Thursday, December 18, 2025
As Chief Retail Officer for the White House Historical Association, Luci Shanahan oversees the development and design of all the association’s products, including the annual Official White House Christmas ornament.
Before joining the White House Historical Association in 2023, Shanahan held several progressive leadership roles across product development, branding, and merchandising within large corporate retail organizations.
In the early 2000s, she got her start at popular 2000s brands Abercrombie & Fitch and Juicy Couture.
In this Q&A, Shanahan tells The Georgetowner about her involvement in the design process for the ornament, gives us a sneak peek at the design for 2026 and discusses White House Historical Association programming for upcoming year.
Answers have been edited for length.
Tell us more about this year’s ornament and your involvement in the design process.
It all starts with identifying a meaningful historic moment. From there, we work closely with our manufacturer to research that moment in detail and really understand what design elements best tell the story. The design team typically presents five or more concepts, and my job is to provide feedback, help refine the ideas, and narrow the options. Then I work across our organization to align on a final design that feels both historically accurate and visually compelling. It’s a very collaborative process, and one that I truly enjoy every year.
How does the ornament celebrate state dinners? Is there a particular state dinner or service you’ve always admired?
This year’s ornament commemorates 150 years of State Dinners at the White House in showing two highly recognizable plates from the White House State china collection that are still used for State and Official Dinners today. There are 16 official State Services in the collection, and each one tells a story about the time and administration in which it was created.
On the front of the ornament, we depicted the Reagan State China, which is iconic for its rich red color and beautiful gold detailing. It was selected and approved by First Lady Nancy Reagan and has become one of the most regularly used designs in the collection.
On the back, we highlight the Bicentennial State China, which was created in 2000 during the Clinton administration. This service is particularly special because it features a gold depiction of the White House itself. It is the only service with an actual image of the White House on it.
Together, these two services capture the elegance and ceremony of state dinners and felt like a perfect way to bring that tradition into this year’s ornament.
Also, not everyone knows that for more than 40 years, the White House Historical Association has funded the acquisition of new official china services for the White House to use during State and official dinners, smaller private meals, and other events. I loved having the opportunity to specifically tie some of what we do to the design itself, because our organization worked on both services!
The 2025 ornament box. Courtesy White House Historical Association.
How far in advance do you choose the theme for each year’s ornament? Do you already have ideas for 2026?
We usually plan at least 18 months in advance, but since 1981, our approach has been consistent. Each ornament commemorates either a specific president or their time in the White House or marks a significant anniversary in White House history.
For example, in 2000 we created the Bicentennial ornament to celebrate 200 years of the White House, which was completed in 1800 and first occupied by President John Adams. In 2002, we marked the 100th anniversary of the renovation of the East Room with a beautiful glass ornament. More recently, last year’s ornament commemorated President Carter in a very timely way, as he celebrated his 100th birthday in 2024. He was the first living President to see his own commemorative ornament. It is immensely special to me, that President Carter himself saw the ornament and got to enjoy it.
The 2026 ornament will celebrate America’s 250th birthday and serves as the official commemorative ornament of the America 250 celebration. The front features the Declaration of Independence printed on linen and surrounded by an elegant gold frame, while the back showcases a depiction of the White House. As with every official ornament, it’s made in the United States, and it’s incredibly meaningful for us to play a role in commemorating such a historic milestone for the country.
In addition to the holiday ornament, what other programming does the White House Historical Association have planned for 2026?
In 2026, the White House Historical Association will be commemorating America’s 250th birthday throughout the entire year. There’s a slate of programming planned all focused on education, history, and civic engagement.
White House ornaments from 1981-2025. Courtesy White House Historical Association.
You joined the Association in 2023 to help lead growth initiatives for retail. What projects have you taken on so far using your fashion and retail background?
Since joining the Association, I’ve focused on strengthening the financial performance of our retail business in direct support of our educational mission.
While the official White House Christmas ornament is certainly our most significant retail product and revenue driver, I’ve also worked on several other initiatives. These include expanding and refining our collectible offerings, enhancing representation and storytelling within our home décor category, and updating our jewelry collections, many of which are inspired by the First Ladies, Presidential insignia, and architectural details from the White House. We always have a story tied to the products we sell to capture teaching moments whenever we can!
In addition to the ornament, what are some of your other favorite products that the White House Historical Association offers?
Two product themes that I love and plan to grow in the coming year are the State China collection and the White House Tartan collection.
The White House Tartan collection is a favorite of mine because it invokes wonderful storytelling about the eight Scottish stonemasons who traveled to Washington in 1794 to embellish the sandstone selected by George Washington for the White House. The five colors in the Association’s tartan represent those associated with the architectural fabric of the White House itself. Red, blue, and green represent the three parlors on the State Floor, gray for the stonemasons, and white for the White House. The design is officially registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans. Within the collection, we have a lovely selection of ornaments, Scottish wool scarves and accessories, and this year we are relaunching two new bookends. These elegant bookends are crafted with sandstone from the same Virginia quarry that produced the sandstone used to build the exterior walls of the White House more than 200 years ago! The other item is a new bookend sold as a single piece that looks like one of the Ionic columns of the White House, which are known for the scroll-like volutes, and which are adorned with lovely roses.
The White House Historical Association is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1961 by then-First Lady Jackie Kennedy. Its mission is to protect, preserve and provide access to the rich history of America’s executive mansion. For updates on programming for 2026, visit: www.whitehousehistory.org and thepeopleshouse.org
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