Holiday Open House
- Date
- 12/13/2015
- Time
- -
- Days
- Sunday
- Cost
- Free
Celebrate White House holiday traditions and décor at this family friendly event! Explore the special exhibit, White House Gingerbread: Holiday Traditions and the themes of this year’s official White House Christmas Ornament honoring the first National Christmas Tree Lighting by Calvin Coolidge in 1923. Meet former White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier during a special book signing. Former White House floral designer Jennie Lewis and pastry chef Mark Ramsdell will provide festive demonstrations and music will be performed throughout the day by students from Levine Music. Try your hand at a variety of seasonal crafts and take a photo at our holiday photo booth! The White House History Shop will be open during this event.
2015 Holiday Open House Schedule of Events
10:00 a.m. — 3:00 p.m. Carriage House
Design your own holiday card, White House snowscape, and presidential gingerbread ornament.
Try a gingerbread sample (while supplies last!)
11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., & 1:30 p.m.
Discover how to make a cranberry tree with former White House floral designers Jennie Lewis and Myrtle Elmore.
11:30 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Join Chef Mark Ramsdell as he demonstrates how to construct a gingerbread cottage.
10:00 a.m. — 3:00 p.m. Decatur House
Tour Decatur House and use the information cards located throughout the house to learn more about its nearly 200-year-old history.
First Floor
Explore our special exhibit in the first floor parlors, White House Gingerbread: Holiday Traditions.
- 10:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.: Learn about the process behind the exhibit's White House gingerbread model with Chef Mark Ramsdell.
Second Floor
Enjoy performances by Levine Music students
- 11:00 a.m. Julien Berman (violin), Eddie Cavallin (violin), and William Graf (piano)
- 12:00 p.m. Victoria Graf (piano) and Cao Linh Pham (piano)
- 1:00 p.m. The John S. Martin Trio: Yukino Takehara (violin), Bella Lorenzo-Giguere (cello), and Avery Gagliano (piano)
- 2:00 p.m. The Suzuki Flute Ensemble
Take a holiday portrait with festive props.
10:00 a.m. — 3:00 p.m. Gift Shop
Visit the White House
History Shop and meet former White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. He
will be signing copies of his book, The White House in Gingerbread:
Memories and Recipes.
Additional Information
Nearby parking garages: 801 17th Street NW (Entrance located at 1665 H Street NW); 1050 Connecticut Avenue NW (Entrance located on 18th Street between K and L Streets)
Nearest Metro stops: Farragut West and McPherson Square on the Blue/Orange/Silver Line, and Farragut North on the Red Line
