First lady Laura Bush hosted a media preview of the White House's national-parks-themed holiday decor yesterday, giving journalists a sneak peek into what some 60,000 guests will see when they tour the White House this season. According to the Yeas and Nays columnists, on display are 232 wreaths, 33 Christmas trees, a white-chocolate-encrusted gingerbread White House created by pastry chef Bill Yosses, and 862 feet of garland decorated with gold Aspen leaves (symbolizing the Appalachian Trail), gold pine cones, and seashells "represent[ing] how beautiful our country is from sea to shining sea," Bush said at the preview.
An 18-foot Frasier fir tree, which the Bushes sourced from a North Carolina farm, features 347 hand-painted ornaments representing 347 national parks. Laura told Good Morning America that the chandelier in the Blue Room had to be removed to accommodate the tree, saying, "The tree is sort of secured at the top as well, where the chandelier would be hanging."
The White House maintains its goal of being more eco-friendly, though when asked by a reporter at the preview how the decorations are green this year, Laura replied, "We always recycle some ornaments, like every family does."
The first lady predicted that she'll be entertaining roughly 20,000 guests at White House cocktail receptions and dinner parties from now through December 18, and she's serving 1,000 pounds of shrimp this year (down from 4,000 pounds last year), 600 pounds of asparagus (up from 400 pounds), 700 holiday cakes, 320 gallons of eggnog, and 20,000 Christmas cookies, which mimic animals found in the national parks (think bluebirds and bears). White House executive chef Cris Comerford said the dishes that will be served over the next few weeks will also represent the many regions of the country, including artisanal cheeses from Vermont, and New York, smoked salmon from Maine, crab cakes from Maryland, and Southern favorite chicken fried steak, which Comerford said was back due to popular demand.
This year marks Mrs. Bush's seventh year decorating for the holidays, and she told the Today show, "This is bittersweet now when you know this is the seventh season for me, or the seventh season to have decorated the White House, and just have one left."
An 18-foot Frasier fir tree, which the Bushes sourced from a North Carolina farm, features 347 hand-painted ornaments representing 347 national parks. Laura told Good Morning America that the chandelier in the Blue Room had to be removed to accommodate the tree, saying, "The tree is sort of secured at the top as well, where the chandelier would be hanging."
The White House maintains its goal of being more eco-friendly, though when asked by a reporter at the preview how the decorations are green this year, Laura replied, "We always recycle some ornaments, like every family does."
The first lady predicted that she'll be entertaining roughly 20,000 guests at White House cocktail receptions and dinner parties from now through December 18, and she's serving 1,000 pounds of shrimp this year (down from 4,000 pounds last year), 600 pounds of asparagus (up from 400 pounds), 700 holiday cakes, 320 gallons of eggnog, and 20,000 Christmas cookies, which mimic animals found in the national parks (think bluebirds and bears). White House executive chef Cris Comerford said the dishes that will be served over the next few weeks will also represent the many regions of the country, including artisanal cheeses from Vermont, and New York, smoked salmon from Maine, crab cakes from Maryland, and Southern favorite chicken fried steak, which Comerford said was back due to popular demand.
This year marks Mrs. Bush's seventh year decorating for the holidays, and she told the Today show, "This is bittersweet now when you know this is the seventh season for me, or the seventh season to have decorated the White House, and just have one left."
