Our Daily Show Interview! Alton Represented in D.C.: Decorating the White House!
ALTON – A local woman recently embarked on the trip of a lifetime when she helped decorate the White House for Christmas.
Christy Schaper, hailing from Alton, was invited to decorate the White House in Washington, D.C., for the Christmas holiday. Schaper expressed her appreciation for the opportunity and noted that the experience reminded her of “the enduring American spirit.”
“You have a greater chance of getting into Harvard than you do decorating the White House for Christmas,” Schaper said. “There’s a little under a 1% chance that this was going to work out the way that it did. I’m grateful to represent Alton and the Alton community and the Riverbend community at the White House.”
Schaper was one of 145 people selected from 47 states to decorate the White House this year, chosen from 15,000 applicants. While she personally touched every tree in the Grand Fourier of The White House in some capacity, most of her time was spent decorating six trees by herself.
She noted that 14-foot trees required 65 sets of lights, and every tree was live and lit from the inside out. Schaper’s father taught her this technique when she was a child, so she brought some of her own decorating expertise to the White House. She also helped place “thousands” of flowers and candles throughout the building.
All of these details were approved by First Lady Melania Trump’s team. Trump and her designer created the outline for the White House’s decorations. As the volunteers enacted this vision, members of Trump’s team would “very kindly edit what we were doing for her preference,” Schaper said.
Schaper and her fellow volunteers were only allowed in specific areas of the White House. They would be checked in every day at 6 a.m. and then walked out at 8 p.m.
Prior to receiving their invitation, they underwent several security checks and screenings. Secret Service agents monitored them as they decorated.
But while Schaper only saw parts of the White House, she found the building to be “awe-inspiring,” and the friendships even more so. The volunteers quickly developed a “family” feel. They’re still in contact with one another, and they look forward to connecting again soon.
“We were, for the most part, not allowed to freely roam. You have your space and your job and that’s where you’re at. So we were contained, but still very free to interact and build relationships,” Schaper explained. “The friendships that I formed with all of these people — I mean, we’re talking about reunions. We’re talking about roadtrips. These people are just top-notch, and I can’t wait to spend more time with them.”
Schaper, a history buff, was also fascinated by the White House’s museum quality. She touched the cornerstone where the structure burned during the War of 1812, and she worked across from the portrait of George Washington that Dolly Madison rescued during that same fire. These moments meant a lot to her.
The experience also reinforced Schaper’s patriotism. She expressed her appreciation for the chance to engage with an important American landmark in this way. She recognizes the collaboration between the volunteers as an element of the American spirit.
“That’s the enduring American spirit, the generosity, the idea of serving our country, the idea of joining together for something that’s bigger than ourselves. It’s about preservation and history and coming together,” she added. “We are an incredible nation still, and we have an incredible history as we embark upon our 250th anniversary. I think we should go back and honor all of the places and spaces and Presidents and First Ladies who have all made incredible contributions to the country we are today. Nobody is perfect, but it goes well beyond politics.”
