Theresa and Donald Houston of Milton help decorate White House for holidays

Theresa and Donald Houston of Milton were chosen to be among 100 volunteer holiday decorators helping to adorn the White House in Washington, D.C. They worked on the main tree in the Blue Room as well as some of the other projects throughout the house. First Lady Melania Trump hosted the Houstons and all the volunteers at a reception Dec. 4.

Theresa Houston said, "It's not widely known, but there are many volunteers who help with events and in different offices throughout the year at the White House. The holiday decorating opportunity is the largest and most competitive volunteer event. We were told almost 1,000 people sent in letters and applications this year, with around 100-120 people being selected."

The White House selects people to volunteer from as many states as possible. Many florists, interior designers, event planners and landscape artists are chosen for their creative expertise. There are usually some military members and family selected to volunteer. Theresa is a nurse retired from the U.S. Air Force, and Don is a retired Marine who now works for Comcast. All four of their children have served as well.

Each person selected was vetted by White House Secret Service staff and given appropriate security clearance. They entered and exited through a specific security checkpoint each day. Starting the Friday morning after Thanksgiving, volunteers were assigned to specific teams and areas with a team leader from the design company. The Houstons were chosen to work in the Blue Room with nine other volunteers. They were tasked with decorating the official White House tree, as well as the Blue Room mantel.

Their team spent about eight hours each day climbing scaffolding and ladders, and trimming the 19-foot tree. Each day volunteers ate breakfast and lunch in the old family dining room and the State Dining Room. Decorating was finished by late Sunday afternoon, and volunteers were dismissed so the White House maintenance and cleaning staff could remove the protective sub-flooring, clean and put furniture back into the rooms.

The first lady did a walk-through with the design team Sunday evening, then officially revealed this year's decorations via video and press release on Sunday night. No personal photos were permitted for release during the decorating phase. HGTV was present to film its annual television special while volunteers were decorating, and the official White House photographer documented the three-day decorating process as well.

Monday afternoon, the Houstons were invited back for the official volunteer reception. This was their first opportunity to see all of the decorations and the rooms fully adorned. The Marine orchestra played Christmas music, delicious food and champagne were served, and greeters from all branches of the military were in their dress uniforms to assist with taking photos and answering questions.

Theresa said, "It was a whirlwind four days, but an incredible experience. The design team and White House social staff were all great to work with, and were very appreciative of the hard work we put in. This volunteer opportunity definitely involved some hard work and long days. The end result was just absolutely stunning, and worth every sore muscle, bump and bruise! We are both proud and honored to have been chosen to decorate the People's House for Christmas."

For more information on White House Christmas Tours and to see photographs, go to whitehouse.gov1.info/visit/white-house-christmas-tour.html.