VOA文化艺术2023--What the White House Looks Like for Christmas

What the White House Looks Like for Christmas

U.S. first lady Jill Biden wants everyone who visits the White House around Christmas to feel like a kid again.

On Monday, Biden held a gathering¹ to show the White House Christmas decorations. "Magic, Wonder and Joy" is the theme this year. It will be the Bidens' third Christmas holiday in the White House.

"Each room on display is designed to capture the...delight and imagination of our childhoods," the first lady said. She also thanked some 300 people who volunteered to decorate the White House.

There are oversized holiday candies and other sweets in the hallway. There is a Santa Clause² with eight reindeer³ suspended near the entrance.

Throughout two floors of the public area of the White House are reminders⁴ from the poem popularly known as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. The U.S. Library of Congress helped with copies of the poem from the past 200 years.

The traditional gingerbread White House includes a large sugar cookie copy of the book opened to a page that says, "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night." The book contains 40 sheets of sugar cookie dough⁵. Another 40 sheets of gingerbread dough are used for the house with 14 kilograms of chocolate and 23 kilograms of royal icing.

The oversized decorations are meant to bring feelings of joy to children at this time of the year, White House aides said. Children of military families were among the first members of the public to see the decorations. And they were also treated to an afternoon performance of the Disney musical performance Frozen⁶.

One of the first Christmas trees visitors will see upon entering the White House is decorated with golden wooden stars. The ornaments⁸ include the names of fallen service members.

The official White House Christmas tree is a 5.6-meter-tall tree that stands in its usual place in the Blue Room. The tree is decorated with cheerful pictures from across the country. A toy train runs around its base.

The State Dining Room has been turned into Santa's workshop. There are workbenches for Santa's helpers, the elves. Stools⁹ and ladders circle Christmas trees and gifts-in-progress round out the display.

In the library, the moons and the stars are ready to honor the tradition of bedtime stories. The China Room has been turned into a shop of baked goods. The Vermeil Room celebrates music with a display of a toy Marine¹⁰ Band.

In her prepared remarks, the first lady said she knows that magic, wonder and joy can be hard to find, especially as the days grow shorter, the weather turns colder. She said, "Our hearts grow heavy in the face of a tumultuous world."

"But it's in these times, when we are searching for hope and healing, that we need those points of light the most, that we need each other the most," she said. "It's in these times that I hope you remember, if even just for a moment or a season, how you saw the world as a child."

Overall, the White House uses 98 Christmas trees, nearly 34,000 ornaments, over 22,000 bells and more than 350 candles for the display. And they are lit with 142,500 lights.

Words in This Story

decoration –n. an object or ornament⁷ that is used to make a place more attractive and interesting

theme –v. the main subject or repeated idea that is shown with objects in a place or with words in a piece of writing

delight –n. a feeling of happiness

tumultuous –adj. involving violence, confusion and disorder

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 clause   

n.（正式文件或法律文件的）条款，从句，分句

参考例句：

• The sentence consists of a main clause and a subordinate clause.这句中有一个主句和一个从句。
• What clause do you require in the contract?你要求在合同中订上什么条款？

3 reindeer   

n.驯鹿

参考例句：

• The herd of reindeer was being trailed by a pack of wolves.那群驯鹿被一只狼群寻踪追赶上来。
• The life of the Reindeer men was a frontier life.驯鹿时代人的生活是一种边区生活。

4 reminders   

n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 )；提醒…的东西；（告知该做某事的）通知单；提示信

参考例句：

• The film evokes chilling reminders of the war. 这部电影使人们回忆起战争的可怕场景。
• The strike has delayed the mailing of tax reminders. 罢工耽搁了催税单的投寄。

5 dough   

n.生面团；钱，现款

参考例句：

• She formed the dough into squares.她把生面团捏成四方块。
• The baker is kneading dough.那位面包师在揉面。

6 frozen   

adj.冻结的，冰冻的

参考例句：

• He was frozen to death on a snowing night.在一个风雪的晚上，他被冻死了。
• The weather is cold and the ground is frozen.天寒地冻。

7 ornament   

v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物

参考例句：

• The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。
• She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。

8 ornaments   

n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The shelves were chock-a-block with ornaments. 架子上堆满了装饰品。
• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments. 一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 stools   

n.凳子( stool的名词复数 )；大便，粪便

参考例句：

• If you don't make your choice in time, you are likely to fall between two stools. 如果你不及时作出决定，就会两头落空。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• 48 Between two stools one goes to the ground. 48脚踏两条船，迟早要落水。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗

10 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。