Original subtitles

ALISON It's HGTV's favorite time of the year...

Christmas... that's what we do.

When we get an insider's look at transforming

the most iconic home in the country for the holidays.

Everybody's gonna love this!

This year's a little different,

but it hasn't dampened the enthusiasm

of more than 125 volunteer elves.

We've got the social distancing, we've got the masks,

and lots of hand sanitizer.

It's the perfect time to reminisce and celebrate

the most incredible designs of the past 10 years.

The Red Room is going to be fabulous.

She wants this magic,

this beautiful winter wonderland.

- You guys did it again. - It's perfect.

I think the show-stopper is boom.

I'm Alison Victoria.

It's snowing at the White House!

Join me with previous hosts, Egypt Sherrod,

Maureen McCormick, and Genevieve Gorder...

This is interesting.

As we take you behind closed doors...

Okay, we're walking in a super-secret area of

the lower level of the White House.

And share clever tips that will inspire

your own festive décor.

Anyone can do this at home, which I love.

And, of course, we'll share

all the stunning designs for 2020,

room by spectacular room, and we won't forget

the world-famous gingerbread house.

Your backstage pass starts now.

Merry Christmas!

Since Jacqueline Kennedy chose

nutcrackers to enchant young Caroline in 1961,

every First Lady has assumed the honor of

decorating the White House for Christmas.

She picks a decorating theme significant to her,

and then that inspires design ideas

from room to room.

Always to the delight of children,

Mrs. Trump's themes have ranged from

Time-Honored Traditions to American Treasures.

Which obviously, the biggest treasure of all right here.

Is this home, it's the People's House,

and we are just honored and blessed to be able

to be a part of it and make it beautiful for the world to see,

not just for the United States.

Among others, Mrs. Obama has chosen the Gift

of the Holidays and a Children's

Winter Wonderland.

The First Lady really wanted a theme of...

That related to kids.

When we were talking about Children's Winter Wonderland,

at one point, it was Winter Wonderland.

She kept saying, "No, children, kids",

have to be in it," so even in the title,

she was just really specific, -Adamant.

And this was really important to her.

The top-secret theme for 2020

is America the Beautiful, which celebrates

the diversity of our culture, people, and land.

That's just a taste. Much more in a bit.

To infuse 55,000 square feet with holiday magic

in just three days, the First Lady enlists

an army of volunteers from all over the country.

For many, this is

a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

This is exciting, because I actually get to

feel the floor, see the ceilings, the lights.

It's much more than making a tour.

The ornaments are bigger, and they're even more beautiful

than they look on TV when you see them in person.

I am 84 years old. I am havin' a blast.

You're super excited about this.

Is this your first year?

I can tell, you're just about to explode.

Just go ahead and let out a scream.

- Yes, it is... - I'll do it with you,

because I'm just as excited to be at the White House!

Volunteers are just as thrilled this year,

but it's a little harder to tell behind their masks.

The staff has taken such great precautions from

making sure everybody's tested to masks are required

in the house, and all of our food is contactless,

which is so nice.

We're just so used to our masks now that

it's not a problem.

We have a lot to do, but we're getting it all done,

and a little separate from people,

but it's still very special.

But before volunteers arrive, curators

meticulously move priceless antiques to safe storage

for the next few weeks.

Uh, Tony, is the red rug going out?

The rug's going out.

10-4.

That includes rugs that can weigh

as much as 1,000 pounds.

All right, Tom, bring it down a little bit.

Their biggest challenge is lowering

the Blue Room chandelier to make room for

an 18-and-a-half-foot tree.

It's made of gilded wood, cut crystal,

and is over 200 years old.

Three years ago, a new custom crate

was designed for the fragile chandelier,

but they weren't sure it would fit.

The last time it was measured, it was hanging

15 feet in the air, so...

with a laser, we measured out

how big the footprint is.

- Very slow. - What you got?

- Good here, are you good? - Good on this side.

We made it! So let's go back.

There was a quarter of an inch between

the cups and that... That door frame.

Thankfully, they have a solution that will work

for years to come.

White House holiday decorating requires a lot of trees,

usually more than 50,

which National Park Service workers prepare.

When it's cut in the field,

it builds sap on the end of it,

so when you do the fresh cut, it allows the water to absorb.

All of those trees now need lights...

20,000 feet of LEDs.

We are on the twinkle team.

We're starting as close to the center of the tree

as we can get, we're bringin' 'em out,

wrap, wrap, wrap, and then bring 'em

to the end about this far, and then turn around

and wrap 'em back in, and it makes it really full.

After all that prep work,

more volunteers arrive the day after Thanksgiving

to start the serious decorating.

Early in the morning, everyone gathers for a pep talk.

So all of your hard work is gonna be seen

by so many people, and we are so excited

to have you here.

Through the next three days, realize that

we're gonna go slow and steady,

every bow is gonna be perfect,

every ornament is gonna be perfect.

It really is not about speed... It's about perfection.

This is going to be the best

holiday décor of all time.

- Right?

So thank you for being here,

and let's unload the trucks!

With that, it's time to load in box...

Stars!

After box...

I have presents!

After box.

Everyone's lined up, happily carrying boxes.

When do you happily carry a box ever?

Just here.

- Oooh! - Okay, I'm ready!

- All right! State Dining Room! - Let's go!

Each year, every ball, bow,

and giant topiary...

Okay, we're gonna have to duck to get in the door.

Is organized off-site and labeled where it should go.

Ready? Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

We're not singers. We're decorators.

As soon as the trucks are empty,

the Grand Foyer and Cross Hall

can begin their transformation.

They flow from one to another, so they are always

decorated with a cohesive approach on a grand scale.

We've got ice.

We've got a lot of ice... Girls, hi!

- Hi! - How many icicles have we hung?

Well, there's 3,200 total.

This is epic!

These are unbelievable, and I love the fact

that it's the silver and the gold and it just... it works.

It's very metallic, but it's very organic

at the same time. - Yeah.

Everything in the room is... Is nature.

With 20-foot-high ceilings and most of

the facade made of marble, they have to get creative

to avoid damage.

How are they attached, then, if you can't drill

into the marble?

The boards go into the wood underneath.

So tacked in, but, of course,

strong enough to hold the very heavy garland.

It's sneaky.

Trees are particularly important in this space.

They've created the illusion of fresh snow

and a winter forest for First Lady Melania Trump.

Start from the trunk of the tree and just

puddle it as a natural snowfall would puddle on the branches.

And a tribute from Michelle Obama

to all of the First Ladies before her.

This one in particular is from Pat Nixon,

- Okay. - And this is a flower ball

that we found in storage. - This was her ornament?

- Yes. - And Barbara Bush, of course,

with her library platform. - Yes, Barbara Bush

and Laura Bush were big on literacy,

- Right. - So we did ornaments

representing books.

We even have a little peanut over here for Rosalynn Carter,

which I think is so sweet.

The Grand Foyer and Cross Hall

are awe-inspiring, and this year is no exception.

Bright, crimson plaid bows and balls beside

giant urns of red amaryllis flowers

add splashes of Christmas color throughout the halls.

And the gifts under the trees, well,

they're the most cherished gifts of all.

We'll reveal those a little later in the show.

It's gonna be pretty dramatic and pretty dynamic.

From grand ballrooms to intimate spaces...

When you look at it, it fills your heart

with immense joy, it fills your heart with love.

It's just a truly beautiful tribute.

Personal decorating touches at the White House.

For more than a decade,

volunteers have filled the White House

with holiday spirit in just three days.

This year, we're not only showcasing the present...

Yes!

But also taking a look back one amazing room at a time.

One of the most challenging spaces to decorate

because of its size is the East Room,

the largest room in the White House.

It measures 80 feet long and is often used

for receptions and ceremonies.

It takes a little more manpower, woman power,

designer power.

Decorating this room is all about texture and scale.

- Oh, wow. - So this year,

the ribbons that are gonna be prevalent throughout

this room is this combination -Awww.

Of the stars, this beautiful blue velvet

- Yeah. - With the gold reverse,

and then this really, really luscious...

Wow!

It's basically a Styrofoam ball with a bunch of little

ornaments just hot-glued on, and then all the gaps

have been filled with a faux boxwood.

If you have two hours, and you're watching TV,

you could make this.

So really fun little fact here...

So these are actually being reused.

So you can take something that you've used last year,

the year before, and change it up

by adding a new element, and then by weaving that in

or just incorporating it with the design,

you just change the look without breaking the bank.

The East Room features four 14-foot trees

that have been adorned by both giant paper roses

and bulbs that bloom.

ROWLEY: They're actually gonna sprout up flowers

throughout the month... You'll get to see flowers

actually growing through the moss.

The grand windows have been the perfect backdrop

for shimmering orbs while the majestic mantels

have showcased innovative and playful ideas.

What we're trying to do is really mix

the traditional architecture

and bring some whimsical elements.

It's our toy land, you know, it's... it has...

There's Ferris wheels and trains and...

I love the Ferris wheel element of it.

This is the coolest little sculpture

- Thank you! - Made out of masking tape?

Yes, it's all rolled masking tape.

So the whole concept is very similar to, um,

using a lathe with wood.

- So, like, a turned wood lathe. - Exactly.

But you're doing it all by hand.

- It's Chicago. - And it's Chicago.

That's pretty cool, and I grew up

in the John Hancock. - Did you really?

- Yeah, 45th floor. - Wow.

- So this is so cool. - It's our home.

To have... yeah, the home town on a mantel

in the coolest way.

For 2020, designs are soaring

to new heights.

So the theme of this room specifically is transportation,

so on the trees, you're gonna find things

like cars, trucks, trains... The dump truck,

it's wired, it's zip-tied, so it stays in there,

because these are really heavy metal ones.

They're not the toy ones that you would play with

in the sandbox, and then we thought it'd be

fun to kind of have them dumping ornaments onto the tree.

From frosty dreamlands that glisten

to golden city skylines towering above,

the East Room is breathtaking.

This year creatively celebrates the history of America

on the move, from the first Transcontinental railroad

to the Apollo 11 lunar landing, Americans have been

pushing the boundaries of possibility for centuries.

Who knows what innovations America the beautiful

has on the horizon.

From grand in stature to grand in meaning,

the East Landing hosts one of the most important trees

in the White House... The Gold Star tree.

Honoring soldiers who have lost their lives in combat,

the Gold Star tree is decorated by their loved ones.

This time of year is hard, and everybody here

understands that without us having to talk about it,

so when we get emotional, everybody understands.

We give space, we give support.

My son, PFC Keith Williams.

He was 19. He was a great kid.

He was just a regular American kid,

and, uh, he loved Christmas.

It was the last holiday we spent together.

I told my daughter I was going to decorate

the Gold Star tree today, and she said, "Mommy,

make sure you put daddy on it."

I told her I would.

When you look at it, it fills your heart

with immense joy.

It fills your heart with love.

It fills your heart with a sense of community.

This is to recognize the military families,

and so it's, you know, just a time for us

to really lift that up.

Visitors have been encouraged to write

names of fallen military they know on stars

and hang them on the tree.

- It's very special. - It's a memorial, as well,

- It is. It is. - And a monument to all of them.

- Is that you son's name? - That's my son.

- Josh Byers. - Captain Josh Byers.

- Let's put him up there. - Okay.

Oh, it's so powerful.

They've also been able to write letters or emails

to those stationed overseas during the holidays.

And we all send them our love... Doesn't matter if

we know them personally or not, does it?

- They're taking care of us. - They are.

This year's Gold Star tree, honoring all of

our country's fallen heroes, stands proudly at attention.

The grand gingerbread house has been a White House

holiday tradition since 1968.

Each year, the designs

have carried on the legacy of going big.

With attention to every intricate detail,

the final masterpiece is phenomenal.

You know, we're coming up with a plan.

We start talking about it at the end of May.

We've estimated about 150 pounds of gingerbread,

and then 150 pound of bread dough,

and then we have gum paste, sugar work,

so combined, all of that, it's gonna be

well over 300, close to 400 pounds, easily.

It got even bigger when Melania Trump

asked them to add the Washington Mall in 2018

and 7 national monuments in 2019.

Last year was a very challenging event.

It was one of... what I think is one of the best ones

we ever done, but the First Lady stepped it up,

and she said, "Ah, I see you last year, and I got you

a bigger one this year."

And here's a secret, they haven't always

been made out of only gingerbread.

In 2015, Michelle Obama commissioned her first

100% gingerbread creation.

Gingerbread is actually a whole lot harder

than what we used in the past,

because in the past we were using dead dough,

which kinda is easier to mold,

and it dries out harder... Gingerbread is

difficult because of the cooking process.

One consistent addition to the gingerbread

displays has been the artistry that

Executive Pastry Chef Susie Morrison

has wielded with a blowtorch.

MORRISON: We're heatin' things up in the Chocolate Shop.

Heat up the copper tube,

and then I stick it in,

and then I'm gonna start to force air into it.

And then I slowly pull it off like that.

So each layer of the sugar box is poured sugar.

I have to make these little ribbon strips,

and each one of these are pulled and shaped,

and then they form the little ribbon or the bow

that I attach with a blowtorch.

We're just getting started

on the gingerbread house.

Surprise on this year's design are in store,

but first, a sneak peek at the 2020 décor

in two of the most famous rooms in the White House.

Volunteers are in high gear filling

every tree, mantel, and window with holiday spirit.

We are going into the Green Room,

which is my favorite room.

It's so beautiful.

The Green Room, lined with a luscious

green silk Laura Bush chose, is already primed

for Christmas color.

Each year, designers tend to choose a unique item

to build a theme around,

like hand-blown glass terrariums.

There are the succulents.

- Beautiful.

And then we also have a dried moss that comes

to life as you water it, -As you mist it.

So it just really kinda becomes its own little world.

-The theme is the gift -The theme is...

of good health. - The gift of good...

Oh! So we have fruits and vegetables.

Everywhere you look, there's just color,

there's fruit, there's vibrancy in here.

Many of the decorations rely on

the homemade touches of volunteers.

I have to try this... I love crafting.

You're painting the edges of the book

so they look real, right? - Exactly.

As well as the expertise

of White House craftsmen,

from carpenters to calligraphers to florists.

Now, talk to me about these. These are awesome.

These are pinecones that both the floral shop

and the many volunteers help us put together.

GHAFFARIAN: She's gluing them layer by layer.

We use three different shades just to give it some contrast.

We have real construction going on.

- Yeah. - What are you guys workin' on?

These are gonna be shadowboxes. They're gonna hang

in the Green Room window, and it's got LED lights

throughout. - That's so cool!

The window dressings for the Green Room

get more and more complex every year.

Last Christmas, North and South Porticos revealed

advent surprises.

Every day, they will have one of the doors open,

and they will see what's behind it.

It's a lot of fun... It's the first time

we're doing anything like this, so it's really...

It should be really cool.

You can always count on stunning craftsmanship

and elegant surprises in the Green Room.

And they're gonna be filled with different fruits

and vegetables kind of spilling out and over.

- Oh, I love that! - Yeah.

So it's gonna be very organic-looking in this room.

What I like about these... They almost look like

those little sprinkles you put on a Christmas cookie

with a brilliant little painting.

We did make these this year.

I am a sucker for felt... I just feel like

you really can't go wrong... It's always so beautiful.

Anywhere they sell trees, they'll sell you

a fir garland and then the cedar.

I layered it on top to make it really fat and thick.

- I think that's the key. - It has a lot of girth.

- I can tell. - Yes, yes.

Oh! I love the swag down...

You're not gonna do anything else, right?

- No, no. - I like it like that!

- Okay, good. - Yeah!

This year, creatures great and small are

nesting in their lush habitat.

Faux butterflies are flitting about,

while a buck oversees from the mountains.

We celebrate the diversity of wildlife and their domains

across this truly magnificent land.

All right, now we're heading into the Red Room.

An intimate space with crimson walls,

the Red Room is ideal for welcoming small groups

and hosting special dinners.

For the holidays, it's always been home to

Nancy Reagan's favorite addition...

The cranberry topiary.

Normally, it's some sort of cone shape.

The base of this is a Styrofoam box,

and then all you have to do is take a...

Little pieces of cranberry, could be faux, real,

and just pic it right in there.

- Glue it one. - Glue it on.

Sounds simple. Looks hard.

Making its 45th appearance this year,

the cranberry motif has come in many shapes and sizes,

but none have been as spectacular as the sugar

masterpieces by cake artisan, Maggie Austin.

I actually saw one of Maggie's cakes in person,

and when I thought of a unique design for the Red Room

this year, she really popped into mind.

In both 2013 and 2014, Maggie spent 6 months

creating flowers, cardinals, and even an urn

made completely of sugar.

You're just working with something that's

extremely delicate... It's a scary process,

because they're extremely fragile, so there's a lot

of breakage that can happen.

It's so beautiful, and it looks like it's hand-carved.

Decorating such a vibrant space can be daunting,

but over the years, the White House staff

and volunteers have figured out what makes the Red Room sing,

color and symmetry.

Want them like hillsides in San Francisco,

or do we want to put them a little more randomly?

- What was the consensus? - Asymmetrical.

The color on color brings it more interest,

gives it more depth, - Yeah.

And then the gold just makes it jump out at you.

What I love, too, is about red, that red can layer

with all sorts of reds and still work.

The burgundies, the persimmons, the deep reds,

the bright reds, all play so nicely together. Stunning.

And, of course, many of the designs

you can try at home.

So you used a little toothpick, created a hole,

and stuck the cloves in, but the patterns

are phenomenal... Here's why I love this so much,

because you want your house to smell like the holidays.

Anything lemon, lime, oranges, and add cloves

or cinnamon sticks, and then the entire house

just smells aromatic.

And Anna Grace is currently making some rose florets,

- Okay. - And we'll take this rose

floret, and we'll start adding them all around.

- You're gonna make each one? - Absolutely.

And then you do another layer and kinda bring 'em in?

And then once you're done, you put a little dice

in the middle. - Just finish.

- And you've got red and green. - Mm-hmm.

And you just... layer it in.

Look at that!

Perfect.

Whether focused on healthy eating...

Apple wreaths! These are great!

Or being our best selves...

- Oh! Pencils! - Pencils, yes.

We made these wreathes -Whoa!

With Be Best pencils glued in the middle of them.

- That is awesome! - Yeah.

The Red Room has been a space where the First Lady

could celebrate what she holds dear.

FALVEY: We have, um, basically, like, you know,

children's dreams... what can you dream for in America?

Yeah, like who do you want to be?

- FALVEY: Yeah. Yeah. - That's so cool!

This holiday season, we all owe a debt

of gratitude to first responders and front line workers.

From postal carriers to grocery baggers

to healthcare workers pulling double shifts,

these are American heroes

to whom we all say thank you.

Coming up, the Blue Room transformation.

This is the most important tree

in the entire house.

- Okay, no pressure. - No pressure.

Thank you.

And then look at this.

Oh, my gosh, California poppy!

The star of the show we've been waiting on...

The official White House tree arrives next.

For White House Christmas 2020,

we're reflecting on the past decade of design

and highlighting what's never been done before.

Over the last 10 years, there have been well

over 500 Christmas trees in the White House,

but perhaps no other tree gets the full celebrity treatment

like the official White House Christmas tree.

Each year, it is hand-selected and takes

center stage in the Blue Room.

This is the most important tree

in the entire house. - Okay, no pressure.

- No pressure. - Thank you.

Dale Haney has been helping select trees and tend

the White House grounds for nearly 50 years.

He's also taken care of some very special pooches,

including Barney and Miss Beazley Bush,

and Bo and Sunny Obama.

Dale personally travels to Christmas tree farms

in North Carolina, Pennsylvania,

and as far as Wisconsin to ensure the Blue Room tree

meets some key criteria.

Well, we're looking for good color, and of course,

we want smell, and of course, we need the 18 feet, 6 inches,

and one that will fill the room and bring Christmas

into the White House.

- Smell that one, Jim. - Oh, that smells like Christmas.

I love the shape and the size and the width.

- Everything looks perfect! - I think this is it.

- This tree looks great. - This is the tree!

- Yay! - We're happy!

In keeping with a time-honored tradition,

the tree arrives at the North Portico

in a horse-drawn carriage and must get the stamp

of approval from the First Lady.

Hi, everyone!

- What do you think? - It's great.

- Well, what is it? - It's great.

It's great. Should we...

- Should we accept it? - Yeah.

All right, I think we're good.

Hope you come and see how it's decorated.

Perfect.

To get from the carriage to the Blue Room,

National Park Service teamwork and a little muscle

usually do the trick, but there was

that one year...

Oh!

A concolor fir from Lehighton, Pennsylvania,

weighing 1,200 pounds did not want to budge.

We've got about 15 guys pulling on this thing,

trying to get it in here.

They even had to remove the doors!

One, two, three!

Oh, yeah.

Of course, they always find a way...

Yeah, and now we just gotta tighten it down.

To have it ready for volunteer decorators

within hours.

Ornaments adorning this tree have included

giant show-stoppers...

And then look at this.

Delicate, one-of-a-kind paper crafts...

Oh, my gosh! California poppy!

Oh, you went right to your state.

McCORMICK: I did!

And homemade keepsakes from children in military families.

This one says merry Christmas, Taylor from Georgia.

Taylor from Georgia also wrote, "I hope you have

a great time being president." - Awww!

This is phenomenal, and honestly,

after seeing all of the rooms,

and knowing how much time and effort you put in

to all this, this is gonna be my favorite tree.

- I can already tell. - Oh, you think so?

- I know so. - Yay!

The largest tree in the White House

often pays tribute to the men and women proudly

serving our country in the armed forces.

This is the garland that we're making.

It's made up of pieces of embroidery that were made

by women in Ohio of every state,

as well as pictures of military people

coming home to their families.

Some of the pictures are just the most incredible things

that I've seen.

The idea on the tree being that states are united,

that we rally around each other and support each other,

not only when they're in service,

but when they return home.

The red, white, and blue, layering up,

I love how you're just color-coding each layer.

I haven't seen this done before.

- Never been done before. - Oh!

Well, aren't you awesome.

Whether we celebrate what makes each state unique

or what ties us together, this tree is a reminder

that we as a nation are stronger united.

This one says, "We love you, and we're so proud of"

"your decision to defend our great country,

Love always, mom and dad."

And these are done on mirrors, and so it's a reflection,

so as they read them, you're actually

seeing yourself. - See yourself.

- We the people. - We the people.

And we're seeing ourselves in our military

in the families and friends. - Yes.

- Just really take that in. - We the people.

The 2020 Blue Room tree is radiant

with bursts of yellow and gold bows.

Ornaments drawn by children all over the United States

showcase what they feel makes their home special.

Our diversity makes us unique,

but our common goal of a brighter future

for all Americans strengthens us.

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be

as exact as possible.

We say every year it's a gingerbread house,

but it's so much more than that.

The 2020 gingerbread house reveal is up next.

All right, here we go.

We are hitting the home stretch of a three-day

decorating marathon, and the results,

year after year, are spectacular.

Now we are in the State Dining Room,

and it looks like a full-on craft room has been set up.

We had 40 boxes of bulbs, 'cause we have

two trees and the mantel.

- Isn't that gorgeous? - This is gorgeous!

One of the most opulent rooms to decorate

is the State Dining Room.

Volunteers make sure the ribbons and ornaments in this room

really sparkle.

I love the blue!

Oh, usually, you can never use blue that much,

but it's really pretty. - This particular shade,

which is a vintage blue that is just timeless.

Well, it just reflects... It just reflects

the really elegant things, you know.

Boxes of gold

and gold and gold. - Yes.

Tell me what this room's gonna be.

We have ribbons, all different types of textured ribbon.

- Unbelievable. - Absolutely gorgeous.

I haven't seen ribbon like this, ever.

Decorations in such a large room have to catch your eye...

What is that?

And command attention.

So that is a handcrafted paper mache eagle,

and they will be placed on top of each one of the trees.

- Isn't that beautiful? - This is unbelievable,

and tying this back in

to a lot of the furniture pieces that are in the room.

I'm going shoes off for this.

Wish me luck.

This is like an arm workout here.

Ta-da! Whoo!

Have you ever seen this before on a tree?

- No. - Me, neither.

Have we seen a lot of things?

- We have. We have. - We have.

- So this is interesting. - Yes.

I think it's so neat how they're so different,

the architectural detail from state to state.

As a realtor, I can appreciate that,

even in Lego houses.

I think the show-stopper in this, like, when you walk in,

is boom!

-This is the most beautiful, -It's beautiful.

And even from right here, I think that these are real,

and they are not at all.

Can we talk about this magnificent piece of crazy

right here? - This is a miniature snow scene,

which I am going to put into a huge 8-foot-tall

gumball machine.

And there will be 10,000 white gumballs around here.

Yay, here they are!

- Now we're on. - It's on.

That's like a dream come true!

I mean, when does anyone come to you and say,

"Let's do an 8-foot gumball machine, and you can make

"a magical scene inside," like, when does that happen

in your life?

Pushing the envelope of creativity has always

been the game plan for pastry chefs in charge

of the gingerbread house.

It will eventually make its home in the State Dining Room,

but for the build, worker bees buzz about

in the China Room.

One of the things that we like to emphasize

is the very handmade nature of the rooms,

and part of that is the sculptural moldings

on the ceilings, so we take gum paste,

and then we push it into these molds.

This is so different-looking than the last couple years.

So inside the windows now, I'm seeing...

YOSSES: Yeah, that's an interesting touch.

We took actual pictures of the inside of the White House,

and we print them out on plastic,

and we pour sugar... Hot sugar on top of it.

Then, when you peel the paper off,

the image stays, so... - Oh, it's like a little decal.

Is this something you could do at home?

YOSSES: You really could.

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves

to be as exact as possible.

MORRISON: We say every year, "It's a gingerbread house,"

but it's so much more than that.

This art has one distinguishing feature...

It's all edible.

Some of the columns, which as you can see them,

they are made out of chocolate.

Yes! I knew this broke. Thank you.

So the columns are chocolate, the base is chocolate, as well?

Everything is pastillage, gingerbread, and spaghetti.

Unbelievable, and so intricate.

And it's very, very fragile, 'cause the rails themselves

are made out of angel hair pasta.

- Oh, not even just spaghetti. - And linguini.

- Not even... it's angel hair. - Angel hair.

- Wow. - And sometimes,

we even get to help.

This is all just chocolate, melted?

- Yes. - It smells amazing.

Oh, now you're comin' in with the sugar.

That looks so pretty... Look at this.

Oh, it's all in my hair... Look at this.

It's snowing at the White House.

- What you're gonna do... - Yes.

Is just like this...

So I'll turn while you spray.

Okay, I'm gonna keep spraying,

- Yes. - Or do I get to do that?

- You can do that, too. - That was so fun.

Beautiful!

Perfect!

These will go on Santa's sleigh

- Sure. - For the top of the house.

You make it look so easy.

The best reward for helping is a tasty one.

Okay, Susie, this is dangerous.

I eat a lot of these, you know, because it's my job

to taste test every day.

You have the best job in the world.

- Yes, I do. - I know I tell everybody that,

but I really think you do. Mm!

We'll cheers together. Very good. Excellent.

For 2020, the gingerbread design

is as extraordinary as ever, with the addition of

the East and West Wings.

To commemorate the newly restored Rose Garden

this summer, Mrs. Trump asked them to include

meticulous landscaping to the gingerbread display

of the entire South Lawn.

We never had the opportunity to do the Oval Office

or the gardens and all that stuff, and that's why

it was great when the First Lady said, "Hey, let's put

the gardens in there, let's focus on the gardens."

It was a great situation for us to run with it and just

create as much detail as we could.

What we tried to do was make as many roses

that looked like late summer, early fall.

And we included almost 200 in the display that we made.

If you can just imagine just one leaf here,

and then all of the hundreds that are included,

there is a tremendous amount of love put into them

to make them look as realistic as possible.

They're even adding a miniature version

of the new Rose Garden sculpture by Asian-American artist,

Isamu Noguchi.

It looks very humble and maybe a little small,

but when you think of it opposite of the Oval Office,

it comes out with great beauty and grandeur.

The pastry team and operations crew gather

early Sunday morning to move this year's sugar showpiece,

weighing 465 pounds.

Since it's all one structure, they carefully roll it

with dollies...

One, two, three!

Ease it into a van...

That's all right. We're good.

Drive around to the North Portico

ever so slowly...

lift it up several stairs...

until it's safely arrived on the historic pier table

where proud volunteers await.

Merry Christmas, and we hope you enjoy

our beautiful gingerbread display,

so thank you very much.

Merry Christmas!

Finally, the State Dining Room is ready

for any kid at heart.

From a children's toy fantasy land

to America's treasured landmarks,

this room celebrates what brings us joy.

And for 2020, we find it in the incredible beauty

across our nation.

With not one but two perfect replicas of

the White House gardens, visitors can delight

in the tiniest details.

There are still so many rooms we haven't shown you.

Sit back and enjoy the entire 2020 White House

holiday tour comin' up.

Three days of nonstop holiday decorating

at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue have come to a close,

and the results are magical.

62 Christmas trees are adorned with 3,200 strands

of lights and 17,000 bows.

We've shown you lots of amazing decorations,

but we saved some special ones for your personalized

holiday tour, which starts right here

at the East Entrance.

For 2020, magnolia leaves add natural color and texture

around the grand entry doors.

Strolling inside the East Entrance,

draped in fragrant cedar garland,

visitors arrive at the East Landing.

Here, the most significant tree, the Gold Star tree,

pays tribute to fallen American heroes

and the families who continue to honor their legacy.

It's a shining example of service and sacrifice.

Around the corner, the East Colonnade is

a gallery of greenery.

Each urn showcases the diverse flora in our country

be region, including our 6 territories.

In the East Garden Room,

the Trumps have continued the tradition of displaying

holiday cards from generations of First Families.

And this year's official Trump family ornament

has a star with the presidential seal in the center.

The journey continues down the Lower Cross Hall

into the Vermeil Room, which displays

a large collection of gold-covered silver.

This year's official White House ornament honoring

John F. Kennedy adorns the trees and mantel,

along with the nautical accents signifying his love

for the sea.

Across the hall is the Library, which is celebrating

the hundredth anniversary of women's right to vote.

This room is filled with yellow roses and sunflowers,

symbols of women's suffrage, and ornaments that pay

tribute to the many pioneers in gender equality.

Next up is the China Room, displaying dish patterns

from past presidents.

It's been transformed into a cozy home,

reminding us of the simple joys during the holidays,

like the aroma of baked goodies,

the comfort of reading next to a crackling fire,

and the eager anticipation of Santa.

The tour continues up the stairs into the Grand Foyer

and Cross Hall.

The First Lady would like all Americans to reflect

on their blessings this Christmas season

and enjoy the gifts of love, joy, peace, and faith.

The first room on this level is the East Room,

featuring our favorite modes of transportation.

How we travel and stay connected will determine

our country's next chapter of progress.

Next door is the more tranquil Green Room,

a safe haven for winged creatures.

Butterflies often symbolize transformation,

playfulness, and celebration.

This year's Fraser fir in the Blue Room has come

from champion growers in West Virginia.

Bright yellow ribbon and homemade ornaments

from children all over the country

point to a future that's bright for all.

In the Red Room, we lift up our everyday heroes,

our neighbors fighting to keep us healthy and safe.

The cranberry topiary wrapped in homemade felt

and the places that build a community

are reminders that we are all in this together.

Your tour ends in the State Dining Room.

Adorned with beautiful delicate roses,

the pale yellow peace rose pays tribute to those found

in the newly renovated Rose Garden,

which is also replicated in the gorgeous

gingerbread house display on the pier table.

May we all find peace this holiday season.

There's one more tradition that signals that

Santa is not far away...

The lighting of the National Christmas Tree

in President's Park.

It's a Colorado Blue Spruce that gets taller every year

and is always lit by the First Family.

Five, four, three,

two, one.

This has been so much fun.

The White House is absolutely beautiful.

I know.

Now, it's time to celebrate the beauty, peace,

and wonder of the season.

From my family and our HGTV team to yours,

happy holidays! Muwah!

White House Christmas 2020!