The White House at Christmas

Candy and lollipop decorated hallways.  A White House turned Advent Calendar with a Christmas tree full of numbers.   Greenery and decorations as far as the eye can see.

This is "America's Home" at Christmas time.  

A trip to the White House decorated from floor to ceiling in beautiful surroundings around the holidays is free.  It just requires a little planning and a little luck.  

Tours to the White House are available Tuesday through Saturday and are free to request through your member of Congress.  They can be made no further out than 90 days or sooner than 21.  Lucky recipients only find out two to three weeks ahead of time.

Your self-guided tour takes you through rooms that are still used to this day for public ceremonies from the East room with Gilbert Stuart's famous portrait of George Washington to the grand staircase where the President officially descends to meet his guests. 

Each room is beautifully decorated and the theme changes each year. With a stream of visitors it allows you to take your time to take in the combination of history and decoration each room has to offer.  Not to mention an opportunity for great pictures at each stop. 

While in DC take advantage of the many other opportunities of the festive scenes from the historic Willard Hotel and the Old Ebbitt Grill to ice skating at the National Mall behind the National Portrait Gallery.