Washington, D.C. is extremely underrated as a Christmas destination. Call it our reputation for being too serious, but it may come as a surprise to some that the District is filled with whimsy and holiday spirit in December (just take a look at the many elaborate Christmas light displays). I spent the early morning checking out one of the city's most famous Christmas spots: The East Wing of the White House, which First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, her staff, and hundreds of volunteers decorated for the holidays. I spent the morning gawking at festive scenes overflowing with lights, reams of ribbon, handmade paper ornaments, fake bread, Christmas trees that made me crane my neck looking up, and even a spinning carousel—come along for a look at all the magical details.

RECOMMENDED: First look: Take a look at the new immersive White House visitor's experience

Each room in the East Wing is decorated in a different style, but all the spaces are tied together with one central theme for the year; since Jacqueline Kennedy started the tradition in 1962, each First Lady has put her own spin on the holiday decor and chosen her own theme. The theme for this year's display, Dr. Biden's last, is a "Season of Peace and Light," so each design is meant to encourage visitors to embrace the warm feelings and memories of the holiday season. 

I emerged from the tour feeling lighter and at peace—how could you hold the stress of running on little sleep when your eyes spend an hour feasting? The vibe was nostalgic, and I found myself smiling at the many details that reminded me of my own favorite Christmas traditions, like winter dioramas built into bookshelves and a whole room dedicated to holiday baking and cooking. 

Most rooms included plenty of color and even a little kitsch—there was no boring beige or monochrome to be found, which has been true of all of Biden's holiday displays. Every component of each design—a delicately layered ribbon here, a particularly shiny orb there, a just messy enough paper chain link—amplified the beauty of the scenery. I could feel the holiday spirit wash over me as I wandered through each whimsical room, head swimming with interior design ideas and lively holiday tunes from the United States Marine Band dancing in my ears (they were rehearsing for a decor unveiling party for volunteers and National Guard families later in the day). 

The First Lady and her staff worked closely with event planner extraordinaire Bryan Rafanelli, who runs Rafanelli Events and did President Biden's granddaughter's White House wedding in 2022, to design the rooms. Assembling all these merry scenes takes an army of volunteers—more than 300 volunteers from around the country and on staff worked for a full week stringing lights, hanging ornaments, and arranging tableaus both inside and outside. This year's display uses more than 28,125 ornaments and approximately 9,810 feet of ribbon. There are 83 Christmas trees displayed throughout the White House, and more than 165,075 holidays lights glow in the displays and greenery. 

That hard work was evident as I moved throughout the space. Every piece of decor really felt like a person who cared played a hand in placing or making it; one of the volunteers who helped decorate the space, Lorynn Guerrero, Assistant Principal at Gadson High School in Anthony, N.M. who was recognized as the state's 2022 Teacher of the Year, proudly pointed out which portrait ornaments were made by her students in the State Dining Room. 

Interested in seeing the decor in person? Schedule a White House tour, which can be booked via the White House or through your Congressional representative. Don't worry if a quick winter jaunt isn't possible or you're unable to snag a December tour spot, because the White House's digital platforms will soon launch several "interactive viewing experiences." Plus, you can take a look at the stunning displays below.

All the magical details of the 2024 White House Holiday Decorations:

East Wing Entrance/East Colonnade 

The tour began at the entrance of the East Wing, which was crowned with a massive crystal star. Walking inside gives way to the first Christmas tree of the tour, a Jenga-like stack of gold stars that symbolize the U.S. military branches and honor Gold Star Families. Individual names of fallen and missing service members are engraved on ornaments in four trees in this room. 

Arches of greenery and dozens of brass sleigh bells lined the East Colonnade, which ended with a charming stuffed horse hauling a sleigh. On the wall, there was an interesting framed case of Christmas cards sent by presidents through the years.

Library

One of my favorites of the bunch, the East Wing Library is done up with vintage ceramic Christmas trees (my grandma used to love to display these, so seeing so many instantly transported me). The cozy space reminds me of many cold winter nights spent lost in books as a child. My favorite details were the bright mantel and the wintry dioramas within the shelves, which hold 2,700 books about American literature and history. The room also included a small display of classic children's books like Harold's Purple Crayon and The Snowy Day, a nod to the First Lady's work with the Library of Congress to add children's books to this collection.

Vermeil Room

A pink lover's paradise, the Vermeil Room is decorated in plenty of bold blooms and outfitted with all shades of pink ribbon, from Glinda to Barbie to mauve. 

China Room

This display is an ode to the holiday bakers who toil over piles of sugar cookies and festive loaves. This room, which houses table settings and dishes used by past first families, pays homage to the integral role food plays in memory making and connection. The decor in here includes trees decorated with baking supplies like cookie cutters, challah wreaths, and a baking bench filled with festive treats. 

Diplomatic Reception Room

Shaped like an oval and the site of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's famous fireside chats, the Diplomatic Reception Room was recently added to the public tour route. This room, which is where heads of state enter The White House after an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, is decorated with holiday florals and fruits like pomegranates and citrus slices—a nod to the Biden family tradition of hiding an orange in each stocking.

East Room 

The largest room in The White House and typically plays host to ceremonies and bill signings, but this season the East Room is the site of a cascading snowfall. Massive mirrors are framed in piles of silver orbs. The ceiling and windows are wrapped with reflective white canopy that evokes falling snow, and two Christmas trees are adorned with crystal ornaments that look like raindrops and snowflakes. My favorite detail? The delicate crystal snowflakes hanging from each window. This room also includes a massive crèche, which has been a part of every holiday display since 1967. 

Green Room 

Glass ornaments in a rainbow of colors reflect sunlight in this room, which President Thomas Jefferson used to dine in. The beaded tabletop trees in jewel tones and tree and garland packed with gemstone-like ornaments the size of my hand (and in some cases, my head) made me smile.

Blue Room

Not to be outdone by the Green Room, the Blue Room was the most mesmerizing of all—the Official White House Christmas Tree, a 8 1/2 ft. North Carolina Frasier Fir, is decorated with 3D candy ornaments and encased in a moving carousel. Because this tree is the official tree, its decor includes the names of every state and territory (including D.C.) I spent longer than I'd like to admit staring at the frolicking reindeer, fox, penguin, and polar bear bobbing up and down amid the dazzling lights.

Red Room 

The peace and light theme was most apparent in the Red Room, which was decorated in shades of white, gold, and red. Paper doves and letters kids around the country wrote to the President and First Lady are the main items of interest here. This space felt the most traditional, and the limited color palette was a welcome visual break from all the bright colors. 

State Dining Room

This room, which hosts state dinners and large receptions, felt like all the holiday craft projects of my dreams come to life. Two trees were dressed with hundreds of handmade paper ornaments in nostalgic shapes like candies, paper chains, and gingerbread men that were handmade by school kids around the country. Hand-drawn portraits by students from all over the country filled each tree. I was astounded that the candy wrapper-like window valances and mantel ribbons, which were crease free, were made of paper and not fabric. The families of service members on the two U.S. Navy ships the First Lady sponsors made the paper chain garlands that wrapped around the room. 

This year's Gingerbread White House, an annual rendering of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, includes little ice skaters twirling on a pond. The pastry team created it with 25 sheets of gingerbread, 40 pounds of powdered sugar, 10 sheets of sugar cookie dough, and 65 pounds of pastillage sugar paste.

Cross Hall/Grand Foyer

The last spaces on the tour are two of the most grand and most traditional—the ceiling of the Cross Hall, which connects the State Rooms with the larger hosting spaces, is covered with a cascade of handmade paper doves. The ornaments on the trees in this room were decorated with green and red plaid ribbons, and gold angels and birds. A vintage red truck filled with gifts—and driven by a very cute teddy bear—caps off the display.