“Jingle bells, jingle all the way” to the White House, and a warm fraternal spirit is perceived in the heart of our nation after Jill Biden revealed the “We the people” theme for the Christmas decorations, turning it into the stellar of this year.

The brightness of the White House’s halls enlightens more than the joyous Christmas spirit of the season. It brings back some memories of the most important events for the United States regarding our founding fathers and the origins of our nation; emphasizing the importance of the citizens’ roles, rights and responsibilities through the creation of our nation, as well as our history and the independent American spirit in which this nation was founded.

Going back in time, the White House has consecutively showcased its seasonal spirit since 1934, under president Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s term. It was not until 1961, that the tradition of choosing a theme for the White House decorations started with Jacqueline Kennedy’s theme “Nutcracker Suite.” Ever since then, the first lady has been in charge of planning how to enchant the building with creative themes, and little by little they have reflected our society and some of the most important themes with the decorations. This year could not be the exception when Jill Biden took it seriously by planning it months in advance. 

Something unique about the way that it was decorated this year is that it is possible to find different themes within the rooms and halls of the White House, which helps contribute to the overall “We the People” theme; by doing this visitors are immersed in the most important aspects and values that have turned our society into what it is nowadays, highlighting honor, faith, kindness, gratitude, hope, traditions, recreation and more. 

Jill Biden was also able to incorporate a homelike spirit by emphasizing some of their family traditions and personal decorations, such as including Orchids (the first lady’s favorite flowers) through the rooms decorated, as well as an orange in the toe of each of the stockings of her family members (a tradition from Jill Biden’s grandmother), remembering us the value of family and unity.

According to Kate Bennett, a CNN report she says, there are about 77 trees in this year’s decorations, as well as over 83,615 lights that illuminate the ornaments and other objects that can be found at the White House, embellishing and detailing the ideas that were precisely captured in order to promote our country’s fraternal values and increase the characteristic spirit of the holidays. The favorite of many people could not be left behind, this year’s White House gingerbread model sweetens the atmosphere along with the cookie model of the Independence Hall in Philadelphia (A historical place where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both discussed and signed), both of them weighing around 300 pounds, and made out of delicious pastillage, chocolate, royal icing and more. 

Through the past the years the White House has become a symbol of our nation and patriotism representing our society and each individual that conforms to it, so when we talk about the way it is decorated for the Holidays it brings people from all around the country together, take as an example how in the past year’s many people have volunteered to help decorate it, for this year over 150 people volunteered in order to help with the seasonal decoration, and there is expected that around 50,000 people will visit the installation to get into the spirit characteristic of the United States, share their joy and learn more about the history of our nation and all the values behind it.