Christmas Tree Decorating Themes 2011

White House Christmas decorations unveiled: it's gone to the dogs

Jura Koncius

Home and design writer reporting on interiors, decluttering, organizing and entertaining

November 30, 2011

Scroll to the bottom for this year's photos.

'Twas the third Obama White House Christmas. What will be the 2011 theme?

As first lady Michelle Obama unveils the holiday decorations Wednesday, presidential style watchers will be looking to see what she and theWhite House floral designers, chefs and dozens of decorating volunteers have created as the backdrop for thousands of guests at December's official tours and holiday parties.

View Photo Gallery: First Lady Michelle Obama presents this year's holiday decorating themes at the White House.

In 2009, the Obamas kept things frugal and environmentally correct with the theme "Reflect, Rejoice, Renew", which featured harvested "dried root materials" from the White House Kitchen Garden, recycled ornaments from previous administrations and energy saving LED lights.

Last year, the First Family went with "Simple Gifts." This was a decorating scheme that incorporated recycled newspapers and magazines sprinkled with glitter and made into trees and wreaths in the Green Room, a four-foot Bo built of pipe cleaners and a holiday program with artwork by students, faculty and alumni from the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design.

This year the first viewing of the decorations included military families as guests. A special Gold Star Christmas tree is displayed in the visitor's entrance at the East Wing Landing and the theme of the Blue Room Christmas tree will honor Blue Star families.

Here's the rest of the scoop on the White House Christmas straight from the big house, with @jurakoncius tweeting the decorations:

Jura Koncius Jura Koncius covers interiors and lifestyle for The Washington Post. She has written about the homes of Martha Stewart and profiled Blair House, the president's guest house. She reports on White House design and the major decluttering movement in America. She hosts a weekly Q&A on home and design Thursdays at 11 a.m. ET at live.washingtonpost.com. Follow