First Lady Unveils ‘Funky’ Holiday Ornaments for White House Trees

Celebrating her first Christmas at the White House, Hillary Rodham Clinton unveiled her holiday decorations Monday: a cozy display of crafts, trees and ornaments she called “funky and down to earth.”

Standing in the Blue Room beneath an 18 1/2-foot Fraser fir crammed with handmade dolls, balls and bulbs, Mrs. Clinton pointed to two ornaments depicting Socks, the family cat, as an angel.

“There’s even a President with a halo,” she said, laughing.

“Some are quite elegant and rather magnificent. Some are funky and down to earth,” the First Lady said.

Socks’ image was not limited to the trees. The “House of Socks” is a gingerbread house, a yard-high White House featuring at least 20 miniatures of the “first cat.”

Mrs. Clinton said her office asked 70 of the nation’s top craft artists to make pieces for the White House’s permanent display. The crafts--from a pine wood bowl to a clay caldron--are scattered throughout the building.

Hundreds of artists, asked to create an ornament with angels as the theme, produced 7,500 ornaments to decorate the 22 Christmas trees at the White House.

Her office also unveiled the official White House Christmas card, featuring the President and First Lady in the State Dining Room. The West Wing decorations include a menorah, Mrs. Clinton said.