Make wishtv.com your home page

Behind the scenes of Christmas at The White House

WASHINGTON (MEDIA GENERAL) — The White House welcomes guests year round from around the world but Christmas at the Executive Mansion provides visitors with a holiday extravaganza unlike any other.

This year’s special theme is “The Gift of the Holidays.” Guests who tour the White House throughout December will get an up-close look at hundreds of decorations, including 56 Lego Gingerbread houses, a 19-foot Douglas Fir Christmas Tree from Pennsylvania, and colorful Christmas wreaths made entirely of gum drops.

“Being here to see all of these beautiful pieces of China and all of the history is just so overwhelming,” said Isabel Rubio, a White House volunteer from Birmingham, Alabama. The White House invited 92 volunteers from around the country to assist with decorating.

White House guests will also find the annual Gingerbread House featuring 150 pounds of gingerbread on the outside and 20 pounds of icing on the outside. The replica features both the East and West Wing of the building.

If you’re interested in seeing the White House for yourself during your next visit to Washington, click here. For the latest look at what’s happening at the White House and on Capitol Hill, follow @markpmeredith on Twitter