OBAMA'S DECORATE WHITE HOUSE FOR CHRISTMAS SEASON

FOR MOST PEOPLE, A SINGLE CHRISTMAS TREE, A FEW STRANDS OF LIGHTS AND SOME HOLIDAY BAUBLES AND BANGLES ARE ENOUGH. IF YOU'RE THE FIRST FAMILY, HOWEVER, DECKING THE WHITE HOUSE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY WAS ALWAYS GOING TO REQUIRE A LITTLE MORE WORK, 3,400 MAN HOURS TO BE EXACT. THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT AND HIS WIFE ARE CELEBRATING THE FESTIVE SEASON WITH RECYCLED ORNAMENTS, NATURAL MATERIALS, AND OF COURSE A GINGERBREAD WHITE HOUSE. THE 390lb WORK OF CULINARY ART IS COVERED IN WHITE CHOCOLATE AND HAS A MARZIPAN REPLICA OF THE FAMILY DOG, BO. 'REFLECT, REJOICE, RENEW' IS THE THEME FOR THE OBAMA'S FIRST FAMILY CHRISTMAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE. SHOWING OFF THE STUNNING DECORATIONS RECENTLY, MRS OBAMA SAID THE THEME WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE HER FAMILY SPENDS THE HOLIDAYS REFLECTING ON ITS BLESSINGS, REJOICING IN THE COMPANY OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AND RENEWING THEIR COMMITMENTS TO EACH OTHER AND CAUSES THEY BELIEVE IN. "I WANTED TO CONTINUE THAT PART OF THE TRADITION DURING OUR FIRST HOLIDAY SEASON AT THE WHITE HOUSE", SHE SAID AT AN EVENT WHERE SHE ALSO THANKED MORE THAN 90 VOLUNTEERS FROM 24 STATES WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE TRANSFORMATION. INSPIRATION FOR THE DECORATIONS CAME FROM THE HOUSE ITSELF, WITH MRS OBAMA CHOOSING TRADITIONAL DECORATIONS TO REFLECT THE ARCHITECTURE AND COLOUR SCHEME OF EACH ROOM OF THE GEORGIAN-STYLE MANSION. NATURAL MATERIALS SUCH AS MAGNOLIA, HYDRANGEA, HONEYSUCKLE VINE AND PEPPER BERRIES DECORATE TREES AND WREATHS IN ROOMS ON THE STATE FLOOR, ALONG WITH DRIED ROOT MATERIALS FROM HER VEGETABLE GARDEN ON THE SOUTH LAWN. THE CENTERPIECE IS IN THE BLUE ROOM: AN 18ft DOUGLAS FIR THAT IS DECORATED WITH HUGE GOLD RIBBONS AND BOWS AND MORE THAN 650 ORNAMENTS FROM PRIOR ADMINISTRATIONS, AND IS LIT WITH ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND LED LIGHTS. TWO 15ft FRASER FIR TREES WERE PLACED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE MAIN DOORWAY INTO THE BLUE ROOM AND DECORATED WITH REFLECTIVE SHIMMERING GLASS BALLS, CLARET COLOURED BEADED GLASS BRANCHES, RED BOWS, GOLD PINE CONES AND OTHER TRIMMINGS. ANOTHER HIGHLY ANTICIPATED PART OF CHRISTMAS AT THE WHITE HOUSE IS THE GINGERBREAD REPLICA OF THE STATELY MANSION. IT TOOK SIX WEEKS FOR EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF BILL YOSSES AND HIS STAFF TO CREATE THE WHITE CHOCOLATE-COVERED GINGERBREAD HOUSE, AS SEEN FROM THE SOUTH PORTICO, WITH GREEN ROYAL ICING WREATHS ADORNING ITS WINDOWS. TWO NEW ADDITIONS TO THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE THIS YEAR ARE MRS OBAMA'S GARDEN, COMPLETE WITH MARZIPAN VEGETABLES, AND A CUTOUT THAT GIVES VIEWERS A LOOK INSIDE THE GINGERBREAD STATE DINING ROOM, WITH A LIT CHANDELIER AND FURNITURE MADE OF DARK CHOCOLATE. MORE THAN 50,000 PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND A TOTAL OF 28 HOLIDAY PARTIES AND OPEN HOUSE THE WHITE HOUSE HAS SCHEDULED THIS MONTH.