Oh! Tannenbaum
Yep, right there it was on the front page of this week's Mountain Times. The Mistletoe Meadows Christmas Tree Farm is providing the tree that will be the centerpiece of the White House Holiday decorations this year. And, a fine tree I'm sure it will be.
But, folks, hold the phone just a minute.
The caption sez, well, you read it for yourself. Yep, four White House employees visited the Christmas tree farm on October 16th to select a tree to be displayed in the Blue Room of the White House this Holiday Season:
Executive Groundskeeper
Chief Floral Designer
Director of Executive Residence & Chief Usher
US Park Service Grounds Foreman
And, just who do you think paid their travel expenses from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC to the tree farm just a few miles down the road from here in Lauren Springs?
Now, regardless of whoever footed the bill, does it really take four people, even if they are government employees, coming all the way from DC just to pick out a Christmas tree?
Here's the Christmas tree displayed in the Blue Room last December. Sure is pretty, ain't it?
For those of you who may not be familiar with the White House, the Blue Room is the center of the State Floor of the White House. It "has been the traditional place for presidents to formally receive guests. From entertaining kings to shaking hands with the masses, the business of democracy and the social graces of diplomacy have taken place in the Blue Room." It ain't exactly the private residence of the President and his family, folks.
Soooooo, just what is a Christmas tree doing in a US Government building where US Government business is conducted?
Well, it didn't stop with just a single tree. No, sir! According to a press release by the White House, there were 17 Christmas trees in all on display. Specifically, the official list of 2006 decorations included:
Red Ornament Balls 4,638
Garland 1,089 feet
Christmas Trees 17 trees
Wreaths 269
Christmas Cookies 20,000
Mini Tarts 5,000
Chocolate Truffles 15,000
Sweet Potatoes 2,100 pounds
White and Green Asparagus 100 cases
Rack of Lamb 3,000
Filets of Beef 500
Crab Claws 4,000 pounds
Shrimp 4,000 pounds
And, just where did all those "decorations" go? Here's the decorating scheme for the State Floor:
Cross Hall and Grand Foyer:
Glass garlands, spiral topiaries, and trees of red poinsettias
Holly and berries decorate the pier tables, and garlands of pine and ribbon descend the grand staircase
East Room:
Greens and red ribbon garlands.
Carnations bloom in vermeil containers atop the mantels
Christmas trees are trimmed with silvered-glass ornaments, painted in red and fuchsia
Green Room:
The mantle is draped in garlands laden with Christmas treats
Blue Room:
The official White House Christmas tree is an 18-foot, 6-inch Douglas fir presented to President and Mrs. Bush by Francis and Margaret Botek and their children, of the Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Lehighton, Pennsylvania. The tree sparkles with crystals and ornaments of iridescent glass
Red Room:
Gold-etched ornaments in the garland on the mantle; silvered containers filled with poinsettia; and the cranberry tree, a White House tradition dating back to 1975
State Dining Room:
Garlands, a forest of illuminated trees, and boughs of greens cascading from the sconces
Gingerbread White House:
View of the South Portico
About 300 pounds of gingerbread and dark chocolate
More than 800 hand-piped icing snowflakes
You know, I'll betthose racks of lamb, filets of beef, crab claws and shrimp began to stink after hanging on a Christmas tree for couple of week. Whatcha think?
Now, folks, I didn't make any of this stuff up. I just ain't that good!
Next up: The annual White House Easter Egg roll on government property.
But, folks, hold the phone just a minute.
The caption sez, well, you read it for yourself. Yep, four White House employees visited the Christmas tree farm on October 16th to select a tree to be displayed in the Blue Room of the White House this Holiday Season:
And, just who do you think paid their travel expenses from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC to the tree farm just a few miles down the road from here in Lauren Springs?
Now, regardless of whoever footed the bill, does it really take four people, even if they are government employees, coming all the way from DC just to pick out a Christmas tree?
Here's the Christmas tree displayed in the Blue Room last December. Sure is pretty, ain't it?
For those of you who may not be familiar with the White House, the Blue Room is the center of the State Floor of the White House. It "has been the traditional place for presidents to formally receive guests. From entertaining kings to shaking hands with the masses, the business of democracy and the social graces of diplomacy have taken place in the Blue Room." It ain't exactly the private residence of the President and his family, folks.
Soooooo, just what is a Christmas tree doing in a US Government building where US Government business is conducted?
Well, it didn't stop with just a single tree. No, sir! According to a press release by the White House, there were 17 Christmas trees in all on display. Specifically, the official list of 2006 decorations included:
And, just where did all those "decorations" go? Here's the decorating scheme for the State Floor:
Cross Hall and Grand Foyer:
East Room:
Green Room:
Blue Room:
Red Room:
State Dining Room:
Gingerbread White House:
You know, I'll betthose racks of lamb, filets of beef, crab claws and shrimp began to stink after hanging on a Christmas tree for couple of week. Whatcha think?
Now, folks, I didn't make any of this stuff up. I just ain't that good!
Next up: The annual White House Easter Egg roll on government property.
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