12 behind-the-scenes photos show the White House being decorated for Christmas

Rebecca HarringtonNov 21, 2018, 22:40 IST

A worker hangs holiday wreaths on the White House on the North Lawn in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, after President Donald Trump departed for Florida.AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

The White House is being decorated for Christmas.
After months of planning, thousands of volunteers and staff transform the residence in a matter of days.
These photos show the transformation behind-the-scenes.

First lady Melania Trump, staff, and volunteers have been planning what the White House will look like for Christmas since the summer.

The week of Thanksgiving, the decorating has finally begun to transform the "People's House" for the holiday season.

President Donald Trump joined his wife to receive the White House Christmas tree on Monday:

See what the preparations look like in these behind-the-scenes photos.

See 12 behind-the-scenes photos show the White House being decorated for Christmas >>

The official White House Christmas tree is still delivered in a horse-drawn carriage with drivers in top hats and tuxes.

This year's tree comes from the Smith family of the Mountain Top Fraser Fir farm in Newland, North Carolina.

Larry Smith also grew a tree for the vice president's residence in 2001.

Source: White House

The Trumps inspected the tree when it arrived.

North Carolina has produced more White House Christmas trees than any other state. This is the 14th.

Sources: White House, White House Historical Society

The tree has to be 18 to 19 feet tall in order to fit in the Blue Room.

Sources: White House, White House Historical Society

It took a dozen National Park Service staff to haul the massive tree inside.

This year's Fraser Fir is 19 1/2 feet tall.