White House Holiday Season Kicks Off Despite East Wing Ballroom Construction

The White House will reopen limited public tours on December 2 even as demolition and construction continue on the East Wing to make way for a new presidential ballroom. With pathways rerouted to avoid work zones, visitors will be welcomed back to the People’s House in time for the holidays.

Tree, turkey and traditions

The holiday program begins when First Lady Melania Trump receives the official White House Christmas tree — a concolor fir grown at Korson’s Tree Farms in Sidney, Michigan. Selected in September by longtime grounds superintendent Dale Haney in coordination with the National Christmas Tree Association, the tree will travel roughly 650 miles and arrive at the White House in a Clydesdale-drawn carriage for inspection before being placed in the Blue Room.

The next day, President Donald Trump is expected to grant clemency to two North Carolina turkeys, Gobble and Waddle, continuing the lighthearted Thanksgiving tradition that attracts national attention.

Decorations and themes

Volunteers and staff will work quickly to trim trees and decorate the public rooms. The first lady’s office said the decorations will be "thoughtfully designed and curated under the direction of First Lady Melania Trump" and will aim to reflect "the spirit, warmth, faith, and hope of the holiday season." A brief preview video from an October planning meeting suggested a gold-and-gilded color palette.

Past White House holiday themes under Mrs. Trump have ranged from the 2017 "Time-Honored Traditions" to patriotically themed displays in 2018 and 2019 and a 2020 tribute to essential workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mrs. Trump has also expressed privately that the demands of the role and public scrutiny can be frustrating; in a recorded 2018 conversation that later surfaced she used profanity while describing the pressure of balancing public duties and criticism.

Tour changes and visitor access

Due to demolition and construction, the public tour route has been redesigned. Beginning December 2, visitors will be admitted to a single primary floor that includes the Cross Hall, East Room, Green Room, Blue Room, Red Room and State Dining Room. Several ground-floor historic rooms will remain closed for the season — notably the Library, Vermeil Room and China Room — and the Diplomatic Reception Room will not be open to tour groups.

Some ground-floor spaces are currently being used as temporary offices for first lady staff who were displaced from the East Wing during the work. Despite the limitations, the residence expects to welcome thousands of visitors over the holiday period for the adjusted tour experience.

"Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the beloved annual tradition that transforms the White House into a festive reflection of the spirit, warmth, faith, and hope of the holiday season," the first lady’s office said.

If construction timelines shift, public access and tour routes may be updated; visitors should check official White House guidance before planning a visit.