This is historical material, "frozen in time." The web site is no longer updated and links to external web sites and some internal pages will not work.
On December 7, First Lady Hillary Rodham
Clinton announced the
1998 White House holiday theme, "A Winter Wonderland." The White House
has been decorated with ornaments, wreaths, trees, mantelpieces, and a
gingerbread house that evoke images of a winter fantasy.
The centerpiece of the Blue Room is the official White House Christmas
Tree, an 18 ½ foot Balsam Fir from the Silent Night Tree Farm in
Wisconsin. As in past years, the First Family has invited specific
groups and individuals from around the country to create ornaments to
adorn the tree. One group of ornaments were designed by artists,
recommended by the governors' spouses in each of the fifty states, who
designed their interpretations of holiday snowmen. The warmth of the
room is captured with mittens and hats knitted by members of The Knitting
Guild of America, and the thrill of winter sports is depicted in colorful
wooden ornaments made by artists from the Society of Decorative
Painters. The green velvet handmade tree skirt consists of individual
panels designed by artisans from each of the fifty states, territories
and the District of Columbia in honor of the Clinton family's first
holiday season at the White House. The quilted hunter green panels are
each uniquely designed, using a variety of quilting techniques.
The East Room has been transformed into an
enchanted glittering
wonderland. The room has been decorated with eighteen soaring conical
trees and a traditional Advent wreath made of gold holly, shimmering
white natural branches and assorted pine cones. The mantlepieces in the
Green and Red Rooms have been designed and decorated under the direction
of confectionary artist Colette Peters. The mantle in the Red Room
reflects a Polar Bear Christmas at the North Pole, complete with an
igloo, penguins, snowflakes, and "ice-cube" presents. The Green Room
houses an edible Ice Palace made of white icing and surrounded by a lush
Ice Garden. In addition, the Grand Foyer contains a pier table with a
Christmas tree made of edible, festive, and colorful holiday packages.
The traditional Gingerbread House,
located in the State Dining Room,
captures the fantasy of a Winter Wonderland on a grand scale. The State
Dining Room has been transformed into a magnificent, edible kingdom. A
mountainous forest surrounds the gingerbread castle and its towers and
bridges. Miniature versions of Socks and Buddy, the Clintons' pets,
frolic throughout the kingdom in the true spirit of the holidays, while
oversized versions of the pets twirl on skating rinks. Santa Claus can
be seen in his sleigh, preparing to depart with his reindeer and gifts on
his Christmas Eve mission, as Mrs. Claus finishes the last minute tree
decorating inside the castle. The White House pastry chefs created this
delicious and fanciful masterpiece. The gingerbread house contains 90
pounds of gingerbread, 40 pounds of chocolate, and weighs over 150
pounds.
On December 7, First Lady Hillary Rodham
Clinton announced the
1998 White House holiday theme, "A Winter Wonderland." The White House
has been decorated with ornaments, wreaths, trees, mantelpieces, and a
gingerbread house that evoke images of a winter fantasy.
The centerpiece of the Blue Room is the official White House Christmas
Tree, an 18 ½ foot Balsam Fir from the Silent Night Tree Farm in
Wisconsin. As in past years, the First Family has invited specific
groups and individuals from around the country to create ornaments to
adorn the tree. One group of ornaments were designed by artists,
recommended by the governors' spouses in each of the fifty states, who
designed their interpretations of holiday snowmen. The warmth of the
room is captured with mittens and hats knitted by members of The Knitting
Guild of America, and the thrill of winter sports is depicted in colorful
wooden ornaments made by artists from the Society of Decorative
Painters. The green velvet handmade tree skirt consists of individual
panels designed by artisans from each of the fifty states, territories
and the District of Columbia in honor of the Clinton family's first
holiday season at the White House. The quilted hunter green panels are
each uniquely designed, using a variety of quilting techniques.
The East Room has been transformed into an
enchanted glittering
wonderland. The room has been decorated with eighteen soaring conical
trees and a traditional Advent wreath made of gold holly, shimmering
white natural branches and assorted pine cones. The mantlepieces in the
Green and Red Rooms have been designed and decorated under the direction
of confectionary artist Colette Peters. The mantle in the Red Room
reflects a Polar Bear Christmas at the North Pole, complete with an
igloo, penguins, snowflakes, and "ice-cube" presents. The Green Room
houses an edible Ice Palace made of white icing and surrounded by a lush
Ice Garden. In addition, the Grand Foyer contains a pier table with a
Christmas tree made of edible, festive, and colorful holiday packages.
The traditional Gingerbread House,
located in the State Dining Room,
captures the fantasy of a Winter Wonderland on a grand scale. The State
Dining Room has been transformed into a magnificent, edible kingdom. A
mountainous forest surrounds the gingerbread castle and its towers and
bridges. Miniature versions of Socks and Buddy, the Clintons' pets,
frolic throughout the kingdom in the true spirit of the holidays, while
oversized versions of the pets twirl on skating rinks. Santa Claus can
be seen in his sleigh, preparing to depart with his reindeer and gifts on
his Christmas Eve mission, as Mrs. Claus finishes the last minute tree
decorating inside the castle. The White House pastry chefs created this
delicious and fanciful masterpiece. The gingerbread house contains 90
pounds of gingerbread, 40 pounds of chocolate, and weighs over 150
pounds.
