16 behind-the-scenes photos show the White House being decorated for Christmas

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November 21, 2018 6:21 PM

After months of planning, thousands of volunteers and staff transform the White House for Christmas in a matter of days.

First lady Melania Trump, staff, and volunteers have been planning what the White House will look like for Christmas since the summer.

The week of Thanksgiving, the decorating has finally begun to transform the "People's House" for the holiday season.

President Donald Trump joined his wife to receive the White House Christmas tree on Monday:

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See what the preparations look like in these behind-the-scenes photos.

The first lady and her staff have been strategizing this year's decorations since at least July.

The official White House Christmas tree, which arrived on November 19, is still delivered in a horse-drawn carriage with drivers in top hats and tuxes.

This year's tree comes from the Smith family of the Mountain Top Fraser Fir farm in Newland, North Carolina.

Larry Smith also grew a tree for the vice president's residence in 2001.

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The Trumps inspected the tree when it arrived.

North Carolina has produced more White House Christmas trees than any other state. This is the 14th.

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The tree has to be 18 to 19 feet tall in order to fit in the Blue Room.

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It took a dozen National Park Service staff to haul the massive tree inside.

This year's Fraser Fir is 19 1/2 feet tall.

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Every year, they have to remove the chandelier from the Blue Room so the tree can fit.

President William H. Taft's children put the first Christmas tree in the Blue Room in 1912.

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The tree is just the first, big step in holiday decorating. Thousands of volunteers will transform the White House over the coming days for visitors, staff, and the first family to enjoy.

Melania tweeted photos on Saturday, November 24 of volunteers decorating.

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"Thank you to all the volunteers from across our great nation who are working hard to decorate the @whitehouse," the first lady wrote. "Can’t wait to view it all tomorrow night!"

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Melania will soon reveal the final transformation for the White House holiday season.

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