Holiday Cheer at the White House: A Smaller, Shorter Tour

The White House is ready to welcome visitors again, just in time for the holidays. But this year, things look a bit different.

A New Tour Experience

The East Wing is gone, making way for a new ballroom. This has made the tour shorter and changed how people see the famous holiday decorations.

• Tour Route: Begins and ends at the North Portico
• Excluded Spots: Map Room
• Included Spots: East Room, Blue Room, Green Room, Red Room, State Dining Room

Holiday Decorations

The decorations are still impressive:

• 75 wreaths
• 51 Christmas trees
• Over 2,000 strands of lights

The theme this year is "Home Is Where The Heart Is", chosen by the first lady, Melania Trump.

Room Highlights

• Blue Room: Big Christmas tree with gold stars and white globes, each showing a state bird and flower. Decorated with help from Gold Star families.
• Green Room: Family fun with big Lego portraits of President George Washington and Donald Trump.
• Red Room: Over 10,000 blue butterflies celebrating young people, especially those who have been in foster care.
• East Room: Marks America's upcoming 250th anniversary with patriotic colors and symbols.
• State Dining Room: Features a gingerbread White House made with 120 pounds of gingerbread dough and 100 pounds of pastillage dough. The second floor is open, revealing the Yellow Oval.

Recent Changes

The White House has been going through big changes:

• Rose Garden: Now looks like a patio at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
• Oval Office: Gilded from floor to ceiling.
• Lincoln Bathroom: Major makeover with lots of marble.

Public Reaction

Not everyone is happy about these changes. Some people think the East Wing demolition is a sign of how Trump runs the government. Polls show that most Americans are against the new ballroom project. But for now, the White House is ready to welcome visitors with its holiday cheer.