Jill Biden’s White House holiday decorations represent the subdued mood of the country

The first lady chose the theme, “Gifts From the Heart,” with each room decorated in its own mini-theme, including the “Gift of Family” and the “Gift of Service,” which is dedicated to the military, front-line workers and first responders.

Gone are Melania Trump’s imposing — and some said, scary — blood red trees in the East Colonnade, from 2018, which late-night TV host Jimmy Fallon likened to Christmas in hell.

Gone are the dozens of life-size “snow people,” wearing scarves and hats, in the first lady’s garden, installed by Michelle Obama in 2015, and moved inside in 2016. President Barack Obama told People magazine that they reminded him of a horror movie. “There’s a whole kind of Chucky element to them,” he said. “They’re a little creepy.”

Instead, Jill Biden’s Colonnade is a lower-key presentation, with shooting stars and peace doves hanging from the ceiling. The Blue Room’s official White House Christmas tree is dotted with peace doves holding white ribbons bearing the names of each state. The official cookie handed out to guests is in the shape of a dove and covered in white icing.

Biden’s first foray into holiday decorating at the White House was not glitzy or opulent, but rather an enhanced version of how many American families decorate their own homes, with lots of candles and twinkling lights.

But it’s not Christmas as usual here. Public tours of the White House are still canceled, masks and sometimes coronavirus tests are required to enter the building. The White House hasn’t said what kind of events it will host during the holiday season, beyond a Hanukkah open house on Wednesday.

Christmas decorations are one of the first projects that first ladies tend to after they move in. Biden has been working on these since late May, according to Carlos Elizondo, the White House social secretary, and has been “very involved” in the planning, Communications Director Elizabeth Alexander said. The previous first lady, Melania Trump, claimed she threw herself into designing the holiday decorations but privately complained about the workload.

Biden carried over many of the traditions of other first families. The Marine Corps Band played such Christmas songs as “The First Noel” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem” outside the entrance to the East Wing, which is decorated with a towering arch of huge red boxes tied with ribbons. Then, guests were escorted through a hallway filled with framed photos of the first family, including Jill Biden receiving the White House Christmas tree last week.

The official 2021 gingerbread house — a favorite every year — this time is made with a theme of gratitude for the country’s front-line workers. That was Biden’s idea. “She wanted to help highlight the people that have gotten us through this pandemic that we’re still in,” Elizondo said. The display features eight community buildings, such as a hospital, a fire station and a schoolhouse adjoining a huge replica of the White House, which, just like the real thing, has wreaths hanging in most of the outside windows. Biden loves holiday lights and is the first to place a large illuminated wreath atop the pediment of the North Portico. The wreath in the same spot on the gingerbread house lights up, too.

Susan Morrison, White House executive pastry chef, said five people worked on the 350-pound house for several weeks. During a tour of the decorations Sunday…