10 Things You Never Knew About the White House Christmas Tree

The First Lady selects the annual theme

Selecting the decor of the White House during the Christmas season begins with the First Lady, a tradition that started with First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy in 1961. (She chose a “Nutcracker Suite” theme.) “[Kennedy’s] theme made a statement that was personal and meaningful; it was both fully representative of her elegant taste and articulated a uniquely American sense of style,” Laura Dowling wrote in her book, A White House Christmas. “Jackie Kennedy’s move opened up the door for every First Lady to put her own creative and personal stamp on the iconic White House Christmas.” Find out more fascinating facts about all of America’s First Ladies.

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