Portville NY resident Christine Berardi goes to Washington for historic tree trimming
By Christine Berardi, pictured in late November at the White House
A dream came true for me this past Thanksgiving week. It was my honor to be invited to be a part of decorating the White House for Christmas. My mother and I have watched the unveiling of the decorations since my childhood and it remains a part of my Christmas tradition. After passing the background check, I was scheduled to be in the White House November 24 and 25 to decorate Christmas trees. What an exciting opportunity!
I booked a hotel and flight and left for the capitol of our great nation. I flew to DC the night before and met a friend and her daughter for dinner. I asked them to walk with me to the security check point where I would need to be the next morning at 6:30am. After finding the check point, we walked to the front of the White House where we came upon some protestors. Wanting to avoid any confrontation, we crossed the road from the demonstration and continued on our way to one of DC’s many fabulous restaurants.
At 6 am Tuesday morning, before the sun came up, I left my hotel and walked with other volunteers to the security check point on 17th Street. While waiting for everyone to pass through security, a colorful sunrise rose behind the Washington Monument. It was a beautiful start to great morning.
We entered the White House on the ground floor, the diplomatic reception room, and history was standing there to greet me. At this point we had to leave our belongings, coat, purse and phone. No one is allowed a phone and pictures are forbidden. Oil paintings of past presidents and first ladies adorned the walls. I walked by a beautiful oil portrait of Michele Obama, which I recalled seeing unveiled on the news. We proceeded up the grand staircase and into a forest of pine trees- fifty-one pine trees to be exact. Beautiful, picture perfect, fresh trees of all varieties and sizes. The smell of fresh pine was intoxicating and it launched me right into the Christmas spirit.
The White House staff served us a wonderful breakfast and after a brief orientation we went to work. I worked on the State Dining Room trees and Abe Lincoln watched me from above the fireplace. He is one of my favorite presidents, whose quotes I like to use, so this made being in that room a little more special.
Abe and I were up close and personal when I was on top of the 20ft ladder and I thought of him standing in this very same house 160 years ago, where I now stood. I thought about his presidency and the Civil War, working to abolish slavery, a job that ultimately cost him his life, right in the city of DC.
This was a very special place to be.
We were served lunch at noon and then continued working. As part of this team, you meet people from all over our nation and world. I met a coal miner and his wife from Wisconsin, designers from Texas, a veteran from Philly who now lives in Guam. Everyone is happy to be in the People’s House and a part of this great experience.
After a long day the Secret Service escorted us out of the White House the same way we came in. I walked back to my hotel in a steady rain, passing through the World War II Memorial Park where a quartet of trumpets played “Taps” in the rain.
The next morning, I repeated the same routine, meeting at our check point at 6:30am and into the White House by 7am. This day, workers, who had been in the warehouse crafting decorations, also came in, bringing with them boxes upon boxes of Christmas decorations all labeled for each room. Again, we were served a fabulous breakfast and continued lighting the trees. By this point, people had begun to know each other a little more and we greeted each other by name and knowing smiles.
No one spoke of politics or asked for political viewpoints. No one needed to find out on which side you stood. This was a such a refreshing change from what our society has made as our new norm.
Wednesday was the last day some of us would be in the White House and we knew that before leaving we would be given a tour.
We had been working for around an hour after lunch when the Secret Service came in and told everyone to follow them. We had to leave the room immediately.
Something was wrong, but without a phone, no one knew what. We followed. While doing so, I saw other Secret Service put on their tactical gear, harness semi automatic weapons, and head out the doors to keep the White House, and all of us in it, safe. A routine that is probably all too familiar for them. While we were taken to safety, I thought of the dangers of these jobs, the Secret Service, our President, military and anyone that holds office in our government. Eventually we were taken back to our Christmas trees.
In the Grand Foyer there is an oil rendition of President Trump surviving the attempt on his life in Butler PA, a painting that speaks vividly and currently of the dangers of the job. We were told that we would see what had happened on the news that night. So we lit more Christmas trees wondering what had just happened outside the White House doors.
Now it was time for the tour. Young professional curators came in, one or two per room. They explained the history of each room, where past presidents had their desks, and previous purposes of the rooms. The White House can be described as five things: President’s residence, President’s workplace, historical landmark, living museum, and tourist attraction.
In the Green Room we saw the furniture that the beautiful Jacqueline Kennedy had chosen. I could feel the elegance, a hallmark of the Kennedy’s, in the room. An oil painting of Jack was on the wall above us, showing him in deep thought. I thought of his presidency, his fight to end segregation in America. I thought of the tragic way his presidency ended, and again, I thought of the dangers of the job.
When we left the White House that day, we were allowed our phones to take a picture outside. We also found out about the shooting, which had happened very near the check point we had entered that morning. The secret service led us out in a different direction that afternoon, keeping us away from the pandemonium on 17th street.
I had decided to fly home on Thanksgiving, my family graciously postponing dinner until a later date. Washington DC was sunny, warm and quiet on Thanksgiving morning. As I sat in the plane and sailed above our nation’s capitol, I couldn’t help but feel a little emotional at the experience I had of being in the White House, the People’s House, and part of something I’ve always wanted to do.
I thought of the two national guard people in the hospital, who were still fighting for their lives at that point. Sadly one of those Guardsman has passed away since. I thought of all the people below me in their homes, cooking turkey dinner in reverence to our country’s first settlers, who did the same dinner many years ago. I thought of all Americans, free and able to enjoy our families on this day and express our thankfulness.
I am thankful for those that work in our government and for those that protect our country, regardless of their political party. I am thankful I live in the greatest country in the world.
Christine lives in Portville NY with her husband Chris, they own and operate Park Plaza Liquors in Wellsville NY
