Christmas Memories Made at the White House
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My family and I have a relatively new tradition of traveling to iconic places around Christmastime. It started close to home a few years ago with a visit to the Greenbrier Resort. Then we trekked to New York City to see the classic sights, such as the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center and the Rockettes.
This year, my wife Jessica and mother-in-law Tami bought tickets to see Madonna in concert in Washington D.C. in September, but that concert was postponed until the week before Christmas. So Jessica, a former staffer for former West Virginia First Lady Gayle Manchin, went through U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin's office to request a tour of the White House.
Washington D.C. is one of my favorite cities. I'm a lover of history, especially American history, and the beginnings of the federal government we have today. I've been all over the city and most of its major museums, monuments, and statues. I've been in the U.S. Capitol Building multiple times for both business and pleasure. But I've never been inside the White House before. The closest I've ever been is standing in front of the fence.
When I was a child, I was a voracious reader. By the time I was age 5, I was telling my Dad Denver he no longer had to read to me, because I would read all on my own. I never slept in the dark until I was a teenager because I would keep the touch lamp on low and read myself to sleep.
I was also a lover of history from a young age, thanks to my Dad who cultivated this love. When I had a phase as a young kid reading about Civil War history, Dad used to get me Civil War history magazines as stocking stuffers at Christmas. That early love of history is what made me want to become a news reporter, where I'm writing the first draft of West Virginia history.
I recall these specific memories because one of the books I used to fall asleep reading over and over was a history of the White House, how each president used the historic residence, and its role in U.S. history. President George Washington commissioned its construction and supervised its look, but he never got to live in it before the end of his second term. President John Adams (no relation, but still my favorite president) was the first president to live in the White House as the nation's second president.
The building was burned by the British in the War of 1812, but not before First Lady Dolly Madison escaped with the valuables, including a portrait of Washington which is still displayed today. It's the place President Abraham Lincoln paced in his pajamas debating in his mind whether to sign the proclamation making West Virginia the 35th state.
From the time of President Theodore Roosevelt on, the White House has done more to shape the 20th century than any other building in the world. It's an honor to get one of the tour slots. It takes a while to be approved, requires background checks, and getting the final approval only came two weeks out from our trip. But it was worth all of the hoops.
It's one thing to see the White House in person. It's entirely another thing to see the White House at Christmas. We were able to walk past the National Christmas Tree, which came from West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest. But you enter the White House through the East Wing beneath a giant Christmas tree.
The décor of the White House for holidays is determined by the first lady, in this case First Lady Jill Biden. Working with executive residence staff and more than 300 volunteers, they turned the White House into a true Christmas wonderland. The theme was "Magic, Wonder, and Joy."
"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," wrote President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in a booklet explaining the themes for each historic room.
The Executive Mansion, as the White House was originally formally known, was filled with 98 Christmas trees, including trees honoring Gold Star families and fallen service members. The hallways were filled with candy canes and letters from children. The library's theme was Christmas bedtime stories, the Vermeil (French for gilded silver) Room featured a tribute to music and the United States Marine Band, as known as the President's Own.
The East Room - where many historic receptions and bill signings have taken place - displayed giant White House advent calendars. The East Room also has on display the famous Gilbert Stuart George Washington portrait rescued by First Lady Dolly Madison during the War of 1812.
In fact, that's what really made the White House tour special for me; seeing historic portraits of presidents and American history scenes that I've only ever seen before in history books. Portraits of presidents Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and - of course - John Adams.
My wife and mother-in-law were in D.C. for pleasure. I tagged along for business, stopping by the U.S. Capitol Building to meet with Sen. Manchin's new communications director and visiting with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito's long-time communications director, as well as inspecting documents that can only be assessed by visiting the Capitol in person.
We literally drove through a snow storm on I-68 between the West Virginia/Maryland border and the west side of Cumberland, at one point taking two hours to drive 50 miles. I'll never forget that. I'm sure Jessica and Tami will never forget seeing Madonna in concert last week. But I'll never forget walking through the White House - the People's House - and making new Christmas memories and satisfying my love of U.S. history and this great nation.
Merry Christmas!