White House ushers in holiday season

by | Nov 29, 2016

Michelle Obama said that in her family's eight years in the White House, they have hosted nearly 500,000 visitors during the holiday season. (Darby Hopper/MNS)The official White House Christmas Tree stands at 19 feet tall. The Douglas Fir was donated by a tree farm in Pennsylvania. (Darby Hopper/MNS)Ninety-two volunteers across the country came together to design the White House's holiday look. (Darby Hopper/MNS)First Lady Michelle Obama welcomes military families to the White House as a part of the Joining Forces initiative, which works to assist military families. (Darby Hopper/MNS)The annual White House Gingerbread House is made of 150 pounds of gingerbread, 100 pounds of bread dough, 20 pounds of gum paste, 20 pounds of icing and 20 pounds of sculpted sugar pieces. (Darby Hopper/MNS)White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford and Executive Pastry Chef Susan Morrison joined the first lady in making crafts and treats with the children. (Darby Hopper/MNS)Of the 2016 decor, 90 percent is repurposed from previous years. Ten percent uses new materials. (Darby Hopper/MNS)Michelle Obama helps a daughter of a military family fill a gift bag. (Darby Hopper/MNS)The 2016 White House holiday decorations include over 70,000 ornaments. (Darby Hopper/MNS)Bo and Sunny Obama joined the festivities in the State Dining Room. (Darby Hopper/MNS)This year, the Obama White House will open the doors to 68,000 guests during the holidays. (Darby Hopper/MNS)