Christmas season is in full effect! President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden kicked off the holiday season in Washington D.C. with the National Christmas Tree lighting on Thursday December 2! Jill glowed in a belted red coat as she waved to the crowd with Joe by her side. The elegant first lady added a cozy black scarf and matching gloves to her ensemble, along with a pair of open hoop earrings.
Meanwhile, Joe was dapper in a navy blue suit jacket with a shirt and tie. The 79-year-old added an insulted layer underneath with a vest to stay warm in the cool temperatures. In the photo with Jill, he could be seen removing his face mask for the outdoor celebration.
Vice President Kamala Harris also attended the event with her husband, the Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. Like Jill, Kamala also opted for red with a bow tie blouse underneath a black blazer and coat. Doug also opted for a wool layer over his black suit, staying practical in the 42 degree weather.
Once the couple returned to the White House after having Thanksgiving in Nantucket, Jill went into full-on holiday mode and debuted the White House Christmas decorations right after the weekend on Monday November 29. She tweeted out photos of the White House looking cozy for Christmas, complete with tinsel, trees, wreaths, and present-themed decor. She tweeted that she wanted the decor to inspire positive virtues for the yuletide season. “Inspired by the acts of kindness and experiences that lifted our spirits this year, decorated rooms in the White House reflect the Gifts from the Heart that unite us all: faith, family, friendship, the arts, learning, nature, gratitude, service, community, peace, and unity,” she wrote.
Of course, Christmas isn’t the only holiday happening during the winter season. The president also wished all who celebrate a joyous Hannukah on the first night of the “festival of lights,” as it started on November 28. “Jill and I send our warmest wishes to everyone celebrating Hanukkah in the United States and around the world. May this festival of lights bring blessings upon you and your loved ones for happiness and health. Happy Hanukkah!” he wrote in a tweet.
While Biden sent out Hannukah well-wishes, Harris and Emhoff made history by being the first family to hang mezuzah—a piece of parchment with Hebrew verses from the Torah—in the vice presidential residence. “One of my favorite memories was when our family visited and together we hung a mezuzah on the front door of the Vice President’s Residence,” the second gentleman wrote in a November 18 tweet.