A Star-Studded White House Christmas
Camila Cabello performs in the Cross Hall of the White House (Courtesy of PBS).
The holiday season has become a spectacle at the First Family’s home throughout the years. Starting during President Jimmy Carter’s term in 1978, PBS has aired In Performance at the White House to showcase the spirited structure of American culture.
Article by Garrett Whitton, Junior White House Correspondent
WASHINGTON - Regardless of age, waking up on Christmas morning fills anyone with joy and cheer. But imagine doing so in the White House. The holiday season has become a spectacle at the First Family’s home throughout the years. Starting during President Jimmy Carter’s term in 1978, PBS has aired In Performance at the White House to showcase the spirited structure of American culture. To do so, each president chooses and invites various artists to perform at the White House. Mick Jagger, Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin are some, to name a few. Though all performances since the Carter administration have been entertaining, this year’s program was slightly different. For one, there were no audiences. President Biden thought it would be inappropriate to have guests, considering he is the head of an administration whose goal is to rid the country and the world of a pandemic. So, instead of having a fixed stage for the singers, all performances were presented in different rooms around the abode.
The program began with a performance by the US Marine Band, who were lined up outside the front entrance. Dr. Jill Biden stood at the end to welcome the viewers to her home. She then introduced the host for the evening, her good friend and Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Garner. She thanked and accompanied the first lady to the entrance. As the two walked inside, it seemed they strolled straight into a Hallmark Christmas movie with decorations galore.
Among the other White House Christmas customs, it is a tradition for the first lady to decorate the entire residence with a theme. Jackie Kennedy was the earliest first lady to begin decorating according to one. This year the theme is “Gifts from the Heart.” Fortunately for Dr. Biden, she was able to show her decorating skills throughout the entire house. To start, she tackled the 18 and a half foot Christmas tree first, making it an appropriate backdrop for Camila Cabello’s performance of “I’ll be Home for Christmas.”
Once Cabello finished, a map of the residence’s ground floor faded onto the screen. A dotted arrow directed the audience to the Blue Room, where they met Garner again. There, she explained the room’s history and how it is used for welcoming guests. She then introduced the next performer. Pentatonix, a famous a cappella group, made their way out and performed a beautiful rendition of “Amazing Grace.” The map reappeared and guided the viewers to the next stop on the tour. As they were led around, Garner shared the fascinating history of each room and introduced artists, including blind Italian opera tenor Andrea Bocelli and his son, Mateo, as well as country star Eric Church who performed “Joy to the World.” The hymn is the most performed Christmas carol of the 20th and 21st centuries. Church’s performance came to a close with a montage of pictures from past PBS Christmas broadcasts from the White House.
Once it came back from commercial, Dr. Biden welcomed the audience to the East Room of the White House and gave a tribute to all the health care workers who have been face to face with Covid-19 over the past two years. After, she introduced a unique group of nurses who formed a singing group during the pandemic. They sang their version of Johnny Mathis’ “We Need a Little Christmas.” A performance by Norah Jones in the Red Room and another montage of clips and pictures followed before going to commercial.
Because the Biden’s are a military family and have much gratitude for the country’s armed forces, they made sure to pay tribute to the retired, active, and deceased by dedicating a room to them. Its theme was “The Gift of Service.” Standing in it was a tree wrapped in garland naming different soldiers who have died serving their country. A music group made up of retired and active military members sang and performed around this tree.
The audience was led back to another performance by Andre Bocelli, this time singing alongside his young daughter, Virginia. After an emotional version of “Hallelujah,” Garner encouraged the viewers to follow her down to the Grand Floor Corridor, where the final performance took place. Finally, the Jonas Brothers performed their upbeat Christmas song “Like it’s Christmas” with the US Marine Band to wrap up the evening in a joyful mood.
The broadcast ended with an address from President Joe Biden, emphasizing his thanks for the countless healthcare workers who are continually helping the country make it through such a troublesome time. He also recognized the families who have lost loved ones to the pandemic and informed the public that he keeps all of us in his prayers. Finally, the President ended by thanking his fellow Americans who are doing their part to move beyond Covid-19.
As he ended his brief speech, Biden was joined by his wife and Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband. After adding some thoughts to the President’s holiday message, they simultaneously wished the country a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.