White House Decorations: Use What You Have!

The theme of the holidays at the White House this year is one after our own heart: "Reflect, Rejoice, Renew." First Lady Obama said: "We decided to do something just a little different. We took about 800 ornaments left over from previous administrations, we sent them to 60 local community groups throughout the country, and asked them to decorate them to pay tribute to a favorite local landmark and then send them back to us for display here at the White House."  Simon Doonan of Barney's designed and coordinated the effort and Mill Valley florist Samantha Payne was one of 50 volunteers executing it. Payne described how ornaments from past years were reused but made new by covering them with magnolia leaf, and how pine cones from past holidays were repainted with an antique-gold finish. The decorations also included natural materials from the White House kitchen garden such as flowers, berries and dried roots. We applaud all their efforts!