This photograph of the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters written by children to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This photograph of the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters written by children to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This close-up photograph of decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters written by children to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This close-up photograph of decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters written by children to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This close-up photograph of decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters written by children to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This close-up photograph of decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters written by children to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This close-up photograph of decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters written by children to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This photograph of the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters written by children to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This close-up photograph of decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters written by children to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This photograph of the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters written by children to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This photograph of the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters written by children to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This photograph of the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This photograph of the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 27, 2023 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" as the 2023 holiday theme. The decor was inspired by children and how they embrace and revel in the holiday season. The Ground Floor Corridor was decorated with garlands and a festive red mailboxes all adorned with letters to Santa Claus and holiday messages to President and Dr. Biden.

This photograph of the holiday decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 28, 2022 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. For their second year in the White House, President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden chose the theme, "We the People." The theme was inspired by the shared values of the American people and the promise of unity, hope, and possibility that represents America’s history.

This photograph was taken by Tony Powell for the White House Historical Association on September 7, 2022. On that day, President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden welcomed former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the unveiling ceremony of the Obamas' official White House portraits. Here, Mrs. Obama poses with Sharon Sprung -- the artist who painted Obama -- and her portrait in the Ground Floor Corridor, where the portrait was hung following the East Room ceremony. See assets 1135359 and 1135360 to view the portraits of former President and Mrs. Obama.

This photograph of holiday decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 29, 2021 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. For their first year in the White House, President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden chose the theme, "Gifts from the Heart." The theme was meant to honor the things we cherish and bring us together despite the obstacles posed by a pandemic, time, and distance. For the holiday season, the Ground Floor Corridor was lined with lush, green garlands and topiaries decorated with branches of red berries and white lights. Here, a bouquet of red amaryllis flowers is displayed on a pier table in front of the official portrait of First Lady Laura Welch Bush.

This close-up photograph of holiday decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 29, 2021 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. For their first year in the White House, President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden chose the theme, "Gifts from the Heart." The theme was meant to honor the things we cherish and bring us together despite the obstacles posed by a pandemic, time, and distance. For the holiday season, the Ground Floor Corridor was lined with lush, green garlands and topiaries decorated with branches of red berries and white lights.

This photograph of holiday decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 29, 2021 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. For their first year in the White House, President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden chose the theme, "Gifts from the Heart." The theme was meant to honor the things we cherish and bring us together despite the obstacles posed by a pandemic, time, and distance. For the holiday season, the Ground Floor Corridor was lined with lush, green garlands and topiaries decorated with branches of red berries and white lights.

This photograph of holiday decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 29, 2021 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. For their first year in the White House, President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden chose the theme, "Gifts from the Heart." The theme was meant to honor the things we cherish and bring us together despite the obstacles posed by a pandemic, time, and distance. For the holiday season, the Ground Floor Corridor was lined with lush, green garlands and topiaries decorated with branches of red berries and white lights. Here, a bouquet of red amaryllis flowers is displayed on a pier table in front of the official portrait of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

This photograph of holiday decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 29, 2021 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. For their first year in the White House, President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden chose the theme, "Gifts from the Heart." The theme was meant to honor the things we cherish and bring us together despite the obstacles posed by a pandemic, time, and distance. For the holiday season, the Ground Floor Corridor was lined with lush, green garlands and topiaries decorated with branches of red berries and white lights. This photograph captures the holiday decorations near the Presidential Seal above the entrance to the Diplomatic Reception Room.

This photograph of holiday decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 29, 2021 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. For their first year in the White House, President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden chose the theme, "Gifts from the Heart." The theme was meant to honor the things we cherish and bring us together despite the obstacles posed by a pandemic, time, and distance. For the holiday season, the Ground Floor Corridor was lined with lush, green garlands and topiaries decorated with branches of red berries and white lights. This photograph captures the holiday decorations near the Presidential Seal above the entrance to the Diplomatic Reception Room.

This photograph of holiday decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 29, 2021 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. For their first year in the White House, President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden chose the theme, "Gifts from the Heart." The theme was meant to honor the things we cherish and bring us together despite the obstacles posed by a pandemic, time, and distance. For the holiday season, the Ground Floor Corridor was lined with lush, green garlands and topiaries decorated with branches of red berries and white lights. Here, a bouquet of red amaryllis flowers is displayed on a pier table in front of the official portrait of First Lady Barbara Bush.

This photograph of holiday decorations on the Ground Floor was taken by David Wiegold on November 29, 2021 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. For their first year in the White House, President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden chose the theme, "Gifts from the Heart." The theme was meant to honor the things we cherish and bring us together despite the obstacles posed by a pandemic, time, and distance. For the holiday season, the Ground Floor Corridor was lined with lush, green garlands and topiaries decorated with branches of red berries and white lights.

This photograph of the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by David Wiegold on November 29, 2021 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. For their first year in the White House, President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden chose the theme, "Gifts from the Heart." The theme was meant to honor the things we cherish and bring us together despite the obstacles posed by a pandemic, time, and distance. The Ground Floor Corridor was lined with lush, green garlands and topiaries decorated with branches of red berries and white lights.

In this photograph, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter greets White House Kitchen staff members in the Ground Floor Corridor during a visit to the White House in 1989. Here, she shakes hands with White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, who she hired to serve as pastry chef for the White House in 1979. Pictured at left of Messier is White House Executive Chef Hans Raffert. Raffert began his career in the White House Kitchen as assistant executive chef in 1969. In 1988, he became the first member of the White House Kitchen staff to be promoted to the position of White House Executive Chef.