Melania receives White House Christmas tree
First lady Melania Trump looks over the 2019 White House Christmas tree as it is delivered to the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2019. The Douglas fir is approximately 23 feet tall and was grown by Larry and Joanne Snyder at Mahantongo Valley Farms in Pennsylvania. Since 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association has held a contest that awards its winner with the honor of presenting their tree to the first family and will serve as a centerpiece for Christmas decorations in the Blue Room of the White House. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
First lady Melania Trump poses with the 2019 White House Christmas tree as it is delivered to the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2019. The Douglas fir is approximately 23 feet tall and was grown by Larry and Joanne Snyder at Mahantongo Valley Farms in Pennsylvania. Since 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association has held a contest that awards its winner with the honor of presenting their tree to the first family and will serve as a centerpiece for Christmas decorations in the Blue Room of the White House. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
First lady Melania Trump talks with the carriage driver a she looks over the 2019 White House Christmas tree as it is delivered to the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2019. The Douglas fir is approximately 23 feet tall and was grown by Larry and Joanne Snyder at Mahantongo Valley Farms in Pennsylvania. Since 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association has held a contest that awards its winner with the honor of presenting their tree to the first family and will serve as a centerpiece for Christmas decorations in the Blue Room of the White House. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
First lady Melania Trump is escorted as she walks out to take delivery of the 2019 White House Christmas tree as it arrives at the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2019. The Douglas fir is approximately 23 feet tall and was grown by Larry and Joanne Snyder at Mahantongo Valley Farms in Pennsylvania. Since 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association has held a contest that awards its winner with the honor of presenting their tree to the first family and will serve as a centerpiece for Christmas decorations in the Blue Room of the White House. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
First lady Melania Trump poses with the 2019 White House Christmas tree as it is delivered to the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2019. The Douglas fir is approximately 23 feet tall and was grown by Larry Snyder, third from left, at Mahantongo Valley Farms in Pennsylvania. Since 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association has held a contest that awards its winner with the honor of presenting their tree to the first family and will serve as a centerpiece for Christmas decorations in the Blue Room of the White House. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
First lady Melania Trump shakes hands with Larry Snyder as she looks over the 2019 White House Christmas tree as it is delivered to the White House in Washington, Monday. The Douglas fir is approximately 23 feet tall and was grown by Larry Snyder at Mahantongo Valley Farms in Pennsylvania. AP PHOTO/SUSAN WALSH
WASHINGTON — Melania Trump opened the holiday season in the nation’s capital Monday by accepting delivery of the official White House Christmas tree.
Members of the U.S. Marine Band played “O Christmas Tree” as a pair of horses named Cash and Ben trotted up the White House driveway pulling a green carriage that carried an 18½-foot Douglas fir. The towering tree will become the centerpiece of Christmas in the White House Blue Room.
The first lady appeared moments later, escorted by a military aide, and smiled, waved and chatted up the top-hatted men holding tight to the reins. She walked around the carriage and paused to look at the tree before posing for photos with the Pennsylvania farmer who donated it.
Mrs. Trump wished everyone a “Merry Christmas” before going back inside the White House.
Delivered three days before Thanksgiving, the fir was harvested from Mahantongo Valley Farms in Pitman, Pennsylvania. Owner Larry Snyder earned the honor of presenting the White House a tree from his farm after winning an annual contest held by the National Christmas Tree Association.
The White House chief usher and grounds superintendent picked the tree during an October visit to Snyder’s farm. A massive chandelier that hangs in the oval-shaped Blue Room is removed to accommodate the tree, which is trimmed and anchored to the ceiling for safety and stability.
The tree’s delivery marks the start of a flurry of holiday season activity at the White House.
President Donald Trump is scheduled Tuesday to participate in another seasonal ritual when he issues a presidential pardon to the National Thanksgiving Turkey before he flies to Florida to spend the holiday with his family at his Palm Beach home. The White House is sponsoring an online contest to help decide which of two gobblers — 45-pound “Bread” or 47-pound “Butter” — should be spared.
Meanwhile, during Trump’s absence from Washington, an army of volunteer decorators, florists and others will fly in from around the country after Thanksgiving to help decorate the 132-room Executive Mansion for Christmas. Thousands of tourists will stream through the building in December.
Wreaths are already in place on exterior windows on the South Portico of the White House.
Christmas planning starts several months out.
In late July, Mrs. Trump tweeted photos of herself in the Map Room looking over a table covered with fabric swatches, floral samples and Christmas photos.
“#Christmas planning has begun in the East Wing at the @WhiteHouse,” she wrote, referencing the wing of the White House where her office and staff are based. “I’m looking forward to sharing our final vision for this unique tradition in the coming months.”
Comments
You see folks, there's no war maps spread out for the Trump Hot War.
There's no war with 45. Oh... you won't hear them talk about that, just IMPEACH... IMPEACH... IMPEACH... What morons!
Only Peace and Prosperity with 45.
That annoys the war mongers (Democrats).
The tangled mess of the various tribal groups of Syrian Kurds against Turkish Kurds, was laid to peace all the while, we pulled troops out. PEACE through Strength.
Merry Christmas to ALL!
A beautiful Pennsylvania Tree, for the POTUS.
Seek Peace.
Many Dead? Please elaborate, and cite some viable source, not CNN. It's obvious you never served, nor had a loved one who served. You come from a line of elites... educated snobs as your posts would indicate. The current POTUS has not taken our boys into a hot battle, that's Peace sweetie. We've had three sons serve in the infantry, one now has a worthless purple heart. How about you? How about your buddy "Joe"? How about the Kenyan, or Bill and Hillary? Schumer, Nelson, Kerry, Feinstein, Dachle, Biden, Clinton... all voted to go into Iraq, and my kids went, not theirs, and not yours. Just to set things straight little girl, Turkey is our ally, not the Nomad tribe of Turks... get it? Nope, you never will get it, because you are one of the far left hanging snobs who never really built anything but confusion and resistance. Your posts attest to that daily.
Happy Thanksgiving C-Girl
I'm thankful for this season of...
Peace, Prosperity, and all blessings from God.