Jill Biden Brought Back This Thrilling White House Christmas Element That Hasn't Been Seen Since 1980

The White House Christmas display is in full festive mode now that the tree is lit, and the decor is hanging from every nook and cranny. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden unveiled this year’s holiday theme of “Magic, Wonder, and Joy” which includes a very special element that hasn’t been seen since President Jimmy Carter’s administration.

On Wednesday, Jill revealed a White House South Lawn skating rink for the holidays. She shared that the ice brought her back to her childhood years when she skated on the Delaware River with her sisters. “What’s more magical and wonderful and joyful than being on an ice rink on the South Lawn of the White House?” she asked. The White House will be inviting military families, frontline workers, Washington, D.C. area children, and first responders to enjoy the rink during December.

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Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn Carter also built an ice-skating rink in 1980, so Jill’s holiday idea feels like an unexpected tribute to the former first lady who passed away on Nov. 19 at the age of 96. Forty years ago, the Carters invited Olympian Peggy Fleming to perform for a large crowd on the South Lawn — it looked like a very elegant affair.

On Wednesday, Jill didn’t show off any of her former skating skills on the 50-by-70-foot rink during the unveiling. She stayed safely on the carpet in her stylish boots and let Olympic gold medalist Brian Boitano and Snoopy do the spins and turns. But the first lady still remembers those cold days on the ice with her siblings. “We spent hours gliding across the glistening ice, our cheeks pink from the cold,” she recalled. “And in those hours, what was normally an ordinary town and an ordinary bridge, you know, transformed into a bright sparkling landscape, and just glittering as if it were covered in magic.”

Before you go, click here to see which US presidents have done tree lighting ceremonies over the years:

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