Bedecked halls at White House show first lady’s touch

First Lady Melania Trump on Monday unveiled the holiday decorations for her family’s first Christmas back at the White House and her theme is “Home Is Where the Heart Is.”

- DARLENE SUPERVILLE

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS spruce up the State Dining Room during a Monday tour of the White House.

The decor also nods to next year’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and founding of the United States of America.

Several dozen volunteer decorators from across the country helped deck the halls of the Executive Mansion with 75 wreaths, 51 Christmas trees and more than 700 feet of garland, 2,000 strands of lights, 25,000 feet of ribbon, 2,800 gold stars and 10,000 butterflies — plus 120 pounds of gingerbread.

A few things are different because President Trump tore down the East Wing to build a ballroom he’s long desired.

This year the official White House Christmas tree, which is always on display in the Blue Room, also honors Gold Star families, those who lost a service member during active-duty military service.

That tree was an East Wing fixture and the first one visitors encountered after they entered through those doors, but the building and a covered walkway, or colonnade, connecting it to the White House were demolished in October as part of Trump's ballroom plan.