“There is a whole culture around the White House volunteer decorators,” the designer, who described the experience as both “grueling and heartwarming,” tells AD. “I was very moved by how skilled the volunteers were and that their dream was to spend a week of vacation working so hard.”
One of the decorators under Burke’s leadership was Beth Kingston, owner of Kingston Crafts and The Kingston Home. She was particularly enamored with the Burke & Pryde founder’s design for a faux popcorn garland made of chenille yarn. “[It] was hands down the most talked about DIY of the entire White House,” Kingston says via email. “Many volunteers went home and recreated it for their own trees.” For her own home, the Maryland-based craft aficionado was not only inspired to make “yards and yards of popcorn garland,” but also to lean into a “more is more” approach when it comes to festive decor—despite her more minimalist-leaning tendencies. Spagnolo, for her part, came away from the experience with a newfound love of fake snow. “I flocked an entire first floor of Christmas decor [for a client] after being inspired by the use of faux snow at The White House,” she says.
Kingston enjoyed the process so much that she happily returned this year as a team leader. “The camaraderie and the willingness to share knowledge and ideas was a bit of a surprise and an absolute gift,” she tells AD. “We told stories of our own Christmas traditions, shared ideas, and swapped spots when someone hit a snag. It sounds so corny, but it is everything we all wish America could be 365 days of the year.”
Read on for a look at how the ever-more-elaborate holiday decor has evolved over the years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
