So several years ago here in our nation's capital, one of the finest violinists in the world Joshua, playing at the busy metro station during the morning rush hour, it was more of an experiment to see what would happen or to see if anyone would notice. Hundreds of commuters rushed by, absorbed in their busyness of their daily lives, oblivious to the beauty floating in the air around them. But time and time again, one particular group noticed arching their neck suddenly captivated surprise as they heard the music. This group consistently wandered over to the violinists the lighting in the beauty pouring from his streams. And the idea was That's exactly right. Children are it bound by time and inherently no beauty. Their rich, colorful mosaic of autumn leaves piled high on its emerald blanket of grass. The mesmerizing rhythm of soft calories, snow, as it falls from a glistening night's sky. The gorgeous sound of an extraordinary violinist. It's this childlike marble and all of that inspired this year's holiday themed the magic, wonder and enjoy of the season. Each room is designed to capture this pure, unfiltered delight and imagination to see you know the this season this time of year to the wondrous sparkling eyes of children. As guests enter the East Wing they walk underneath the branches wasn't not like so
much with my I remember just like mesmerized by Christmas tree and I'm sure and the press sold early this morning that pierces through the facade of the swing. And you know, it's as if they were children again they gaze off in wonder like we did at the twinkling lights and feel the soft pine needles above. The first Christmas tree featured inside the White House is adorned with gold star ornaments and they are engraved with the names of the Fallen servicemembers. This gold star tree honors being heroic. I think it's so emotional for those of you who did it. I know there were so many Gold Star families who helped with that training. You know that heroic men and women of our nation's military, those who have laid down their lives for our country and the families who carry on their legacies. May God bless our troops and their families.
The East colonnade greets guests with the Sweet Treats of the season floating above their heads, reminding children and families of the delicious flavors of the holidays. Lining the marble arches of the ground floor corridor. Our holiday messages from Americans across this country to Santa Claus magically fly in and out of vintage mailboxes, ready to be sent to the north pole with a stamp and a wish. In the library. Guests are transported to the nostalgic Bedtime Stories of holidays past and present as Santa rides by the window on his leg. In the verb Bay room, we celebrate the joy that music and merriment bring us during the holidays like the one that sound you heard from the band here in the China room. A sweet shop with baking ingredients and cooking supplies reminds us of familiar recipes that bring generations of families together. Year after year during this season. In the east group, the joyful anticipation of the holidays is front and center with advent calendars, counting down the days of Christmas and each door will reveal a surprise for children of all ages to enjoy. Please be sure to follow along on my bonus channels on Facebook, Instagram X and great to see each day's moment imagine wonder and Julie in the green room, we honor the peace and strain that we find in faith. It's often a quiet candle in rooms where we can see most clearly center ourselves and embrace the wonder of the world around us. The blue room behind me features the official White House Christmas tree, a study creation covered in holiday cheer from across the country and I'm sure you all walked in and the first thing you did was look for your state right so a vintage passenger train leaves around the tree space. I know the kids are just going to love it when they visit. The red room is filled with our favorite holiday crafts, reminding guests of the limitless reaches of their imaginations. And to honor our military families. The ornaments in the red room were made from the handprints and the family portraits of military connected children. Yes, let's clap for them.
Across hall right over there we have the official White House Madura created last year by our White House carpenters who are so special using reclaimed wood from the beams of this house. Save for when President Truman honestly don't miss it. You know renovators use it over 70 years ago. And finally in the State Dining Room, the magic wonder and the joy of the holidays all come together in a recreate a recreation of Santos workshop. throughout the house, we paid tribute to the 200th anniversary of the publication of Twas the Night Before Christmas. A poem acts so deeply into so many of our childhood memories. We work with the Library of Congress to bring a sampling of additions from the last 200 years here to the White House. You'll also notice that this year's gingerbread house have y'all seen Susie like such an amazing job and all her golf tears. It recreate and creates the classic tale and in the Grand Foyer where we are right now set to edit his reindeer fly through the air and I am amazed at what they were made from paper mache I mean there's so it's just so cool. And it's like they're leaping from the storybooks pages. I don't know how you feel but I feel it's just breathtaking. Yeah.
The Holidays offer a time for reflection and a break from our hurried lives. It's your season to be fully present with our friends and our families. It's also a season of gratitude. And I want to take a moment to thank you the hundreds of volunteer decorators and designers. You've traveled from near and far to bring the spirit and the cheer of the holiday season to life. Without your hard work and painstaking attention to detail. None of this would be possible. I hope that this experience has been as meaningful, meaningful for you, as it will for the 1000s of visitors. And we've upped it this year. We're going to have like over 100,000 which is just amazing. And everyone is going to enjoy your craftsmanship as they walk these halls. So I hope that you're leaving with more than just a few friends. The guy that kinda can only be forged together when working together to shape chicken wire into magnetic or meticulously Hey, oh, those pinning those gumdrop?
hours on end. Today we also honor the people who work all year to help us stay in touch with the American people, our correspondents volunteers
a lot of work, you know reading the mail answering the phones but you're an essential part of our democracy. Whether you've been volunteering for years and years are just a few months or maybe a few decades like someone who so with all of my heart, thank you. Magic, wonder and joy. I know that they can feel hard to find sometimes as the database grows shorter and the weather grows colder, as our hearts grow heavy in the face of the tumultuous world as we miss those who are no longer with us an empty seat at the table of our holiday gatherings. But it's in these times when we are searching for hope and healing these points of life all of them. You know that's the most that we need is each other. That's when we need each other the most. Because, you know children have something to teach us if we're wise enough to listen, how to remain present. Even as a busy world beckons us how to open ourselves up to love and wonder and to marvel at every moment, no matter how ordinary how to find unity at a metro stop with the child's appreciation for the magic wonder and joy of the season. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy Holidays from the Biden family. Chop off of yours thank you so much for joining.
