WASHINGTON (AP) -- Edible polar bears decorate an "iceberg" in the Red Room. Sugar-coated likenesses of Buddy and Socks ice skate in the State Dining Room. Frosted birch trees stand in the Grand Foyer.
With Christmas approaching, the White House has been transformed for the holidays."Winter Wonderland" is the theme chosen by first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and brought to life by armies of artists from across the nation who designed their interpretations of snowmen for the 18 1/2-foot balsam fir Christmas tree that stands in the center of the Blue Room, sparkling with 2,700 lights.
President Clinton and the first lady are hosting a series of Christmas parties in the White House through the holidays.
The centerpiece of the White House's winter wonderland is the Blue Room tree, which was donated by Jim and Diane Chapman of the Silent Night Evergreens tree farm in Endeavor, Wis. Its branches are covered with lights, silver balls, colorful wooden ornaments and miniature snowmen from all 50 states.
Conspicuous in the collection of holiday decorations are the first family's pets, Buddy the brown Labrador and Socks the cat. They are featured in an elaborate gingerbread castle -- crafted from 100 pounds of gingerbread dough, 20 pounds of icing and 30 pounds of chocolate -- in the center of the State Dining Room.
"In the past years we had lots of green -- lots of trees, lots of green everywhere as part of the decorations," she said. "This year we decided to do something a little different to create this kind of silver, gold, crystal winter wonderland."