Entering the holiday season, Christmas trees nationwide are being adorned with conglomerations of twinkling lights, garlands and ornaments. Placed in the midst of many of these quintessential American Christmas trees are countless variations of the White House Christmas Ornament.
Each year the White House Historical Association (WHHA)—the organization that preserves the history of the White House—produces one ornament featuring a meaningful memorialization of a past president. Naturally, some of these ornaments are superior to others.
The first White House Christmas Ornament, made in 1981, is the least inspiring of the bunch. Released under the Reagan administration, the ornament is an unexciting brass cut-out of an angel blowing a horn. A simple engraving etched into the metal reads “Christmas 1981, The White House” in cursive letters. Overall, the ornament is an uninteresting work of art.
Following in the uninspiring footsteps of the original, the ornaments leading up to the new millennium are a repetitive and elementary assortment of die-cut White Houses and American flags. The only thing going for these ornaments is an occasional portrait of a former president, which gives these dull designs a slight hint of color. For their unmemorable and indistinctive aspects, they won’t be individually reviewed.
In contrast to their predecessors, the White House Christmas Ornaments from 2000 to the present have excelled in beauty and complexity. There is definitely no deficit of decorative designs in these twenty-first-century ornaments.
In fifth place is the 2008 White House Christmas Ornament honoring President Benjamin Harrison. Depicting the very thing it’s hung upon, the ornament is a colorful design of a Christmas tree, evoking playful feelings with its swooping garland and lively decorations. At the bottom of the tree are toy figures and trains that embody the traditional American Christmas.
The 2009 White House Christmas Ornament earns the next spot on this list for its contrast of warm holiday lights and cool snow, well recognizable during the winter season. In the center is an illustration of the White House covered in a layer of snow and lights. Its beauty is heightened by the fragile frost fractals that surround the image. This ornament is truly a wintery wonder.
Ten years later, the WHHA excelled once again. The 2019 helicopter ornament dedicated to President Dwight D. Eisenhower has four thin blades that sit atop a beautifully painted helicopter. Symbolizing technological innovation, its delicate build perfectly displays the design’s meaning. There is little wrong with this piece, apart from the sloped way it lays when placed on the tree.
As the runner-up, the 2014 ornament’s concept was unprecedented. It showcases two separate train ornaments that can be either hung separately on the tree or conjoined to create one continuous locomotive. The leading engine is decked out in American pride with decorations of red, white and blue. The caboose is painted green with the realistic details of an actual train. The dual-piece ornament exceeds the mark on layout and design, earning it second place.
Finally, the number one ornament is the 2007 ornament honoring Grover Cleveland’s second term in office. A black and white photograph of President Cleveland’s wedding is placed in the center of an ornate frame. Entangled fragile gold vines with white berries and finely painted leaves encircle the image in a strategic pattern. With intricacy akin to a renaissance painting, it earns the crown as the greatest White House Christmas Ornament.
Enticing quirks can be found throughout the White House Christmas Collection; this year’s ornament greets you with the smell of gingerbread when you open the box. With the exception of the lackluster ornaments made from 1981 to 1999, the White House Christmas Ornaments can be unique and beautiful additions to a Christmas tree to spark some patriotism for the holidays.,
