are one of her favorite flowers.
[Zooey] Cranberries have been featured in the Red Room since 1975.
This here, we've gone more a pedestal style.
Basically we had foam, we layered it with moss,
and then we glued the berries and then we'll be placing a candle on the top.
I'm an immigrant to the U.S., I was born in Germany,
and to then come here and do this.
To me, it's just really, really touching to be part of this.
[Zooey] Over here, we have stained glass windows,
which represent faith and light,
'cause the light's coming through
and of course it looks like a church window.
It's such a wonderful detail.
[singing] Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Oh, the acoustics.
♪ O, Christmas tree, O, Christmas tree ♪
Library, yes.
The White House library now holds approximately 2,700 volumes of books,
focusing primarily on American history and literature.
-Hello, hey! -[Liz] Hi, welcome.
-Liz, right? -Yes, correct.
-Oh, my Gosh. -Good to meet you.
[whispering] Wait, are we supposed to whisper?
This above all other rooms, I feel like there's so much history.
So, what's the idea in here, what's the theme?
It's celebrating the words and stories of American history.
[Jonathan] How cool is that and you're using books to do it.
[Liz] Of course, we had to have a book theme.
The trees are made from books.
The stands, which were made from the White House carpentry.
-[Jonathan] It's so simple... -[Liz] Yeah.
...but what a cool idea just to rest the trees inside that.
-So cool. -[Liz] Yeah.
[Jonathan] And this, when people see this,
this will be the new hack people will do at home.
-[Liz] It is. -[Jonathan] They're gonna make themselves an old book tree.
-I'm noticing something very famous over your shoulder. -[Liz] Very special, yes.
-This... -The Declaration of Independence.
[Liz]...Declaration of Independence and what's extraordinary about this one
it's the first time it's ever been exhibited.
It was printed in 1845.
And was donated to the White House in the 1980s.
-[Jonathan] Oh, my gosh, how cool is that? -[Liz] Yeah.
[Zooey] Let's go to the Vermeil Room.
And if you don't know what vermeil is,
you're not alone, 'cause I also don't know what it is.
I think this is vermeil, is this vermeil?
It's very pretty.
And now I know I want some.
Mystery solved. "Vermeil" is French for gilded silver
and the Vermeil Room has plenty of it.
But this year, the Vermeil Room
celebrates two things that are even more precious than gold or silver.
So, I hear that this year this room is dedicated
to the theme of gratitude and kindness?
-Yes, it is. -I love that theme.
We're all in a bit of a daze here.
It's, uh, pretty surreal to be decoupaging boxes
here in the middle of all these historical items.
These wonderful ladies on the wall.
We'll have lots of boxes piled on this beautiful table in the middle.
We're trying to match Lady Bird Johnson's dress.
We're just absolutely thrilled to be here helping.
[Racheal] So, Operation Gratitude is a non-profit that works
with the First Lady's initiative, Joining Forces.
And they sent care packages to families of first responders and military.
It's, like, a beautiful hand-knit scarf.
That is sure to make somebody really happy.
All right, I can't wait to see when it's done.
-Keep up the good work, guys. -[volunteer] Thank you so much.
Thanks for stopping in.
-[Jonathan] Just around this first? -[woman] Uh-huh.
[Jonathan] Okay. And then just twist it once?
[Zooey] Hello!
-Hey! -Hi there.
I was thinking, we have all these volunteers,
maybe we could sing, like, a little Christmas tune.
-Are you suggesting a sing-along? -[Zooey] Should I come up?
-I'm gonna come up. -Yes.
Since we got here, it's been non-stop work, work, work.
I think it's good for everyone just to take a breather.
And sing a song. 'Cause we are decking the halls
of the most famous house in the country.
It feels right.
-Yeah. -[Jonathan] Yeah?
[everyone] ♪ Deck the halls with boughs of holly ♪
♪ Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la ♪
♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly ♪
♪ Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la ♪
♪ Don we now our gay apparel ♪
♪ Fa-la-la-la-la-la ♪
♪ Troll the ancient Yuletide Carol ♪
♪ Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la ♪
[Jonathan] Yes!
Up next...
This is the largest gingerbread house I've ever seen in my life.
Don't drop it.
[Jonathan] We'll tag along for the nerve-wracking ride...
[man] Hold up, stop, stop.
[Jonathan] ...as the massive gingerbread display
makes its way to the State Dining Room.
[all cheering]
[Jonathan] It's all hands on deck to perfect every detail
before the First Family arrives.
This is White House Christmas 2022.
[Jonathan] The holiday spirit is alive and well in the White House.
Oh! Thank goodness they're plastic.
Volunteers are hurrying to get every mantle,
window, and tree decorated before the First Family arrives later today.
Ta-da!
[Zooey] But before the finishing touches can be done,
there's one sweet tradition we need to check in on.
So, I'm right outside the China Room.
And Chef Susie, she's gonna show me what it takes
to make a giant gingerbread house.
Come on.
The gingerbread house is displayed in the State Dining Room,
but it's assembled here in the China Room.
The mastermind behind it all is executive pastry chef, Susie Morrison.
Oh, my gosh, I'm so excited to be here.
-The theme is We the People. -[Susie] Yes.
Tell me about the design of this beautiful gingerbread structure.
[Susie] Well, we have Independence Hall,
the birth place of the United States
where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed,
a new addition to the gingerbread house for 2022.
[Zooey] For this year's creation, the White House pastry team used
20 sheets of sugar cookie dough...
This is the sugar cookie dough that the First Lady requested.
[Zooey] ...30 sheets of gingerbread dough...
Lots of measuring on a regular basis.
[Zooey] ...and 100 pounds of pastillage.
[Susie] These are made of pastillage and poured sugar.
So, when we turn the lights on,
it looks like an evening at the White House.
These are the figurines of children running and playing
that will decorate the front lawn.
The other addition this year will be the placement
of the plaque behind the White House
that will have a display of We the People, so more to come.
[Zooey] This is one of the most ambitious gingerbread houses
in the history of gingerbread houses.
You guys can't even fit this in the elevator.
Correct, but, you know, we have a deadline today, so...
Well, I was gonna ask if you needed any help.
[Susie] The wreaths have to go on all the windows.
So pretty.
-This is the royal icing. -All right.
-And you're gonna put just a little bit here. -Uh-huh.
I can't believe I got to help with the White House gingerbread house.
This is very exciting.
[Susie] It'll take a second.
-Okay. -Yay!
-Beautiful, yes, yes. -Yay, that's look amazing.
[Jonathan] Do you need any tall people?
I have a brilliant idea.
Ready? Here, hold on to that ornament, ready?
We're going up, we're going up.
Right there.
Yes!
[others cheer]
All right, let's take a look.
That's the best one so far.
[Emily] This is, like, the home stretch we're in,
the First Lady is on her way back, she's gonna be here real soon.
[Susie] Are we ready?
Okay, who needs some frosting?
You are way too late.
-But we do need your help to carry this. -[Zooey] Yes.
You can use my muscles, yeah.
-[Susie] Good. -[Jonathan] This is the largest
gingerbread house I've ever seen in my life.
[Zooey] Don't drop it.
-[Carlo] One, two, three. -[Jonathan] Okay.
-You guys have done this before. -[Susie] There we go.
[woman] All right, you guys can drop.
-[Susie] All right, you ready? -Uh, I could go with you guys?
[Susie] You're gonna stay right here.
[Zooey] Yeah, you're going with.
-I'm going with. -[Zooey] Don't mess it up.
[Jonathan] It's narrow.
-Have you measured the doorway? -[Susie] Yes, yes, yes.
-[man] It's go through here. -[Susie] It'll go.
We got a bump.
-K. -All right, guys, I'm gonna go upstairs and meet you...
-[Jonathan] Okay. -[Zooey]...and cheer you on.
Typically, the gingerbread house is moved
from the China Room to the State Dining Room by elevator.
[man] There we go.
Here comes the hard part.
What's harder, moving the gingerbread or negotiating international diplomacy?
[Zooey] This year, however, the 300-pound gingerbread display is so big
Susie and her team have to drive to the North Portico.
Good job.
We're only half way there.
Our goal here is we have to make sure that it does not hit the seat.
You can see how tight we are.
[driver] Sharp turn.
Here we go. We're turning.
-This is our destination spot. -[Susie] Yes.
All right, the North Portico.
[Zooey gasps]
Coming!
[Jonathan] As if there wasn't enough pressure, we have an audience.
We still have two stairs to go.
-Good? -[Zooey] Oh, my goodness!
[cheering]
[Zooey] Almost there.
[Jonathan] Yeah!
Now just a little nervous to get it on the table.
This is the point where if it's gonna fall apart, it's gonna fall apart.
[Carlo] Gentle, please.
[Jonathan] Watch the fingers.
Got it? You guys are good for a sec?
-[Susie] Yup. -[man] Yup.
[Zooey] Wow.
-[cheering] -[Jonathan] Oh, my gosh.
Amazing.
[Zooey] It looks so good.
Because everyone's so amazing, dig in.
-Yeah, go ahead. -Go ahead, have a... No? Not yet?
[Susie] We were hoping you would help with a few of the finishing touches.
[Jonathan] That would be amazing.
-Here we go, ready? -[Susie] Yup, yup, yup.
-Something like this? -[Susie] Oh, beautiful.
-Make it look like snow. -[Susie] Yes.
[Jonathan] Oh, my gosh.
-Couldn't have done it better myself. Wow. -[Zooey] Show off.
[Jonathan] I know the First Lady is gonna love this.
We only have a few hours left.
I guess we better crunch.
-Yeah, we gotta get this done. -Okay.
-All right. -I'll, don't, oh, don't do that, no.
Finishing touches.
Still so much to do.
The First Family's on its way back.
[Zooey] Whoo!
Uh, there it is over there.
Now that the holiday makeover is complete,
the First Lady gives us an exclusive tour...
Hi, I'm so happy you're here.
[Jonathan] ...of the People's House...
...with a message of unity in every room.
[Jonathan] 'Twas the month of Christmas when all through the White House,
not a creature was stirring, well, not exactly.
The stockings were hung in the State Room with care,
in hopes that the First Lady soon would be there.
-Hi. -[Zooey] Hi.
I'm so happy you're here.
-Nice to meet you. -So nice to see you.
-Hello. -Hello, how are you?
Thank you for inviting us to your house.
What an honor.
Well, it's the people's house.
-[Jonathan] It is the people's house. -[Zooey] The people's house.
-Yes, yeah. -And we love the theme that you chose.
-Oh, thank you. -[Zooey] We the People.
Yeah, it's right above the doors
-so everyone can see it as they come in or leave, so... -[Zooey] Yeah.
[Jonathan] And what, uh, army of people it took to pull this together.
They're so wonderful, aren't they?
And they put their hearts and souls into this, you know?
-[Zooey] Yeah. -And that's what makes it as beautiful as it is.
As First Lady, I've travelled to over 40 different states
and it doesn't matter what culture or what traditions.
No matter what divisions we find in the country,
I think that we come together with unity.
And that's what I try to represent here.
And as you see, a lot of the decorations are mirrors,
so that I hope people see themselves,
and so there for it's We the People.
Everyone is represented no matter geographically where they live,
myself as well,
I also newly became an American citizen only a few years ago.
-Congratulations. -Yeah, thank you.
So it's, really means a lot as well to be able
to celebrate the beautiful rich history that America has to offer,
so this is an exciting day.
[First Lady] So this is just the beginning,
would you like to see the rest of the house?
-Absolutely. -We're really excited.
[First Lady] Okay.
I even like the snowflakes on the ceiling.
[Zooey] Oh, yeah.
Yeah, everywhere you look,
I mean, it's just very special.
So when the visitors come in,
this is the first thing that they see.
Cardinals represent the lives
of people who have passed.
I think, the cardinals are kind of this universal symbol,
so this is to remind people,
you know, that they have good memories
of those who were in their lives who no longer are.
[Zooey] That's really beautiful.
[First Lady] And then speaking of loss,
What we have right here is the gold-star trees.
The gold-star trees honor those
who have lost their life in service to our country
and also honors their family members as well.
[Jonathan] Really beautiful.
[First Lady] This year we did it in red, white, and blue.
As you can see, the names of those lost
are written on all the stars.
As a military family, you can imagine that
this has a special importance for, for both me and Joe.
[Zooey] It's a beautiful memorial.
[Jonathan] When visitors come in,
-and this being the first thing they experience... - [Zooey] Mmm-hmm.
[Jonathan] ...speaks to the powerful message that you've set up here.
Thank you.
So here we have the Colonnade,
which is, uh, reminiscent of the first snowfall.
As you look down here in the birch trees,
you know, you'll see owls and different animals along the way.
I just think it's just a beautiful memory of, you know, your first snowfall.
It is spectacular.
When I walked through, I couldn't believe that this was all hand painted.
- [First Lady] Yeah, amazing. - [Jonathan] I originally thought it was actual birch.
And then, it just creates this incredible--
- [Zooey] And the mirrors again. - [First Lady] Yes, yes.
- [Zooey] Which is incredible. - [First Lady] Again, the reflections
of the people, we the people.
I think it's so lovely as well to see
-how you represent Christmases past in the White House. -Yes.
People love seeing all the different
presidents and first ladies and their animals.
I'm realizing I should have hung some of these a little bit higher,
but, uh, you know.
And speaking of animals, here are our pets,
-Commander and Willow... - [Jonathan] Oh, my gosh.
- [First Lady] ...at the White House. - [Jonathan] So cute.
-Don't you love the birds in the trees and... -[Zooey] I love it.
[First Lady] And the White House looks just so spectacular.
-Yeah. -It really does.
And the fact that you see this all the way down the hallway.
[First Lady] Mmm-hmm.
[Jonathan] It's really a story that has been carried in here,
which, I think, it's pretty incredible.
The detail that goes into creating
what are really life like looking animals...
I mean, they're pretty cute.
I'm sure the real living, breathing ones are even cuter.
-Are even cuter. -Yeah.
[Jonathan] Next, We the People
comes to life from the pages in the library.
-All the stories of America. -Of America.
[Zooey] Plus some of the First Lady's own traditions.
There's my grandmothers recipe for pizzelles.
[Jonathan] And the majestic White House Christmas tree
takes flight in the Blue Room.
[First Lady] I wanted a symbol of unity.
[Jonathan] From the reflective ornaments in the Grand Foyer,
to the gold-star trees glowing red, white, and blue,
and the winter wonderland in the East Colonnade,
the First Lady is giving us our firsthand look
at how everyone is represented
in the People's House this holiday season.
-I just love this view when you walk into this corridor. -I know.
[First Lady] So warm and inviting, I think,
and puts you in the holiday spirit.
-It does. -Yes, exactly.
So come on into the library.
[Jonathan] How stunning is this?
What a great way to showcase
all the stories and the history of America.
Mmm-hmm, of America.
And don't you love how they
put the words on the windows, I love that.
-[Zooey] Yes. -We the People.
[Jonathan] It's incredible that you can take
-such a meaningful statement like, "We the people." - [First Lady] Mmm-hmm.
-And translate it into so many different ways. -Yes.
Well, come on into the Vermeil Room.
This room represents kindness and gratitude.
So the things that we are thankful for.
Family, friendship, kindness.
[Jonathan] Wow.
[First Lady] So Operation Gratitude sends
boxes to our military who are deployed.
And a scarf is one of the gifts
that actually goes into the boxes.
- [Zooey] I love that. - [First Lady] Handmade.
Americans supporting other Americans,
it's really just beautiful.
[Jonathan] Incredible to see the amount of support
-and the kindness, especially at the holidays. -Uh-huh.
[First Lady] And we incorporated
Willow and Commander popping out of the box.
-[Jonathan] Yeah. - [Zooey laughs]
Because of the love we feel for our pets,
and the comfort they give us,
I think most Americans can relate to that.
-[Jonathan] Oh, yeah. -[Zooey] Yes.
So I know that you saw the China Room,
but I don't know whether you've seen it finished or not.
This room represents food and traditions.
[Jonathan] The last time we were in the China Room,
it was filled with a very large gingerbread house.
Now it looks a little different.
[First Lady] The volunteers brought in their favorite recipes,
and somewhere in here there's my grandmother's recipe for pizzelles.
Does the President have a favorite holiday dessert?
Oh, [laughs] yes.
He loves coconut cake.
-I will eat all of these things. -[both laugh]
[Jonathan] I thought it was so clever,
the volunteers took all the spoons and, you know...
-Dipped them. Yeah. -[Jonathan] Dipped them.
Even styled the bases of the trees with rolling pins.
[First Lady] Mmm-hmm. Yeah.
And look at the garland around the trees,
they did it with the recipes.
-Isn't that cute? - [Zooey] I love that.
[Jonathan] This room, it's so beautiful as you walk us,
when you see all the china from over the years
and then you see this holiday twist
-of the space. - [First Lady] Mmm-hmm.
Yes, so it's sense of history
and yet a sense of tradition.
Well, there's more to see, so let's head upstairs.
[Jonathan] Okay.
[First Lady] Now I'd like to show you the Blue Room.
And this is our giant tree,
it came from Auburn, Pennsylvania.
-This is the most impressive... -[First Lady] Yeah.
[Jonathan] ...welcoming room as well.
[First Lady] I wanted a symbol of unity,
and so that's why we have a bird
from every single state and territory.
And I hope that visitors come,
and everybody wants to see, you know,
"Oh, where is my state? Where is my state?"
just shows how really we all come together.
-Look at the bottom, it's like a nest. -[Jonathan] Like a nest.
-Yeah. - [Zooey] It's beautiful.
- [First Lady] Isn't it beautiful? - [Zooey] It is beautiful.
[Jonathan] Everything has thought and care put into it.
-Brilliant. -I agree.
Now can I invite you to come into the Green Room?
-[Zooey] We'd love to, thank you. -[Jonathan] Yes, absolutely.
You can pretty much invite us anywhere, and we'll go.
[Zooey] Yeah, we'll go.
It's so pretty.
[First Lady] This room represents music and harmony.
Look at the bells that are hanging from the windows.
Some are real bells,
and some are just
-paper cups that are sprayed gold. -[Zooey] Yeah.
And then they attach the ribbon.
If people wanna do this at home, it's easy.
[Zooey] They look so pretty,
and It, I love how they're layered, so lovely.
[First Lady] Well, now I'd like to invite you to the Cross Hall,
so we can look at something very special.
-Okay. -Ooh.
[Zooey] Still to come,
a piece of history is given new purpose in the Cross Hall.
This is the first ever menorah
to be in the White House collection.
[Jonathan] And the first family's customs
at winter wonder in the East Room.
[First Lady] This is Joe's family tradition.
[Zooey] Finally, the First Lady shares a room very close to her heart.
As an educator, I wanted to celebrate teachers.
[Jonathan] The First Lady is giving us a behind the scenes look
at this year's theme, We the People.
Now, the tour continues with a very special look
at the newest addition to the White House collection.
So this is the first ever menorah
to be in the White House collection.
You actually saw it being made,
so why don't you tell the story?
I was working with Robby and Lawrence,
down in the carpentry shop,
and Lawrence told me about how they handcrafted this,
-and so now, year after year, -Mmm-hmm.
they're gonna have the White House's very own menorah.
It's beautiful.
[Jonathan] The nostalgia, I think, is something pretty special.
Because every little piece,
there's a reason why it was made
a specific way or the materials that were used, and,
so I think that's wonderful.
And this is just another example, I think,
of We the People, that we tried to include everyone.
-Yeah, I love it. -Yes, it's amazing.
[First Lady] Now, come on into the East Room.
-Oh, can I point out one thing, by the way? -Sure.
-I hung this garland. -[First Lady] Oh, wow.
[Zooey] It's a little crooked, but--
It's not a little crooked, there's a debate about that.
-Well, you did a great job. -It's, it's great.
This is beautiful.
[First Lady] So this is the celebration of our National Parks.
[Zooey] Oh, wow, how pretty.
I love this room and I love the National Parks,
so it was very cool that they were represented here.
Here we have the creche, that's been here every year.
There are 40 figurines,
it dates back to the 18th century.
- [Zooey] It's incredible. - [First Lady] Isn't it?
- [First Lady] I think people love tradition. - [Zooey] It's wonderful.
What I love about Christmas was always
-what we shared as a family growing up. -Uh-huh.
And now with our families blended together,
we still introduce some of my traditions
and some of her traditions, and it just feels right.
-Yeah. -Yeah.
Again, unity.
-[Zooey] That's right. Yes. -[Jonathan] Yeah, exactly.
[First Lady] Speaking of family traditions.
This is Joe's family tradition.
Santa would come during the night when everyone was asleep
and put snow on all the needles of the trees,
so the flocking this year, I incorporated that
because it's Joe's family tradition.
-Yeah. Family flocking. -That's wonderful.
[all laughing]
Well, come into the Red Room.
[Jonathan] Oh, wow.
[First Lady] This room represents faith,
serenity.
And you can see, uh, the light...
- [Zooey] Yes. - [First Lady] ...with all the candles,
and of course, the orchids, I love orchids.
Aren't they beautiful?
- [Zooey] They're so beautiful. - [Jonathan] So stunning.
[Zooey] And I love the stain glass windows,
and it's looks even more special at night.
Faith has been a really important part of our life,
so I think that those values, our values are reflected here,
and I think it's faith that gives us strength.
And I think, especially, at the holidays,
-faith and family is so important. -Mmm-hmm.
Yeah.
So now I'd like to take to a very special room,
We the Children.
If you'll come and follow me.
-Yes, we love this room. -Yes.
[First Lady] I wanna show you something very special,
it's our gingerbread house,
which is in itself amazing,
but then we have Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
We the People is represented in this as well.
[Zooey] I love it so much.
[First Lady] You know, the lights, I think it's really
-spectacular. -[Zooey] It's spectacular.
It truly is.
I can, I can say this is, hands down,
the greatest gingerbread house I have ever seen in my life.
[Zooey] I love to see Independence Hall.
My father is from Philadelphia and you're from Philadelphia.
[First Lady] Yeah, yeah. My hometown.
[Zooey] And, you know, one of the most historic places.
And did you notice the flags on top?
[Jonathan] Yeah, little elements like that really mean a lot.
[Zooey] Mmm-hmm.
And I put this tree here.
-That was my [laughs] -I put the other tree, I put that tree over there.
Oh, this is, I love it, 'cause I put the tree over here.
[both laughing]
And Joe put a tree, too.
-So, so there it is, unity again. -Oh, I love that.
So come on over, and I wanna show you these trees done by
the State Teachers of the Year and their students.
Which means so much to me as a educator.
And so we contacted all the teachers of the year,
and they had their students
make self-portraits and sent them.
You know, I always said I wanted to celebrate teachers,
so this is just another way
that we can bring teachers into the White House
and really focus on the importance of education.
[Zooey] Yeah.
[First Lady] And then, of course, all the books,
and I hear that you had a hand in this, too.
Yeah, I was working with Robbie in the woodshop, we built these books,
and then we send them up to the calligraphy room.
[Zooey] And I helped Becky and Lee Ann
do a little of the detail painting.
[First Lady] Well, you did a great job, look at this.
These are beautiful, and of course,
we have Commander and Willow reading their books, too.
[Zooey] So sweet.
Another thing that we have is our family stockings.
A tradition in my family was always
an orange in the toe of the stocking.
And that was from my grandmother because
growing up during the Depression,
they didn't have a lot of fruit,
and so that was a very special gift to get,
and so, that's why I always put
an orange in the toe of the stocking.
[Zooey] We would always get tangerines.
Again, it's the tradition.
-I think it's so wonderful to see it. -Yeah.
-[Zooey] It is. -Mmm-hmm.
You vision for everything was just exquisite.
Well, thank you, I had a little help, too.
-I mean, it wasn't just me, it was a team, -[Jonathan] Yeah.
a team of people who came together.
-Thank you so much for having us Dr. Biden. -Thank you.
-Come back. -Aw, we would love to come back.
[First Lady] Aw, thanks. Thank you.
-Happy holidays. -You as well.
-[Zooey] Happy holidays. -[First Lady] Happy holidays.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays
to all Americans from the President and from me.
Thank you.