This photograph of the Grand Staircase was taken by David Wiegold on November 29, 2021 in the Cross Hall during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. Between the official portraits of Presidents Jimmy Carter and Lyndon B. Johnson, a festive wreath hangs on the staircase railing. 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.

This photograph of holiday decorations in the Cross Hall 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. Decorations in the Cross Hall and Entrance Hall honored the "Gift of Faith and Community," and featured suspended candles, projected snowflakes, alcove displays, and Christmas trees and garlands decorated with artificial snow and white lights. Here, a seasonal bouquet of white poinsettias is displayed on a pier table in the Cross Hall in front of Aaron Shikler's official portrait of President John F. Kennedy.

This photograph of holiday decorations in the Cross Hall 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. Decorations in the Cross Hall and Entrance Hall honored the "Gift of Faith and Community," and featured suspended candles, projected snowflakes, alcove displays, and Christmas trees and garlands decorated with artificial snow and white lights. Here, a seasonal bouquet of white poinsettias is displayed on a pier table in the Cross Hall in front of Aaron Shikler's official portrait of President John F. Kennedy.

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 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. 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 is of Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Taylor's portrait. She was the youngest daughter of President Zachary Taylor. Betty served as White House hostess in place of her mother, Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor, who was reluctant to go into society and plagued by ill health during her time as the first lady. At the time of her father's presidency, Betty was formally known as Mary Elizabeth Taylor Bliss but was later known as Mary Elizabeth Taylor Dandridge after the death of her first husband and her subsequent remarriage.

This black-and-white photographic portrait is of Vice President Charles Curtis. Curtis served President Herbert Hoover as the 31st Vice President of the United States from 1929-1933. Born in Kansas to a white father and Native American mother, and raised by his maternal grandparents, Curtis was the first person of Native American descent as well as the first person of color to serve as vice president.

This portrait of Jane Irwin Harrison by an unknown artist was completed c. 1841–42. Jane Findlay Irwin Harrison served as the official White House hostess briefly in 1841, during father-in-law President William Henry Harrison’s administration. She had lived with her in-laws following the death of her husband, William Henry Harrison Jr., and accompanied the president-elect to Washington, D.C. There, she received glowing reviews for the two receptions that she hosted with the help of her aunt, Jane Irwin Findlay. Her time as de-facto first lady was cut short, however, when President Harrison died on April 4, 1841, after only a month in office. With flowers placed at each ear and a veil pulled back from her face, this portrait was probably made to celebrate Jane Harrison’s second marriage, to widower Lewis Whiteman, following her return to North Bend, Ohio. Just a few years later, she succumbed to tuberculosis at age 42.

This is a portrait of First Lady Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison, dressed in mourning was painted by an unknown artist, ca. 1820. Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison was married to President William Henry Harrison and was the grandmother of President Benjamin Harrison. Mrs. Harrison was 65 years old when her husband was elected president making her, at the time, the oldest woman to become first lady. When President Harrison was inaugurated in March of 1841, Mrs. Harrison remained in Ohio due to poor health. She had temporarily placed her widowed daughter-in-law Jane Irwin Harrison in charge of being the hostess. Mrs. Harrison did not recover in time to reside in the White House before President Harrison passed away a month after his inauguration.

This black-and-white photographic portrait of Margaret Woodrow Wilson was taken around October 1, 1912. Margaret Woodrow Wilson was the eldest of President Woodrow Wilson’s three daughters, born in Georgia on April 16, 1886. In 1913, the Wilsons moved into the White House, but Margaret’s mother and first lady, Ellen Axson Wilson, passed away the next year. Margaret stepped in as White House hostess until her father married Edith Bolling Galt in 1915. Later in life, Margaret Wilson made a spiritual journey to India and lived in an ashram until her death in 1944.

This black-and-white, photographic portrait of longtime White House staff member Col. William H. Crook was taken by Frances Benjamin Johnston around 1890. Col. Crook served at the White House from 1864-1915. He started as bodyguard and doorman, later advancing to the roles of executive clerk and disbursing officer of the White House. Col. Crook documented his experiences in his memoir, "Through Five Administrations," originally published in 1910.

This portrait of Vice President Dan Quayle and his family was taken on November 27, 1990. The vice president and his wife, Second Lady Marilyn T. Quayle, are pictured with their three children Tucker, Ben, and Corinne as well as two of the family's dogs. It is possible that the dog held by the Quayle's daughter, Corrine, is Barnaby, the family's Black Labrador Retriever.

This photograph of White House curator Lorraine Waxman Pearce was taken by Robert L. Knudsen on June 28, 1961, during the John F. Kennedy administration. The curator was on hand to accept the a noteworthy painting of a Hartford, Connecticut family. Donated by the E. and A. Silberman Galleries, this important acquisition was hung in the Lincoln Bedroom, enhancing its Victorian period decor. This painting by an unknown artist is a portrait of a family relaxing in their lounge or parlor, circa 1840-1850. Members of the family of five sit about, playing the piano, working on needlepoint, and playing with the family dog. In the back, a young African American girl serves the mother.

This official photograph of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was taken in the Library of the White House on March 3, 2021 by White House photographer Adam Schultz. President Biden served as the senator from Delaware for 36 years as well as vice president to President Barack Obama from 2009-2017. President Biden was elected in 2020 and sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on January 20, 2021.

This portrait photograph of First Lady Dr. Jill Biden was taken by White House photographer Cheriss May in 2021, during President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s first months in office. Dr. Biden previously served as second lady of the United States from 2009-2017, during the Barack Obama administration. A long time educator, Dr. Biden earned a Master of Education from West Chester University, a Master of Arts in english from Villanova University, and a Doctor of Education in educational leadership from the University of Delaware.

This photograph of holiday decorations in the East Landing was taken by Matthew D'Agostino on November 30, 2020 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. Hanging on the wall are portraits of first ladies Nancy Reagan and Florence Kling Harding. The holiday theme for 2020 was “America the Beautiful,” which celebrated the natural wonders of the American landscape. Selected by First Lady Melania Trump, the White House decorations also paid tribute to the courage and resilience of frontline workers, members of the military, and other American heroes. In 2020, American frontline and essential workers faced unique challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This oil on canvas portrait of President John F. Kennedy was painted by Aaron Shikler in 1970 and is his official White House portrait. The portrait was placed on public display in the East Room on February 5, 1971. This photograph shows the painting on display in the Cross Hall, during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations on November 30, 2020. In 2020, the painting was also featured as part of the design for the White House Historical Association's official White House Christmas ornament. For the 2020 holiday decorations at the White House, the official White House Christmas ornament was prominently displayed in the Vermeil Room. The holiday theme for 2020 was “America the Beautiful,” which celebrated the natural wonders of the American landscape. Selected by First Lady Melania Trump, the White House decorations also paid tribute to the courage and resilience of frontline workers, members of the military, and other American heroes. In 2020, American frontline and essential workers faced unique challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This photograph of holiday decorations in the Ground Floor Corridor was taken by Matthew D'Agostino on November 30, 2020 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. This photograph shows festive red flowers next to John Howard Sanden's official White House portrait of First Lady Laura Bush. The holiday theme for 2020 was “America the Beautiful,” which celebrated the natural wonders of the American landscape. Selected by First Lady Melania Trump, the White House decorations also paid tribute to the courage and resilience of frontline workers, members of the military, and other American heroes. In 2020, American frontline and essential workers faced unique challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This photograph of holiday decorations on display in the Green Room was taken by Matthew D'Agostino on November 30, 2020 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. Decorations in the Green Room celebrated the diversity of American wildlife, and included birds and butterflies among the trees and garlands as well as window vignettes. The official portrait of First Lady Edith Roosevelt is prominently featured above the fireplace. The holiday theme for 2020 was “America the Beautiful,” which celebrated the natural wonders of the American landscape. Selected by First Lady Melania Trump, the White House decorations also paid tribute to the courage and resilience of frontline workers, members of the military, and other American heroes. In 2020, American frontline and essential workers faced unique challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This photograph of holiday decorations on display in the Green Room was taken by Matthew D'Agostino on November 30, 2020 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. Decorations in the Green Room celebrated the diversity of American wildlife, and included birds and butterflies among the trees and garlands as well as window vignettes. The official portrait of First Lady Edith Roosevelt is prominently featured above the fireplace. The holiday theme for 2020 was “America the Beautiful,” which celebrated the natural wonders of the American landscape. Selected by First Lady Melania Trump, the White House decorations also paid tribute to the courage and resilience of frontline workers, members of the military, and other American heroes. In 2020, American frontline and essential workers faced unique challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This photograph of holiday decorations on display in the Red Room was taken by Matthew D'Agostino on November 30, 2020 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. In the Red Room, handmade ornaments and felt-crafted scenes honored the service of America’s first responders and frontline workers. Here, decorative models of essential workplaces including a grocery store and a hospital are seen on display on the mantel in the Red Room beneath Henry Inman's 1842 portrait of Angelica Singleton Van Buren. The holiday theme for 2020 was “America the Beautiful,” which celebrated the natural wonders of the American landscape. Selected by First Lady Melania Trump, the White House decorations also paid tribute to the courage and resilience of frontline workers, members of the military, and other American heroes. In 2020, American frontline and essential workers faced unique challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This photograph of holiday decorations on display around the mantel in the State Dining Room was taken by Matthew D'Agostino on November 30, 2020 during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations. Above the mantel hangs George Peter Alexander Healy's 1896 portrait of President Abraham Lincoln. The holiday theme for 2020 was “America the Beautiful,” which celebrated the natural wonders of the American landscape. Selected by First Lady Melania Trump, the White House decorations also paid tribute to the courage and resilience of frontline workers, members of the military, and other American heroes. In 2020, American frontline and essential workers faced unique challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This photograph is of a portrait of White House hostess Letitia Tyler Semple by Charles King. She temporarily served as White House hostess or first lady for a few months in 1844. During the Civil War she served as nurse in a Confederate hospital. Near the end of the war she opened a school, the Eclectic Institute, in Baltimore. This portrait is believed to have been painted by Charles King (possibly Charles Bird King) while Letitia Tyler Semple lived at the White House, posing on the South Portico as she looked over the South Grounds.

This photograph is of a portrait of Martha Jefferson Randolph by painter Thomas Sully. Martha Jefferson Randolph was the eldest child of Thomas Jefferson and Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson. She received her education in Philadelphia and Paris and was praised for her intellect. In 1790, she married Thomas Mann Randolph, a Virginia politician. She supported her father's career and also served as White House hostess or first lady when she lived in the White House in 1802-03 and 1805-06. The original oil on canvas portrait by Sully was painted in 1836.