Meet an Oklahoma interior designer who helped decorate the White House for Christmas

An Oklahoma interior designer typically decorates her own home for Christmas before using her design expertise to adorn the homes of her clients during the week after Thanksgiving.

This year, however, Mindy Shubert Geist, of Edmond, got the opportunity to deck the halls of a historic home that is one of the most famous houses in the world: the White House.

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"Going there was a great way to kick off Christmas for me," she said.

The owner of Mindy Geist Interiors LLC Interior & Architectural Design spent a week in Washington, D.C., where she was assigned to one of the volunteer teams tasked with trimming trees, hanging wreaths and giving the White House complex an overall festive feel for the season. The White House expects to welcome about 100,000 visitors during the holidays.

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Geist, 53, said she had been fortunate enough to be on a holiday decorating team for the Oklahoma Governor's Mansion but the White House project "was on another scale."

"This was one of the biggest productions that I've ever seen," she said.

She said she applied to be part of the White House holiday design team about four years ago but nothing ever came of it. She said she decided to apply again this year and waited to see what would happen.

Geist had been to the nation's capital but it had been about 30 years ago. And she had never toured the White House. So, she was thrilled when she learned that she would be one of about 300 volunteers chosen to decorate the historic building, which she described as a "living museum." And she was pleasantly surprised to discover that her team would be putting the holiday touches on an important part of the White House, along with other areas.

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"It was already a massive honor just to be in the White House, just to have this opportunity, but once I got there, I found out that I was assigned to do the West Wing," Geist said. "It was really surreal."

What goes into decorating the White House for Christmas

Overall, Geist said she and other volunteers decorated 98 Christmas trees throughout the White House complex and placed 72 wreaths on the north and south exteriors of the White House. According to a White House news release, the holiday design teams used about 14,975 feet of ribbon, more than 350 candles, more than 33,892 ornaments and more than 22,100 bells to decorate the White House.

Also, more than 142,425 holiday lights were used to decorate the trees, garlands, wreaths and displays in the White House, all incorporating the 2023 holiday theme of "Magic, Wonder and Joy."

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Several aspects of the bedecking experience stood out to Geist.

She said she was impressed with the way the project was organized. The volunteers spent two days in a warehouse making many decorations, then packing them up to go to specific areas of the White House. Geist said she also was impressed that many of the decorations were made on-site.

She specifically was assigned to help decorate fireplace mantels, including one which featured decorations made to resemble small books to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the publication of the classic poem and book "Twas The Night Before Christmas."

She said she also spent a particularly poignant time helping to adorn the Gold Star tree alongside Gold Star family volunteers. According to the White House, the Gold Star tree honors the heroic men and women of America's military who have laid down their lives for their country and the families who carry on their legacies. The special tree, according to the White House, is the first Christmas tree featured inside the White House, and it is decorated with wooden Gold Star ornaments that are engraved with the names of fallen service members.

"I was so grateful that I got to help that team," Geist said.

She said she also helped decorate the Palm Room at the White House with large red topiaries and a lattice wall woven with colorful ribbon.

At the end of the huge holiday decorating project, Geist and other volunteers attended a reception where first lady Jill Biden thanked them for their efforts. Geist said once Jill Biden had seen each room and the decor had officially been unveiled, volunteers were allowed to take a few photos of much of their handiwork.

The businesswoman said she isn't quite sure when she will get around to adorning her own home for the holidays. Some rest may be in order.

"I haven't even started this year at my own home and now I'm wiped out," she said, with a chuckle. "At the White House, one day felt like one week ― just the sheer volume was astounding. Every single detail was thought out."

The interior designer said she felt honored and humbled to play a role in the White House holiday experience.

"This past week, someone there said that the house is not red or blue — it's the White House ― the People's House," she said.

"It doesn't matter who is in office, it's a historic place for our country and historic things have happened there. You can feel it."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Edmond Oklahoma designer helped decorate White House for Christmas