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Nicholas Kamm / AFP - Getty Images
Michelle Obama looks on as the White House Christmas tree arrives.
Only a day after Thanksgiving, the White House is getting into the Christmas spirit.
Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images
Michelle Obama (R) and Malia Obama (second L) are presented with the tree, a 19-foot Fraser fir from Peak Farms in North Carolina.
Michelle Obama accepted delivery of this year's White House Christmas tree on Friday, and it will be displayed in the Blue Room throughout the holiday season.
Yuri Gripas / Reuters
The tree arrived Friday morning via horse-drawn carriage.
This year's tree, a 19-foot Fraser fir, was harvested this month and provided by owners Rusty and Beau Estes from Peak Farms near Jefferson, N.C. Peak Farms was named this year's grand champion by the National Christmas Tree Association, which has been selecting the White House tree since 1966.
Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP
The first lady (accompanied by Sasha, Malia, and first dog Bo) takes a sniff of the tree.
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Leave a Comment:
Be falling apart by Dec 25th (33 days from now). To early for real cut down trees to be put up.
Oh I forgot..they are in Hawaii around X-mas time..who cares then since only the public has to see it dead at x-mas time.
Snarky comments from the ignorant.
Figures.
Btw, genius, the WH tree is always done about this time. In fact, there are several trees throughout the WH that are decorated. Or do you not have the intelligence to realize that?
JKLD - It's the season to be nice to people. Why don't you try it? Save your nastiness for after the holidays.
and you perchance will be blowing your horse in Mississippi wrapped in your white sheet and confederate flag..
Mozzie, being nice is not necessary to insulting fools like Mike. Every President has the right to go home for the holidays except this one.
Mozzie
I have little patience for ignorance.
My bad.
I like the tradition, but its not the norm at all...no one lives like this (ref:pic)...when I was a kid I thought that someday Christmas would be like what we see our leaders having, but its all just a big fantasy show that no one else gets to experience...guess these times make horse draw carriage with tree, a big ol Christmas slap across all the millions who cant even afford daily life anymore. Don't mean to be a downer but I'm busy trying to figure out if I can afford to eat tomorrow let alone celebrate any of the holidays.
Obama is FROM Hawaii. Why can't he go home for Christmas like the rest of the world?
We can expect lots of Hawaiin vacations and other exotic trips from this family in the next 4 years... count on it!
Bill T, Bush went to Texas a lot during his 8 years in the WH. Did you complain that Bush went to Crawford, TX a lot back then? How about Ronald Reagan going to California during his 8 years in office?
Presidents are allowed to GO HOME and Obama is from Hawaii.
Bill T,
remember that Hawaii IS one of the 50 states, and the POTUS is from Hawaii and has FAMILY there. So explain WHY he can't go HOME for Xmas? Explain WHY he shouldn't go HOME to visit with FAMILY? After all, HAWAII is one of the 50 STATES!
Or did you fail US Geography and US History?
I'm sure Bill T has no idea that Hawaii is a state, since he probably failed third grade geography.
TylerisATool banned, re-reg of multiple accounter JCLedoux.
Would the Obamas resent picking up the pine needles?
They are doing their best to enjoy another religions holiday. Let's give em a break.
aungie2012, the obama's live in the White House, not a whitehouse... big difference! Or didn't you know that? Read American History and learn something girl...! And get some Christmas Spirit along the way...
Did the Bush's or Clinton's pick up the pine needles OR did you just realize that a tree was even brought to the WH this time or year?
Nothing but Scrooges here so far. Merry Christmas, haters!
a nice tradition.[period]
A beautiful tradition that I heard was started in the '60s. Don't know if this is done every year, but I saw the WH tree one year and it had ornaments from all the states. It was beautiful.
Don't know why people would make snide remarks about the First Family's Christmas tree. All the First Families have one. (Sigh) It's never too early to get in the Holiday mode. It would be pleasant year round.
It is a beautiful tradition, but that net they drape over it now it just plain ugly. They change the colors and some decorations, but the net is always the same. Ugly. The Rockefeller Center tree is so much prettier.
Actually, there are several smaller trees in the WH in addition to this one. Usually themed.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because our house is crowded and partly because of the leftovers....
But putting up a freshly cut Christmas Tree is the best of the best! We add new ornaments picked up from vacations during the previous year or received as gifts from the previous Christmas! This means 'retiring' older ornaments as we can't fit a bigger tree to accomodate all of them.... that's life! Happy Holidays to all!
tag, you are referring to the OUTSIDE tree. This tree goes INSIDE in the Blue Room and there are additional fresh trees throughout the White House. I would expect that there is even a smaller real tree that is personal in the living quarters for the First Family that is decorated only with the stuff that the Obamas have been using on their trees since before 2008.
You're wrong about a freshly-cut tree not lasting, It will. We have had many that have lasted well over a month. Don't be so mean-hearted and small minded.
We actually had a long-needled Scotch pine that lasted for a couple of months! We sat it outside after Epithany and I swear it was still green the 1st of March!!! Course it was cold but still...
It really is a shame that the delivery of the national "Holiday Tree" becomes a political moment for the sore losers on the right.
I remember after the 2010 elections the Tea Party folks proclaiming "elections have consequences, get over it", I guess it only counts if your side wins, What immature morons. If you don't like the democratic process move to Chine or Iran, or grow up!
So much hate in the world today, it is a real shame Mike076 that the National Christmas Tree has become a polital moment for the haters.
So far this year i have lost my very best friend of 25 years to a heart attack, my 16yr old Niece to Cancer, My Cousin to cancer, Have been in the hospital three times, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, Diverticulitus, Osteoperosis, fell and received a serious head concussion, fell again and had to go to the ER. My Boyfriend lost his job and still out of work and i Still do not have the hate that people have in their hearts over an election and a christmas tree.
Remember when President Kennedy, and others, where in the White House and we used to see on TV the inside nicely decorated? Odd, I don't recall any of that with this administration.
And don't you love the constant chatter that if one doesn't agree with your party then can move to China, or.......Take about immature and growing up.
There was a special in the last couple of years that showed the current administration's decorations. I believe Mrs. O had or has a special tree done that's themed for the military families. The specials are usually on PBS. The past administrations you're referencing is >40 years ago. Things like this is now on PBS or cable.
Actually, it may be on PBS, but they broadcast it more than once on HGTV. Michelle has been very gracious.
Don't try to confuse bigoted idiots with facts. The special about the White House decorations on HGTV was very interesting!
Renee - Northern Ca.
Usually on the HGTV Channel, they do a special called the "White House Christmas" and it focus on all the decorations. Since they just delivered the tree it will probably show closer to Christmas...it is a wonderful show if you are interested. They also interview those that actually do the decorating. I have always watched and been interested in the WH tree deliveries and decorations - no matter WHO is president. I love the spirit of Christmas and wish everyone peace & happiness - democratic or republican!
I'll provide a bit of NON-POLITICAL info here, having been a staffer in the White House a few decades ago. The Blue Room (as well as all first floor rooms) have 18' ceilings, so this 19' tree will be shortened a bit so it will reach from completely from floor to ceiling in the center of the room. The lights for the tree are then strung from the ceiling down, using the electrical wiring that the chandelier, which is temporarily removed, uses.
I would think they'd take if from the bottom then right?
Also, just curious, what kind of stand would they use for that big a tree?
Patty
you are exactly right...they explained all of that on the HGTV channel during the showing of the "White House Christmas"...I cannot wait till it airs, usually closer to Christmas.
Never fails. political hacks always need to continue to act like idiots. Heck it is Christmass and this is somthing nice that Americans do to make the peoples house look nice.
I wonder WHO owns and drives those big draft animals pulling that tree? Maybe the whitehouse could mention them AT LEAST. I believe that they are volunteers ..
why does the anointed one have a tree? thought he would cancel it as he didn't want to offend anyone who doesn't believe in x-mas
Why are you still alive? I thought all gopers were going to commit suicide when their clown Robme lost.
starbuck49...omg, you are so horrible. I hope you are reported and there is a knock at your door tonight....did you know that Obama signed into law indefinate detention without trial...maybe you will be the first one.
He didn't sign any such thing. That is ridiculous.
Road
You should travel the road more. You would find there's a big world out there beside your next door neighbors and not everyone thinks like you.
Starbuck49,
Road also needs a new TV that has more than 1 channel on it as well. FAUX TV has a tendency to warp one's brain.
WRONG. Obama did in fact sign a law that allows the feds to hold any "domestic terrorists" indefinitely without any habeas corpus rights.
http://www.salon.com/2010/05/21/bagram_6/
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/12/senate-clears-way-to-pass-defense-authorization-act-allows-military-to-hold-us-citizens-indefinitely-without-trial/
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/12/senate-clears-way-to-pass-defense-authorization-act-allows-military-to-hold-us-citizens-indefinitely-without-trial/
Chris..... don't sound so cynical. Since you don't know the history of the White House Christmas tree.....let's just say it was a gift from the Romney's...
John Ford, where was your outrage when George W Bush did exactly that?
.
For as long as the tradition has been around of the White House having an official Christmas tree, some say dating back to the 1850s, there has also been the long tradition of criticism of the administration for having a tree, for the kind of tree the WH has, for where the tree came from, for how the tree is decorated, etc.
What a beautiful solstice tradition. And a beautiful first family.
I'm surprised that the tree isn't sponsored by Target or Walmart, but I'm even more surprised that the tree wasn't referred to as a "holiday tree"!
Consumerism has run amok in this country given all of the Black Friday, or "Thankless Thursday" sales on Thanksgiving.
Target got a petition from Change.org with hundreds of thousands of signatures to "save Thanksgiving". Yet they got one last year and totally blew Change.org off.
Stores claim that they open on Thanksgiving to "meet consumer demand", yet without the "blockbuster Black Friday" deals, there wouldn't be much demand! Shoppers survived for generations and Christmas went off without a hitch back in the day when stores didn't open until REGULAR STORE HOURS on "Black Friday"...
Target and Walmart have been open on Thanksgiving and Christmas for years, and nobody raised a fuss until this year.
The White House would be a joyus place if there was a different occupant
Why would you make such a comment? I bet their Christmas will be fabulous. It's sad that you hate much!
CA-395175 I'll second that! This hypocrite in the White House is a disgrace to what our Founding Father's wanted for this country. Just remember this, when this country turns into the banana republic Obama is working so hard to accomplish, we can all turn to our "liberal friends" and say " I told you so, and don't blame me. I voted for the guy who actually knew how to accomplish something and be a success in life". By the way, before anyone writes a snide remark about Romney, maybe you should ask the employees of Dunkin Donuts, The Home Depot, Brookstone, Staples, to name a few, how they feel about Romney's success. Since each of those companies were given the start up money, (and not one red cent came from the taxpayers) from Romney's privately owned company. I bet all those employees are happy he invested his money in them. Think about that versus Obama's fiasco with Solyndra. Our hard earned taxpayers dollars went down the tubes on that one.
Merry Christmas! and Happy Birthday to Jesus!
Here's a tradition I'm surprised the atheists aren't pushing harder to get rid of. Maybe they have and I haven't seen, but some day I can see them suing to end this.
SInce it's Obama's tree the atheists are looking the other way, wait until the Nativity scene lights up the front lawn...............jingle bells, jingle all the way, ha, ha ,ha.
Seeing as how decorating pine trees is a secular Nordic winter solstice tradition that predates any Christian involvement with the holidays, I'm sure atheists are fine with it.
Why is there so much hate, get a life poeple.