Dreaming of a White House Christmas

Many of you will remember David Bondarchuck and his appearance last year on the Martha Stewart Show to discuss his involvement with decorating the White House for Christmas. One of the best surprises of the show was a video message from First Lady Michelle Obama, letting him know how touched she was by his story and thanking him for his beautiful work.

 

David was homeless for many years before starting his own catering business, Scratch Catering, based in Colorado. To pass the hours, Daivd spent many days in the local library reading and quickly discovered the books of Martha Stewart, which helped him sieze his talent and make his dreams a reality.

 

This year, David was invited back to the White House to help decorate for a second year in a row! He contacted me, eager to share his photographs of some of the White House decorations with you, since most Americans will not get to see them. Thanks, David! You did a super job!



David created this stunning pinecone garland for the entrance to the East Room.

Two charming trees and a portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy.

Trees, wreaths and garlands in the Red Room.The theme here was fruit. The decorations on the trees are all artificial fruits: red ones at the bottom and yellow at the top, with every spectrum in between.

One of the mantels in the Red Room.

Now that's a gingerbread house! Santa and Bo (the Obamas' dog) are both made of marzipan and gum paste. The windows are hard candy, but they used a printer that's typically used to put photos on cakes and printed pictures of the coresponding rooms for the upstairs floors on the candy windows. The downstairs windows were left open. They constructed the State Dining Room, Red Room, Blue Room, Green Room, and East Room out of candy and chocolate. Each room was given a sugar-candy chandelier that actually lit up!

This wreath is hung directly above the gingerbread house. It's very Martha, don't you think?

This is the Patriot Tree in the Blue Room, decorated in red, white and blue with silver accents and star motifs.

I love this tree located in one of the rooms downstairs. Decorated entirely in opaque glass ornaments that are arranged in diagonal bands of colour. The effect is striking. 

David decorated the tree on the left of the fireplace, as well as made the garlands for the mantel and around the portrait of Lincoln.

This is one of four trees in the East Room, shown here with a portrait of George Washington.

David posing in front of the Patriot Tree in the Blue Room at the gala!