BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Dream come true: A Bakersfield woman was selected to help the White House with it’s Christmas decorations this year.
After three years of applying, she finally got her shot.
46-year-old Teanna Keith is a big fan of annual television specials about the White House decorations — one day she wanted to try it for herself.
She applied, got on a plane, and for an entire week, decorated the White House.
“I thought I could do that…I’d love to do that. So, it was just a few years ago where I learned about it in the first place,” said Keith.
Year after year, Keith signed up for The First Lady’s invitation to decorate our nation’s presidential home only to not hear back, until this year. She received an email in October saying of the 12,000 applicants — she and 146 other volunteers were selected.
Flying out on Nov. 22, Keith spent an exhausting and breathtaking seven days in Washington D.C., where she and volunteers from all over the country helped bring the White House Christmas design to life.
This year’s theme was, “Home is Where the heart is,” decided by First Lady Melania Trump and creative director, Herve Pierre.
Keith’s team was able to work with Pierre directly.
“That was an amazing experience just having that personal time in the room with him,” said Keith.
Keith worked in the Red Room of the White House to put together a bespoke, blue-butterfly arrangement which symbolized foster care -one of the first lady’s causes — which was a personal moment for Keith, being a former social worker.
“I had a full case load of foster children that I took care of, so that was kind of like a full circle moment for me,” said Keith.
Her team also helped with a butterfly themed Christmas tree in the Grand Foyer and helped place the official 2025 White House Holiday ornament on several trees in the State Dining Room.
She and other volunteers became good friends and on the last day of the trip, they were addressed by Melania Trump, thanking them for their hard work.
“She was like 10 feet in front of me. She gave us a little thank you and she went back up to the third floor, to the residences,” said Keith.
She just got home on Monday, so the only home decorations she had up so far is above her fireplace, but said decorating the house is a plan for the weekend.
“Merry Christmas Kern County!” said Keith.
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