Christmas Dream

Today, I had a Christmas dream come true. I was allowed to tour the White House during the holiday season! From the HUGE nutcrackers at the entrance to the smell of pine & Christmas throughout, I was enthralled! As we walked in, we walked down a corridor with a wall of windows (I think overlooking the rose garden) on one side and a wall of old & new presidential photos on the other. Each of the windows had a beautiful, fresh wreath hanging in the center. We were only allowed to look through doors into the library & yellow room (with Jackie Kennedy's protrait), but they were both elegantly decorated. We then went up some stairs & into the East Room (where the original painting of George Washington hangs), which had a wonderful nativity scene and a couple of gorgeous trees. From there, we entered the Green room. It had some pretty antiques, as well as cute table center pieces with huge candy canes. They made me think of my mom & her pepermint bark! :) The next room was the infamous Blue room - always my favorite since I LOVE blue! It had the official White House Christmas Tree, and it was unbelievable! The decorations, along with the cotton on the limbs to look like snow, just sparkled in the sunlight coming through the floor length windows. In the front, center of the tree hung this year's White House ornament - which I'm very proud to say is also hanging on my Charlie Brown Tree. :) After the Blue room, we went through the Red room. This room was also decorated with huge strands of garland and the large candy canes/peperment sticks. The one common ground in the rooms that I noticed was the incredibly ornate clocks on each of the fire place mantles. All the clocks that I could see were set to the correct time, which must be a huge undertaking every 6 months when the time changes!! After the Red room, we were allowed into the State Dining room, which is were the huge painting of Lincoln hangs. This also houses the gigantic Ginger Bread White House, with Barney & Mrs. Beazley driving Santa's sleigh off the roof. It was truly amazing. As we left that room, on the right was the famous painting of JFK hanging on the wall. With one last look from the hallway, through the door with the presidential seal above it, into the blue room with that magnificent tree, I left the White House. What a treat to be allowed into the Christmas celebration there! I'm forever grateful to Representative Gohmert & his staff for getting me in.