Holiday Cheer at the White House: A Smaller, Shorter Tour

The White House is ready to welcome visitors again, just in time for the holidays. But this year, things look a bit different. The East Wing is gone, making way for a new ballroom. This has made the tour shorter and changed how people see the famous holiday decorations. The East Wing used to be the start of the tour. It was full of holiday magic. But now, the tour begins and ends at the North Portico. Some favorite spots, like the Map Room, are no longer part of the tour. Instead, visitors go through the East Room, Blue Room, Green Room, Red Room, and State Dining Room. The decorations are still impressive. There are 75 wreaths, 51 Christmas trees, and over 2, 000 strands of lights. The first lady, Melania Trump, chose a theme called "Home Is Where The Heart Is. " The Blue Room has a big Christmas tree with gold stars and white globes. Each globe shows a state bird and flower. Gold Star families, who lost loved ones in military service, helped decorate this tree. The Green Room is all about family fun. It has big Lego portraits of President George Washington and Donald Trump. Volunteers from all over the country helped put these together. The Red Room has over 10, 000 blue butterflies. These celebrate young people, especially those who have been in foster care. The East Room marks America's upcoming 250th anniversary with patriotic colors and symbols. The State Dining Room has a gingerbread White House. It's made with 120 pounds of gingerbread dough and 100 pounds of pastillage dough. The second floor of the gingerbread house is open. Visitors can see inside the Yellow Oval, where the first family spends time. The White House has been going through big changes. The Rose Garden now looks like a patio at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. The Oval Office is gilded from floor to ceiling. Even the Lincoln bathroom in the residence got a major makeover with lots of marble. Not everyone is happy about these changes. Some people think the East Wing demolition is a sign of how Trump runs the government. Polls show that most Americans are against the new ballroom project. But for now, the White House is ready to welcome visitors with its holiday cheer.