A Historic Home Buff’s Moment of Awe

Massachusetts woman shares how she helped deck the Official White House Christmas tree and other memorable spaces.

First Lady Melania Trump speaks at a Christmas reception for White House volunteers on December 1, 2025, in the Grand Foyer of the White House. Erin O’Connor, a White House Christmas volunteer from Massachusetts, helped decorate the Blue Room and the staircase in the White House Grand Foyer. (Official White House photo by Andrea Hanks)